Once again, I’ve signed up for the Aussie Author Challenge hosted by Jo at Booklover Book Reviews. I’m aiming for the Wallaroo level:
WALLAROO
– Read and review 6 titles written by Australian authors, of which at least 2 of those authors are female, at least 2 of those authors are male, and at least 2 of those authors are new to you;
– Fiction or non-fiction, at least 2 genres.
As I’m a little(!) late with my sign-up post, I’ve already reviewed several books for the challenge:
- The Golden Boys by Sonya Hartnett: review
- Claiming Noah by Amanda Ortlepp: review (new to me)
- The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty: review
- Watching You by Michael Robotham: review
- Entitlement by Jessica White: forthcoming (new to me)
To reach the target of Wallaroo I need to read at least one other Aussie male author (and I’m guessing Damon Young’s picture book for children, My Nanna is a Ninja, probably doesn’t qualify). I know I’ll pass the target for female authors, as I’ve just finished Ann Turner’s debut psychological thriller, The Lost Swimmer, and I have Honey Brown’s new novel, Six Degrees, on my To Be Read pile, so I may end up qualifying for the Kangaroo level. To do that, I’d have to come up with three more male Aussie writers.
What recent books by Australian male authors would you recommend and why?
Devoted Eclectic 
Jane Bryony Rawson
/ April 16, 2015Alec Patric’s ‘Black Rock White City’ because it is brutal, poetic and real, telling the heartrending story of Bosnian refugees uprooted to Melbourne; James Bradley’s ‘Clade’ for an inventive, tragic telling of near-future climate change; Omar Musa’s ‘Here come the dogs’ because you haven’t read anything else like it; Trevor Shearston’s ‘Game’ for a sparse, enigmatic re-telling of bushranger Ben Hall’s final days and Graeme Simsion’s ‘The Rosie Project’ because it’s bloody good fun.
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Elizabeth
/ April 16, 2015Thanks for the recommendations – and the reasons, Jane. Clade has been on my radar, but not the others (edited: apart from The Rosie Project – of course I’ve heard of that).
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Cathy Powell
/ April 17, 2015I too enjoyed ‘The Rosie Project’. I have recently discovered Tim Winton – I read a short story collection of his earlier this year and wish to explore further. Plus I also read my first Peter Carey book – Amnesia, which was rather interesting.
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Elizabeth
/ April 17, 2015Thanks, Cathy. I have The Rosie Project on audio – I must get around to listening. As for Tim Winton, I *loved* Breath, Dirt Music is one of my favourite reads – and I just realised I have an ebook of his short story collection, The Turning, which I’d forgotten about! (It’d also help to tackle for TBR pile.)
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maamej
/ April 17, 2015I really liked Peter Carey’s Wrong about Japan and Peter Fitzsimons Kokoda (history). I’m also a big fan of Garth Nix, who writes fantasy for young adults, especially his Mister Monday and Old Kingdom series. Don’t know if this helps, I think they are probably quite different to the ones you listed. Good on you for doing the challenge, have fun with the rest of it.
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Elizabeth
/ April 24, 2015Thanks for the rcommendations!
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Jo @ Booklover Book Reviews
/ April 19, 2015It’s lovely to have you join us Elizabeth – you’re officially the 25th person to register for the Aussie Author Challenge 2015.
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Elizabeth
/ April 24, 2015Thanks, Jo. Sorry it was so late in coming!
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