2009 The Pulitzer Prize for fiction has been selected from the finallists and the winner is Elizabeth Strout for ‘Olive Kitteridge‘.

Elizabeth Strout binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives into a book with the heft of a novel, through the presence of one larger-than-life, unforgettable character: Olive Kitteridge. At the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writer’s eyes, it’s in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with all of the grand human drama?desire, despair, jealousy, hope, and love.

The finalists were

The plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

All souls by Christine Schutt

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

The Orange Prize is rather exclusive, being open only to women. This year the winner is Marilynne Robinson for ‘Home‘.

The shortlist was

Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman

The wilderness by Samantha Harvey

The invention of everything else by Samantha Hunt

Molly Fox’s birthday by Deirdre Madden

Burnt shadows by Kamila Shamsie

For lovers of crime fiction, CWA Dagger Awards provide useful information on what you can read. The awards are set up by The Crime Writers Association of UK.

This year The CWA Gold Dagger award goes to

William Brodrick for A Whispered Name

The Ian Flaming Steel Dagger goes to

John Hart for The last child

The John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger goes to

Johan Theorin for Echoes from the dead

The Ellis Peters Historical Award goes to

Philip Kerr for If the dead rise not

The Crime Writers Association of Australia was set up in the mid 1990s to promote and encourage Australian crime writing through the establishment of the Ned Kelly Awards. The ‘annual Neddies’ have subsequently become an eagerly anticipated fixture on the Australian literary scene.

This year, Ned Kelly Awards go to

Best first fiction
Ghostlines by Nick Gadd

Best Fiction – joint winners
Deep Water by Peter Corris

Smoke & Mirrors by Kel Robertson

True crime
The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper

SD Harvey Short Story
Fidget’s Farewell by Scott McDermott

Lifetime Achievement
Shane Maloney

Selected by the Daily Telegraphy Big Book Club a reading list for December/ January is available, with most titles now available at Parramatta City Library for loan. There are 18 titles on the list which cater for every age group and make for perfect summer reading. With books written by some of Australian best authors, what are you waiting for?

Get reading over this festive season.

Now or never: a sustainable future for Australia by Tim Flannery – Non fiction: Tim Flannery’s Quarterly Essay was a national bestseller. Now or Never combines this landmark essay with nine responses to it by leading figures, and Flannery’s reply. The result is an essential short book about the most urgent issue of our time. Flannery begins by discussing the idea of sustainability, and asks whether humanity can rise to this challenge. He brings to life the latest climate science and its implications. And he discusses in fascinating detail three potential climate change solutions, with special reference to Australia. Includes responses from Peter Cosier, Richard Branson, David Foster, Geoff Russell, Alanna Mitchell, Ian Lowe, Barney Foran, Barrie Pittock and Gwynne Dyer.

One magic square by Lolo Houbein – Non fiction: you can grow your own food on one square metre.

The life you can save by Peter Singer – Non fiction: acting now to end world poverty.

Easy organic gardening and moon planting by Lyn Bagnall 

The window seat by Archie Weller – short stories

The history of the beanbag by Susan Midalia – short stories

The boat by Nam Le – short story

Little white slips by Karen Hitchcock - short stories

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – Young adult fiction

The hunger games by Suzanne Collins – Young adult fiction

Vulture’s gate by Kirsty Murray – Young adult fiction

The loblolly boy by James Norcliffe – Young adult fiction

I love Christmas by Anna Walker – for 0-2 years

My cat likes to hide in boxes by Eve Sutton – for 0 -2 years

An Aussie night before Christmas by Yvonne Morrison – for 2 & 3 years

Imagine by Alison Lester – for 2 & 3 years

Wombat divine by Mem Fox – for 4 & 5 years

To the top end by Roland Harvey – for 4 & 5 years