Take a literary journey with these must-read books and blogs, representing a cross section of Australian authors, literature and history.
Books
- The Dry by Jane Harper. A NYT best-seller, mystery/thriller set in outback Oz.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-dry-jane-harper/book/9781925481372.html - Breath by Tim Winton. A fictional tale of adolescence set in Western Australia.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/breath-tim-winton/book/9780143009580.html - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. A romantic comedy about a genetics professor looking for love.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-rosie-project-graeme-simsion/book/9781922147844.html - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. A true story taking place in the vast landscape of Iceland.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/burial-rites-hannah-kent/book/9781743516966.html - Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. First book in a series for young adults about a foreign power invading Australia.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/tomorrow-when-the-war-began-john-marsden/book/9780330274869.html - The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan. Winner of the 2014 Man Booker Prize, tells the harrowing journey of an Australian doctor during war time.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-narrow-road-to-the-deep-north-richard-flanagan/book/9780143790747.html - Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton. A story of brotherhood, true love, family, and the most unlikely of friendships set in Brisbane.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/boy-swallows-universe-trent-dalton/book/9781460757765.html - Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay. Classic historical fiction set at the turn of the century.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/picnic-at-hanging-rock-joan-lindsay/book/9780143132059.html - True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey. Fictional re-telling of Ned Kelly.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/true-history-of-the-kelly-gang-peter-carey/book/9781760897963.html - Cloudstreet by Tim Winton. Masterful family saga set in Perth, WA.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/cloudstreet-tim-winton/book/9780140273984.html - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. Now a major TV series set in California, read the original book set in Sydney.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/big-little-lies-liane-moriarty/book/9781743533062.html - The Ladies in Black by Madeleine St John. Also a major movie, turn back the clock to the height of 1950's department store fashion.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/ladies-in-black-madeleine-st-john/book/9781925603996.html - The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland. A moving and romantic story about stories.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-lost-flowers-of-alice-hart-holly-ringland/book/9781460754337.html - Goodwood by Holly Throsby. A murder mystery in a small town.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/goodwood-holly-throsby/book/9781760633349.html - In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. A travelogue book about Australia.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunburned-Country-Bill-Bryson/dp/0767903862 - Bruny by Heather Rose. Family, love, loyalty and a new world order. One of the best new releases from Oz.
https://www.booktopia.com.au/bruny-heather-rose/book/9781760875169.html - A Children’s Book of Aboriginal Stories (open access download).
https://eprints.utas.edu.au/13321/ - Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories (read online).
http://dreamtime.net.au/dreaming/story-list/
Blogs
- Nick Caves: Red Hand Files: https://theredhandfiles.us17.list-manage.com/profile?u=e3a1d76999a9cb593da469b4c&id=04ab1ac82e&e=39abde0578
- Meet the Smithsonian’s newest Chief Scientist - Aussie koala specialist Dr Rebecca Johnson: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-of-natural-history/2020/04/02/meet-smithsonians-newest-chief-scientist/