Thursday, December 30, 2010

Classic Australian reads




I've been reading a lot of Australian authors this year, past and present, discovering some true treasures in our own backyard (I won't mention the trash). 
If I were to suggest a classic homegrown summer read for the holidays - one that is engaging irrespective of gender, beautifully written, captures the imagination, an easy yet intelligent read, slim enough to read from cover to cover over a long weekend and has achieved international literary success - it would be Jessica Anderson's 1978 Miles Franklin Award winning novel, Tirra Lirra by the River
After Anderson passed away in July this year aged 93, the book was re-published and copies virtually walked out the door.
I love the title - I'd tell you what it means but it's more fun for you to find out for yourself when you read it.
For some more quality Australian reads, check out this selection from Susan Wyndham in the SMH. Incidentally, Ruth Park, whose The Harp in the South is a well deserved inclusion, and who many a high-schooler in the 1980s would remember for Playing Beatie Bow, passed away this month, also aged 93.
It's not the definitive list in my opinion but there are some sterling authors among them...all of which I recommend bar one (regular readers can you guess who that might be?...;)

1 comment:

Sam said...

I have just today started reading 'Jasper Jones' after staring at it sitting atop my 'to read' pile for quite some time. I must say, I am thoroughly enjoying it thus far. In fact, I can barely put it down! The perfect summer read while soaking up the Aussie blue sky, sunshiny days.