Australian authors recommend

Australian creators tell us the most recent book they have read and loved, and why.

Michelle de Kretser won the Miles Franklin twice, for The Life to Come and Questions of Travel. Her forthcoming novel, Theory & Practice (Text, November 2024), is a combination of fiction, memoir and essay set in St Kilda, Melbourne, in 1986. De Kretser recommends:

‘Fiona McFarlane’s Highway 13 is a stupendous collection of stories that imagines the fallout from the crimes committed by a serial killer. It’s a dazzling refraction of the backpacker murders of the 1990s, reimagined by a writer in brilliant control of character, setting and form. She writes like an angel, too.’

David Dyer’s debut novel, The Midnight Watch, focused on the ship that witnessed the Titanic’s distress rockets but failed to respond. His sophomore novel, This Kingdom of Dust (Penguin, October 2024), asks: What if the Apollo mission had failed to return from the Moon? Dyer recommends:

‘The last Australian book I read and loved was Larry Writer’s wonderful The Shipwreck (2022). It tells the dramatic story of the sailing ship Dunbar, which, in 1857, after a three-month voyage from England, wrecked itself on rocks near the entrance of Sydney Harbour. Of the 123 people aboard, only one survived.

‘The Dunbar was a magnificent wind-powered machine, Larry tells us, “one of the finest British clippers at the zenith of the age of sail”. But, in the end, it was the wind that destroyed her. I’m fascinated by powerful machines that fail. The Dunbar, the Titanic, and the lunar module languishing in my kingdom of dust remind me that, marvellous as humankind’s endeavours might be, at any moment, nature can sweep them all away.’

In the new picture book My Dad’s Gone Away (Magabala, October 2024), authors Andrew Krakouer, a Minang (Nyoongar) and Inggarda (Yamatji) man and former AFL player, and Jacqueline Dinan, a funeral celebrant and former accredited foster carer, sensitively explore a family’s experience navigating a parent’s incarceration. They shared recommendations:

Krakouer: ‘I am fascinated by Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson, also published by Magabala Books. I have always appreciated the fight for respect on the footy field. This book provides an accessible and objective summary of the protests and plight of First Nations People in all aspects of life.’

Dinan: ‘I have just finished reading Nova Weetman’s Love, Death & Other Scenes, in which she so rawly yet beautifully explores her journey through her husband’s illness and ultimate death, plus navigating life afterwards. As a funeral celebrant, I always want to understand the diversity of grief better and build my technical ability to capture a life story.’

Hasib Hourani is a Lebanese-Palestinian writer, editor, arts worker and educator living on Wangal Country in Sydney. His debut book, rock flight (Giramondo), is a ‘structurally experimental long-form poem of grief, rage and resistance against the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine’. Hourani recommends:

‘I keep returning to Jumaana Abdu’s Translations, which will be released in August. It’s an expertly paced work of fiction about a woman trying to build a home for herself and her daughter. I can’t remember the last time I read something with such a sharp and confident voice, locally or internationally. The world is meticulous and familiar. The characters are so real I can’t believe we haven’t met. I feel very lucky to consider Jumaana a peer.’

Tigest Girma, an Ethiopian writer and teacher based in Melbourne, draws richly from East African history and cultures and blends Black stories with dark and fantastical elements. Her debut novel, Immortal Dark, is ‘the book YA readers of dark academia and romantasy have been waiting for’. Girma recommends:

‘The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni is a YA fantasy book about a girl who fights to survive in a death prison. It was my first time reading a fantasy book set entirely in prison, and the harsh environment offered non-stop conflict and tension! I can’t wait to continue the series.’

Christopher Cheng is an award-winning author of over 40 children’s fiction and nonfiction titles. His latest picture book, Dragon Folding (illus Lucia Masciullo, Puffin), shows readers ‘how important it is to spread joy and show compassion, especially to people going through a hard time’. Cheng recommends:

‘I adored Emma Quay’s Happy All Over. It’s full of joy and light and happiness. The text consists of short, simple statements. These expressions of joy for a child arise from the everyday happenings and the objects that surround them that adults often miss. Movement, sounds and little things like lying on the floor all bring joy to a youngster, and these (and much more) are wonderfully captured in Emma’s words and delightful illustrative style. The raindrop colours on the cover also appear on every page in many different forms, such as leaves, decorations and a water spray, and, along with the cups, spark further exploration. This wonderful book brings joy and happiness all over.’

Raelke Grimmer is an author and linguist from the Northern Territory. Her debut young adult novel, White Noise (UWAP), is set in Darwin and explores grief, autism, friendship and identity. Grimmer recommends:

‘Eta Draconis by Brendan Ritchie. I loved this novel not only for the vivid depictions of place and landscape but also for the resilience and determination of the characters. The ending was exquisite. I find endings challenging to get right as a writer, yet I put so much weight on a book’s ending as a reader. After reading it, I sat staring silently at the back cover, trying to gather my thoughts for a long time. It will be a book I will go back to and read again and again.’

Author and travel writer Louise Southerden has written four nonfiction books, including the world’s first surfing guide for women. Her latest book, Tiny (Hardie Grant Explore), is also her first memoir, charting her tiny home build as her relationship with her partner falls apart. Southerden recommends:

‘I loved Music and Freedom, a novel by Zoë Morrison, which I found in the street library out the front of where I live. (I stumble upon a lot of amazing reads this way.) I really didn’t want it to end, and I loved being carried along inside the story of Alice, the troubled relationship she had with her husband, and her piano playing. I’m not musical, but the author’s descriptions of the classical pieces Alice plays had me listening to them online so I could understand them in a deeper way, something I’ve never done while reading a book. It was a beautiful, multi-sensory experience.’

Anita Heiss is one of Australia’s most prolific and celebrated authors, known for works across genres including nonfiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children’s books. Dirrayawadha (S&S), her newly released novel, is described as imparting ‘historical truths within an accessible mass-market format while retaining many words in the Wiradyuri language’. Heiss recommends:

‘I just re-read Vivienne Cleven’s Bitin’ Back, published as part of the UQP First Nations Classics series. Hands down, this is one of the funniest books I have ever read, as the author skilfully writes about serious issues, including homophobia and racism, in a small country town in Queensland. The voices of her characters are unique and yet somehow familiar. I’m so pleased Cleven’s book, and other titles in the series, are getting a second airing.’

Liz Evans is a British-born journalist, author, former psychotherapist and academic with a PhD in creative writing, now living in Tasmania. Her latest novel, Catherine Wheel (Ultimo), is ‘a nuanced take on the domestic thriller’. Evans recommends:

‘The last Australian book I read and loved was Katherine Brabon’s Body Friend. It was so unusual and mysterious—and very elegantly crafted. It provides some beautifully profound insights into living with chronic illness and pain and works on a deeply psychological level, which is always a plus for me. For me, the two friends of the protagonist are aspects of her own psyche that become externalised via the imaginal realm in order for her to be able to get to know and finally integrate these difficult, conflicting parts of her self. This is how she learns to navigate and accept her condition. It is a very beautiful book and very deserving of the Stella shortlisting.’

Michelle See-Tho is a freelance writer and copywriter whose 2023 Penguin Literary Prize–winning debut novel, Jade and Emerald (Vintage) is ‘a wonderful escape into the late 90s, a mood-lifter packed with cultural insights, which will induce binge-reading’. See-Tho recommends:

‘There are so many to choose from! I might go with The Body Country by Susie Anderson (full disclosure/humblebrag: we are friends). It launched in 2023, but I recently revisited it because I love the writing. I’m in awe of Susie’s skill. She evokes senses and feelings in a subtle yet vivid way—and funny, too.’

Ashleigh Barton is a children’s author and copywriter from Sydney, whose experience has included work on Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor. Her latest book, Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet (Lothian), is the first in a new junior fiction series, which ‘celebrates science and will likely spark a further interest in space for young readers.’ Barton recommends:

‘I recently read and loved One Song by A J Betts. It reminded me how much I love YA. I also loved that it was set in Perth, revolved around music, and took place over one weekend. An Australian picture book I’ve been reading and loving with my kids is Sloths Love Parties by Rory H Mather, because it’s just so much fun and such a cute take on why sloths are tired all the time.’

Sydney-based Yvonne Sewankambo is a Ugandan-Canadian writer and publicist whose debut picture book, Good Hair (Walker), is ‘a wonderfully inclusive book representing various cultures and subcultures, showcasing the beauty of hair through various types and styles’. Sewankambo recommends:

‘I’m currently reading and loving Mawunyo Gbogbo’s Hip Hop & Hymns (Penguin), which has been on my bookshelf since it was published in 2022. Finding the mental capacity to read that entire year, however, was an absolute struggle because it’s also the year my son was born, so I’m glad I’m catching up.

‘I don’t read memoirs often, so usually, when I buy one, it’s because I feel a connection to the author’s story in some small or big way. I was intrigued the minute I saw Hip Hop & Hymns was a story about an African Australian girl growing up in rural New South Wales, and it hasn’t disappointed me! I’m loving Mawunyo’s rawness, honesty and vulnerability as she takes the reader through her wrestles with identity, as well as her experiences with a string of hardships, including mental illness and racism—experiences that have sometimes broken her but also made her the woman and journalist she is today.’

Rochelle Siemienowicz is a Melbourne-based author, journalist and film critic. Her debut novel, Double Happiness (MidnightSun, October), ‘explores the intricacies, challenges and taboos surrounding polyamory and ethical non-monogamy’. Siemienowicz recommends:

‘If You Go by Alice Robinson (Affirm) is an amazing book that works as both tense, speculative fiction and as a nuanced, philosophical exploration of divorce, motherhood and the moments that matter in our relationships.’

Jenna Lo Bianco is a Melbourne-based author, educator, PhD candidate and advocate for Italian language education in Australia. Her first romance novel, The Italian Marriage (Macmillan), is swiftly followed by her latest, Love & Rome (Macmillan), which ‘takes readers on a gastronomic and sensorial trip’. Lo Bianco recommends:

‘I really enjoyed reading Karina May’s Never Ever Forever, because I just love her narrative voice and her subtle contemporary humour. She’s a clever writer and her fresh takes on classic romance tropes are always so fun to read.’

Category: Think Australian feature