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Books
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Australian writing came into its own in the 1890s, when a strong nationalistic movement leading up to eventual federation in 1901 produced writers such as Henry Lawson and the balladeer A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, who romanticized the bush and glorified the mateship ethos, while outstanding women writers, such as Miles Franklin and Barbara Baynton, gave a feminine slant to the bush tale and set the trend for a strong female authorship. In the twentieth century, Australian novelists have come to be recognized in the international arena, Patrick White having been awarded a Nobel Prize in 1973, and Peter Carey the Booker Prize in 1988. More recently, writers who have made a name for themselves within Australia, such as David Malouf and Tim Winton, have begun to arouse curiosity further afield.
These days, Australian writing is flourishing: as in the USA, the short story thrives in Australia, with popular magazines such as Australian Short Stories and literary journals such as Meanjin , Southerly , Westerly and Heat providing a forum and exposure for short fiction, essays, reviews and new and established writers. Eagerly read anthologies, with an emphasis on women's writing and multiculturalism, are constantly being published; for a taste of the latest, the annual Picador New Writing is worth seeking. The big prizes in Australian fiction include the Vogel Prize for the best unpublished novel written by an author under the age of 35, and the country's most coveted literary prize, the Miles Franklin Award.
You'll be surprised at the range of titles available in Australian
bookshops
, though be prepared to pay more than you would at home. A good website to check is that of Gleebooks (
www.gleebooks.com.au
), one of Australia's best literary booksellers, with a whole host of recent reviews; specific titles can be ordered via email (
books@gleebooks.com.au
) and posted out. We've given the publishers of each book, where available, in the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), and Australia (Aus) where applicable; obviously, most Australian-interest books are more widely available in Australia. O/p signifies an out-of-print - but still highly recommended - book which you will probably be able to find in a library. University Press is abbreviated as UP. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Australia |