Yesterday the longlist for the 2012 Miles Franklin award was announced.
The Miles Franklin is the most prestigious literary award. Of the list, I have read two, which isn't many but it is better than I have been in the last few years. One of the books, All That I Am, I liked but didn't love and the other, Foals Bread was a struggle for me. Click on the links to read my thoughts.
Blood by Tony Birch
Spirit of Progress by Steven Carroll
Spirit House by Mark Dapin
The Precipice by Virginia Duigan
All That I Am by Anna Funder,
Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
Five Bells by Gail Jones
Foal’s Bread by Gillian Mears
Autumn Laing by Alex Miller
Cold Light by Frank Moorhouse
Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman
Animal People by Charlotte Wood
I have every intention of reading Sarah Thornhill, Past the Shallows and The Street Sweeper in due course. Maybe I will try to read the shortlist... or maybe not!
I can certainly recommend Past The Shallows. I read it for my book group and everyone had a lot of positive things to say about it. Am currently wading my way through the Street Sweeper. Great writing but a long book and things keep getting in my way of reading it. Our book shop has picked Animal People for our May book read so waiting until closer to the date for that. Happy reading. Pam
ReplyDeletePast the Shallows is one that I think I will definitely like.
DeleteI have Past The Shallows, if you want to borrow! It's the only one that I've actually read off the list.
ReplyDeleteI have a review copy of Five Bells to read, I currently have Animal People out from the library and I have your copy of Foal's Bread also. Ideally I'd like to read most of them *cough never going to happen* so I'm going to aim for the shortlist. And that's not going to happen either, so really I'm just aiming to read the ones that I already have in my possession, lol.
LOL! I guess reading at least some of them is a start!
DeleteYou're doing better than me because I haven't read any! Will have to remedy that.
ReplyDeleteI normally haven't read any so this is a good year!
DeleteI've read The Street Sweeper. It was very well researched, but not my favourite book. I have Spirit of Progress and The Precipice on my TBR shelves.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try to read the shortlist but I don't think it will happen as I'm trying to read the Orange Prize longlist and failing miserably!
The Orange Prize lists usually fits my reading tastes the best of all the lists!
DeleteI read Five Bells and didn't like it. Almost brought home the Alex Miller today but decided I'd better read what I have first.
ReplyDeleteCurrently reading Foal's Bread and have to admit it is a bit of a struggle for me too.
I heard Gail Jones speak at Melbourne Writers Festival last year and was interested in reading her books but haven't done so yet, and not sure if I will.
DeleteI haven't read any of them and only own two. I wish there was more time to read!
ReplyDeleteI think we all wish that!
DeleteMuch more evenly distributed list, gender wise.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure it was the longlist that prompted such controversy last year. It was the announcement of the shortlist that caused the problem. I do think that Foal's Bread will make it through because all the Literature readers seem to love it, but we will see.
DeleteI've got a copy of Sarah Thornhill and I'm looking forward to reading it. I loved Grenville's The Secret River, which I read a couple of years ago, and I think some of the characters relate (though I've forgotten the details).
ReplyDeleteYou are right Beth. Sarah Thornhill is the daughter of the main character in The Secret River.
DeleteI need to read more Australian lit. I have none of these titles, but I do have an Elliot Perlman and a Kate Grenville. Will have to dig through the shelves, sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's a start Nancy!
DeleteFIVE BELLS is on my wish list, but I haven't read *any* of the long list. I agree with Kathy, more time to read, please!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pain when things like work get into the way of reading isn't it!
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