Oz Lit for Dummies – Part 3

Considering less than 150 Australian adult fiction books are published here each year, there’s actually a great deal of good stuff, no matter what the critics claim . Since most of the better known ones have been covered in my previous posts, I figured I’d use this post to draw attention to ten fantastic Australian novels that you’ve probably never heard of. The only thing these books have in common is their country of origin, and that I think they should be read much, much more widely. So tell me, have you read/heard about any of these books? What Australian book do you think belongs on this list?

Cafe Scheherazade, Arnold Zable. A novel about the refugee experience, the meaning of homeland and the power of storytelling.

Candy, Luke Davies. A raw, beautiful account of junkies in love.

The Children’s Bach, Helen Garner. Garner is a marvel. Her characterisation is simply perfect, her touch always light. This is my favourite, but any of her fiction and most of her non-fiction is worth reading.

Coonardoo, Katherine Susannah Prichard. A troubling novel about the love of an Aboriginal woman for her station owning ‘boss.’ Although dated in its representation of Aboriginal characters, this novel raises some tough questions about early race relations in Australia and continues to be relevant 75 years after it was first published.

Leaning Towards Infinity, Sue Woolfe. A passionate, original novel about motherhood, belonging and pure mathematics.

Lillian’s Story, Kate Grenville. Fat, mad, brilliant Lillian escapes a tyrannical, abusive father and lives boldly and unashamedly on the streets of Sydney.

Loaded, Christos Tsiolkas A fast, intense tour of Melbourne’s underground as seen through the eyes of a gay Greek Australian boy trying to be a ‘real man.’

Monkey’s Mask, Dorothy Porter This is a genuinely gripping murder mystery, a seriously sexy love story and it’s written completely in verse. A breathtaking, astonishing book that will make you rethink your idea of verse novels.

Remembering Babylon, David Malouf. Another wonderful novel that examines the relationship between black and white Australia. Based on the true story of a ‘white’ man reintroduced into society after living with Aboriginals, this is unsettling, compelling fiction about race, culture and identity.

Three Dog Night, Peter Goldsworthy. At first I thought this was a novel about love, then I decided it was about sacrifice, but in the end, it is about learning how to die.