2021 Prime Ministers Literary Awards Shortlist

Many Australians have turned to books now more than ever to enrich their lives and escape the challenges of restrictions, lockdowns and border closures. While many of us may not be able to physically travel far, Australia’s storytellers and historians continue to take us on journeys to the past, present and future.

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards recognise and celebrate the cream of Australian writing and the 2021 shortlist offers a selection of thoughtful, inspiring and entertaining books to help us through challenging times. The nominated books follow quite different and engaging paths, often tackling current issues, especially environmental crisis and challenges of modern families and social lives. The styles range from mastery of traditional form towards ‘magical realist’ and experimental.

The Awards, which began in 2008, recognise and celebrate the exceptional literary talents of established and emerging Australian writers. They highlight the important role the arts have in connecting us to Australian society and culture. Why not reserve one, or more, now and see if you can pick the winner(s) before they are announced in December.

All About Books Winter 2021

Welcome to the Winter 2021 edition of All About Books. Once again there is a wonderful range of fiction and non fiction books being published for adults and teens from best selling and debut authors. The always popular Staff Picks make an appearance and news of our upcoming author talks are on page 43. Many of the titles are available as ebooks while those that aren’t can be added to your to be borrowed pile when we re-open. Happy Reading!

Ned Kelly Awards 2021 Shortlist

The Ned Kelly Awards are Australia’s oldest and most prestigious recognition honouring published crime fiction and true crime writing. The categories are Best Crime Fiction, Best Debut Crime Fiction, Best True Crime and Best International Crime Fiction. The shortlist titles have now been announced with the winners for each category announced in October. Why not see if one of your favourites have been selected or read one now.

Big Bang Books!

Titles that have been hugely popular in the last ten to twenty years.

As August fast approaches, I have to admit to being completely behind in my blog posts. Will you accept that the current COVID situation has thrown things in the library world into chaos?

City of Parramatta Libraries is temporary closed and my colleagues and I are busy coming up with ideas to keep you all engaged online; all from the comfort or maybe chaos of our own homes.

As always I am finding it hard to concentrate on one book long enough to finish it and have almost given up hope that I will actually read a title related to our monthly reading themes. I am blaming the fact that I spend way too much time researching great titles to recommend that I overload on them and can’t even think about possibly reading one.

My colleague Michelle and I both failed in our attempts to actually finish ‘Wolf Hall’ by Hilary Mantel for the umpteen time, and lets not even mention July’s ‘memorable memoirs’. I am hoping to have better luck with August’s theme of ‘big bang’ books.

In saying all of that, we have managed to put our heads together and come up with our picks for books that have made a big splash over the last ten years.

Happy reading

Jody

P.S.

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all the books we are reading, why not become our friend on Goodreads.

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Miles Franklin Literary Award Longlist 2021

The Miles Franklin Literary Award was established by feminist and author of My Brilliant Career, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin. First presented in 1957, the Award celebrates novels of the highest literary merit that tell stories about Australian life, shining a light on some of the country’s most talented writers.

“The 2021 Miles Franklin longlist is a rich mix of well-established, early career and debut novelists whose work ranges from historical fiction to fabulism and psychologism. Through an array of distinctive voices these works invite their readers to engage with questions regarding the natural and animal worlds, asylum, sexual abuse, colonialism, racism and grief. These are stories about trauma and loss, and also about beauty, resilience and hope,” said Richard Neville, State Library of NSW Mitchell Librarian.

The shortlisted finalists will be revealed on 16 June 2021 and the winner announced on 15 July 2021. Why not read one, or more, and judge for yourself which one you think deserves to win!

Amnesty by Aravind Adiga
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
At the Edge of the Solid World by Daniel David Wood
Our Shadows by Gail Jones
Infinite Splendours by Sofie Laguna
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
The Animals in the Country by Laura Jean McKay
Lucky’s by Andrew Pippos
Stone Sky Gold Mountain by Mirandi Riwoe
The Fifth Season by Philip Salom
Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
The Inland Sea by Madeleine Watts