ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

The Melbourne Prize for Literature and Best Writing Award 2009 shortlist was announced today.

The Melbourne Prize for Literature finalists – in the running for the $60,000 prize  – are

• Barry Hill
• Hannie Rayson
• Shane Maloney
• Alex Miller
• Gerald Murnane

This is an interesting shortlist.  Of these, I’ve read

• all of Shane Maloney’s Murray Whelan series;
• Conditions of Faith and Journey to the Stone Country by Alex Miller (with Landscape of Farewell on my TBR); and
• The Plains by Gerald Murnane.

I’ve seen Hotel Sorrento by Hannie Rayson as a film, but I have yet to make the acquaintance of Barry Hill.

And the shortlist for the $30,000 Best Writing Award 2009 includes

• Tom Cho – Look Who’s Morphing
• Joel Deane – Magisterium
• Lisa Gorton – Press Release
• Chloe Hooper – The Tall Man
• Simmone Howell – Everything Beautiful
• Myfanwy Jones – The Rainy Season
• Lally Katz – Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd
• Nam Le – The Boat
• Amra Pajalic – The Good Daughter
• Jeff Sparrow – Killing

Links above are to Readings Bookstore because this information comes courtesy of their email newsletter and I like to support independent booksellers.

Of the Best Writing shortlist, I’ve read and greatly admired The Tall Man, enjoyed The Rainy Season, and although I haven’t read Killing yet, I’ve read Sparrow’s Radical Melbourne series and thought they were terrific.  I’ve also read The Boat, but don’t quite see what the fuss is about.   (These links are to my reviews).

There is also  the $3000 Civic Choice Award 2009 (a ‘readers’ choice’ award) and you can vote at www.melbourneprizetrust.org