Celebrate Australia Day with Books!
January 26 is Australia Day, the official national day of Australia. It commemorates the landing date of a British fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. While it would be great to go to Australia and celebrate there, this may not be an option for everyone. Instead we can do the next best thing and read a book by an Australian author.
The Broken Shore by Peter Temple
Temple became the first Australian to win a Gold Dagger Award with this novel about a homicide detective who uncovers family secrets, racism and police corruption while on a leave of absence.
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
On the eve of World War I, a young girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. As an adult, she returns to England to uncover her past.
The People's Train by Thomas Keneally
Artem Samsurov flees Tsarist Russia for Australia but soon discovers injustice and repression in his new country.
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Ransom by David Malouf
Brisbane writer David Malouf's latest novel is a re-telling of Homer's Iliad.
The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan
In 1954, a Slovenian family settles in Tasmania but discovers that their new life will not erase memories of their old one.
The True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
The fictionalized history of Australia's most legendary hero by two-time Booker Prize winner Carey.
The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy
Kennedy has been called the Antipodean Anne Tyler. In this debut novel, a father and his estranged daughter try to overcome their differences during a backpacking trip in the Tasmanian wilderness.
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This is a very small selection of the Australian literature available at Toronto Public Library. Please ask the staff at your local branch for additional titles.
One thought on “Celebrate Australia Day with Books!”
Thank you for this list. I have read The Forgotten Garden, and although it was a good read, after reading it with all the hype, it was a tad too long, and became tedious.
I have been to Australia, and I actually left the country on Jan 26, Aus day, I really loved it there. I had a wonderful time. I especially liked the north tropical end, Cairns, and Melbourne where I have family, so these books would be fascinating for me.
Debby