The longlist for the ALS Gold medal awarded by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature, has been announced. I haven’t read many of them… but what I have read, I’ve liked very much.
Aqua Spinach, Luke Beesley (Giramondo), see Tony’s review at Messenger’s Booker.
Beautiful Revolutionary, Laura Elizabeth Woollett (Scribe)
Blakwork, Alison Whittaker (Magabala)
click here for what we do, Pam Brown (Vagabond)
False Claims of Colonial Thieves, Charmaine Papertalk-Green and John Kinsella (Magabala), see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend and Tony’s at Messenger’s Booker.
Flames, Robbie Arnott (Text), see my review
Newcastle Sonnets, Keri Glastonbury (Giramondo)
Pink Mountain on Locust Island, Jamie Marina Lau (Brow), see Amanda’s review at Whispering Gums and Kim’s review at Reading Matters
The Children’s House, Alice Nelson (Vintage), see my review
The Death of Noah Glass, Gail Jones (Text)
The Everlasting Sunday, Robert Lukins (UQP), see my review
Zanzibar Light, Philip Mead (Vagabond)
From the ASAL website (which doesn’t give the dates for the shortlist and winner, but I’m sure they’ll rectify that before long):
The ALS Gold Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding literary work in the preceding calendar year. The Medal was inaugurated by the Australian Literature Society, which was founded in Melbourne in 1899 and incorporated into the Association for the Study of Australian Literature in 1982. The winner receives a gold medal.
Update: thanks to ASAL for this info:
The ALS Gold Medal shortlist is usually released in late April or early May. The winner should be announced at the ASAL annual conference, taking place this year in July at the University of Western Australia in Perth.
Congratulations to all the nominees, editors and publishers!
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Thanks for the link Lisa – that book is certainly garnering quite a bit of interest isn’t it?
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By: whisperinggums on March 29, 2019
at 10:37 pm
I reviewed False Claims of Colonial Thieves (it’s very West Australian) and own Blakwork which I bought thinking it was local (I think it’s NSW north coast) but I will review it soon-ish.
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By: wadholloway on March 30, 2019
at 1:59 am
I knew someone did, but I couldn’t remember who!
I’ve added the link:)
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By: Lisa Hill on March 30, 2019
at 4:27 pm
A very interesting list this year Lisa, with quite a bit of poetry. With Shastra Deo winning last year its maybe not as rare a feat as I believed. I have interviewed the poets (and reviewed) two of the listed poetry collections – Luke Beesley’s ‘Aqua Spinach’ and both Charmaine Papertalk-Green and John Kinsella for ‘False Claims of Colonial Thieves’
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By: tonymess12 on March 30, 2019
at 9:08 am
Thanks, Tony, I’ve added both links.
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By: Lisa Hill on March 30, 2019
at 4:29 pm
I just finished Everlasting Sunday. Our book group will be discussing it more next week when we meet. I’ll be interested in what they think. I can’t bring myself to read Flames even though it is Tasmanian. I need to catch up some posts in my own blog soon. I just need a push to get the proverbial lead out. So many books out there to read. I find it overwhelming. Lol
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By: TravellinPenguin on March 30, 2019
at 9:14 am
Hi Pam, I’d love to know what the book group thought: Everlasting Sunday has been nominated for a couple of other prizes too, so it’s definitely made a bit of a splash.
What is it that puts you off about Flames? (It’s not about bushfires).
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By: Lisa Hill on March 30, 2019
at 4:31 pm
I know it’s not about flames. When I pick it up, read the blurb and think about it, it just doesn’t grab me. I am probably missing out but I pass it up
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By: TravellinPenguin on March 31, 2019
at 10:52 am
‘The Death of Noah Glass’ was a five star read for me. I’ve not (yet) read any of the others.
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By: Jennifer on March 30, 2019
at 10:13 am
Have you reviewed it, Jennifer? I can add the link if you have:)
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By: Lisa Hill on March 30, 2019
at 4:33 pm