ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

ANZLL First Nations Literature Reading List—Fiction

The next annual ANZ LitLovers First Nations Reading Week will be held during NAIDOC Week 2022
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Update 8/6/21 Thanks to numerous contributions from all over the world, this page was becoming too unwieldy to manage so it has been split into sub-categories.  Please note that asterisked authors write across genres and their work will be found in more than one category.

ANZLitLovers First Nations Reading List: Fiction

ANZLitLovers First Nations Reading List Non Fiction & Life Stories

ANZLitLovers First Nations Reading List Drama Poetry Art & Music

ANZLitLovers First Nations Reading List Children’s Books

First Nations Writing from New Zealand: Maori and Pacific Islands

First Nations Writing from around the World (Asia, Canada & the Americas, and Africa

Cultural warning: First Nations Australians please be aware that this page contains the names of deceased persons.

This page was created on the traditional land of the Ngaruk-Willam clan, one of the six clans of the Bunerong (Boonwurrung or Boon wurrung) saltwater people of the Kulin nation.

Introduction: please read first:

I am mindful that I do not and cannot know or understand all aspects of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori culture or experience, and I hope that nothing here gives offence or causes distress.  Within the limits of my opportunities for research, I have tried to create this page with good will and respect for the cultures included here.

Readers are warned that this page contains the names of deceased persons and may inadvertently use terminology that reflects attitudes or language used at the time of publication that are considered inappropriate today.

Terminology: please note that in June 2022 I have re-named these pages as ‘Indigenous’ First Nations reading lists.  I am conscious that terminology is complicated and the preferred terminology changes over time.  I refer readers to this article by Luke Pearson which explains these complexities and how in some contexts it isn’t possible to tailor language to suit individual preferences and that what is important is to be able to say they have shown some effort and taken thought in choosing whatever terminology they decide to go with.  So I do, both in these reading lists and in my reviews, always include the author’s country and/or heritage if that information is in the public domain.

Please also note that for the purposes of identifying these authors as indigenous First Nations the country/language group/heritage of Aboriginal authors has been included (where known) but it is beyond the scope of this page to include other ancestral heritage as well.   My sources for biographical information have been the AustLit database BlackWords; the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature edited by Anita Heiss, Peter Minter and Nicholas Jose; author and publisher websites and author profiles in published books.  For Maori writers I have relied on the NZ Book Council website.

Please also note that although there are contributions to this list from other readers in a variety of genres, my own contributions to this reading list are by intention confined to literary fiction i.e. literary novels and a few memoirs that I’ve read and reviewed on this blog – because that’s what I like to read.  Indigenous  First Nations people write in a wide variety of genres and there is a wealth of fabulous work available, but it is beyond the scope of this blog to cover them all and literary fiction for adults is the primary focus of this LitBlog.  However, there is also a brief list of children’s books (mostly those I reviewed at my LisaHillSchoolStuff blog), and there are links to reviews by other contributors of poetry, drama, art and music (see the links in the boxes above).  For Aboriginal books in the list that I have not yet read myself, I have relied on a title’s classification at the AustLit database BlackWords, supplemented by my reading of extracts in the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature.  For the Maori list, I have relied on recommendations from others and my own limited knowledge.

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If you would like to read works by an author who comes from the place where you live and you know its First Nations place name, you can use the drop-down menu in the RHS to search, using ORIGIN OF AUTHOR by continent/Australasian Literature/AUSTRALIAN authors by First Nations.

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For those interested in First Nations short stories, memoir, biography, history, poetry, drama, popular fiction including crime, YA (Young Adult) or children’s books, please also visit

• Short Fictions for the Time Poor
• AustLit database BlackWords, (subscription only)
• the reading list at Anita Heiss’s blog, and her Black Book Challenge
• this helpful list at Christchurch City Library or The Modern Novel (New Zealand)
• Yvonne Perkins list of histories and biographies.

Also see reviews from participants in ANZ LitLovers Indigenous Literature Weeks, and gathered together in one place:

• the 2018 #IndgLitWeek reading list of First Nations Women Writers.
• 2012
• 2013
• 2014
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020
• 2021

Many of the authors I’ve listed below have written more books than have been listed here, and to discover more, I also suggest a visit to GoodReads as a reliable user-friendly database (with reader reviews).

NB Some of these books are out of print.  Where I haven’t been able to find a supplier, I’ve linked to Fishpond where used copies sometimes crop up for sale, and which (even if the book is out-of-stock) provides the publishing information and ISBN to help with further hunting.  In Victoria, I also recommend using Z-portal to book an inter-library loan.  (Other states probably have something similar and if anyone can supply me with links for interstate portals I’ll add them.)  A Google search brings up copies available from AbeBooks and you can also search Brotherhood Books.

To keep up with new titles, UQP is a strong supporter of indigenous writers in Australia and their Black Australian Writing catalogue is well worth a look.   Another publisher worth checking out is Magabala Books Australia’s oldest indigenous publishing house.   Mademoiselle S from Twitter recommends Huia Publishers for Maori titles and I welcome more independent suggestions for New Zealand equivalents.

I welcome suggestions for additional authors and literary fiction titles.  Please provide as much information as you can in comments if you’d like to add to this list.

If you would like to read works by an author who comes from the place where you live and you know its First Nations place name, you can use the drop-down menu in the RHS to search, using ORIGIN OF AUTHOR by continent/Australasian Literature/AUSTRALIAN authors by First Nations.

Australian Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Fiction & YA

Larissa Behrendt* of the Eualeyai/Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay people whose lands extended from New South Wales to southern Queensland.

• Home, winner of the 2002 David Unaipon Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best First Book, 2005,
  • see my review
• Legacy Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award Prize for Indigenous Writing, 2010
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
• ‘Under skin, in blood’ (short story), see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• After Story
  • See Brona’s review at This Reading Life
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Tony Birch, born in Melbourne and who identifies as a Fitzroy Blak of Aboriginal, Irish and West Indian descent

• Blood , nominated for the 2012 Miles Franklin Award,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Emma’s review at Book Around the Corner
• “Spirit in the night” in Review of Australian Fiction, Vol 10 No 4, May 2014,
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• Ghost River, nominated for the 2016 Miles Franklin Award,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• The Promise, (short stories)
  • see Janine’s review at The Resident Judge of Port Phillip
• Common People (short stories)
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Sonia a.k.a. S.Maxine’s thoughts in her comprehensive comment here.
• The White Girl
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
  • see Kim’s review at Reading Matters
  • see Denise’s review at Denise Newton Writes 

Vivienne Cleven* of the Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay people whose lands extended from New South Wales to southern Queensland.

• Bitin’ Back, Shortlisted for the SA Premier’s Award, 2002, Winner of the David Unaipon Award, 2000
• Her Sister’s Eye, Winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, Prize for Indigenous Writing, 2004

Claire G Coleman who identifies with the South Coast Noongar people of Western Australia

• Terra Nullius
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Denise’s review at Denise Newton Writes 
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• The Old Lie
  • See Bill’s review at The Australian Legend

Dylan Coleman, member of the Kokatha Mula Nation in the north of South Australia

• Mazin Grace,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review 

Paul Collis, a Barkindji man, from far western NSW on the Darling River.

• Dancing Home,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Ali Cobby Eckermann* who identifies with the Yankunytjatjara / Kokatha people from the north west desert country of South Australia

• Ruby Moonlight (verse novel)
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
  • see Lisa’s review at ANZ LitLovers

Liz Hayden, a Balladong Wilman Elder of the Noongar Nation from the southern coast of WA

• ‘Our Warrior, Our Brother’  in Review of Australian Fiction Vol 15 Issue 4,
  • see Marilyn’s review at Me, You and Books

Anita Heiss* member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales

• Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms, recommended by @khoulohan, see
  • Lisa’s review at ANZ LitLovers
• Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia (editor)
  • Lisa’s review at ANZ LitLovers
  • Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
  • see the thoughts of Julie from Angler’s Rest
  • see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
  • see Sonia Adams’ guest review at ANZ LitLovers
• Not Meeting Mr Right, see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
• Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams)
  • see Lisa’s ANZ LitLovers review

Terri Janke who is a Murri from Cairns and of Torres Strait descent with Meriam, Wuthathi & Yadaighana connections.

• Butterfly Song (I enjoyed this when I read it before starting this blog)

Julie Janson, a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal Nation

• Benevolence,
  • see Lisa’s ANZ LitLovers review
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Colin Johnson, see Mudrooroo

Ambelina Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, from the Palyku people of the Pilbara in Western Australia

• Catching Teller Crow,
  • see Lisa’s ANZ LitLovers review 
  • See Meredith’s (MsWriter3) review at Down the Wombat Hole

Jeanine Leane, a Wiradjuri woman of New South Wales.

• Purple Threads,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Charlotte’s review at Booklog for Charlotte
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Melissa Lucashenko of the Ygambeh/Bundjalung people of northern coastal New South Wales.

• Steam Pigs (1997, Winner of the 1998 Dobbie Award for Women’s Fiction; shortlisted for the l999 New South Wales Premier’s fiction award and the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, First Published Book)
• Hard Yards (1999)
• Mullumbimby, (2013)
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review, and
  • a review by Marilyn Brady at Me, You and Books
• Too Much Lip (2018)
  • see my review,
  • see Sue’s at Whispering Gums
  • see Jonathan’s at Me Fail, I Fly
  • see Jennifer’s review at Tasmanian Bibliophile at Large
  • see Denise’s review at Denise Newton Writes

Harold Ludwick, a Bulgun Warra man from the Guugu Yimidhirr & Kuku Yalandji nations in far north Queensland, collaborating with Craig Cormick

• On a Barbarous Coast,
  • see Lisa’s ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Philip McLaren, of the Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay people whose lands extended from New South Wales to southern Queensland.

• Sweet Water – Stolen Land,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
• There’ll Be New Dreams
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Sue McPherson, of Wiradjuri (New South Wales) descent

• Grace Beside Me
  • review by Jeniwren at GoodReads ,
  • and see Sonia’s comment from Sonia a.k.a. smaxine27 about why she enjoyed this book here).

Carl Merrison, a Jaru and Kija man from Halls Creek, writing in collaboration with Hakea Hustler

• Black cockatoo (YA)
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Sally Morgan* from the Palku (or Bailgu) people of the Pilbara in northern Western Australia

• Sister Heart (verse novel)
  • see smaxine27’s review
  • and Louise’s at A Strong Belief in Wicker (which is, BTW, the best source of YA reviews that I know of)

Mudrooroo* a.k.a. Colin Johnson of the Noongar people in Western Australia

• Doctor Wooreddy’s Prescription for Enduring the Ending of the World
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
• Balga Boy Jackson (2017)
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
• Wild Cat Falling (1965)
  • See Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
  • See Kim’s review at Reading Matters

Marie Munkara, descended from the Tiwi, Chinese & Rembarranga people whose lands are southeast of Katherine in the Northern territory.

• Every Secret Thing, (2009, winner of the 2008 David Unaipon Award and the 2010 NT Book of the Year),
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• A Most Peculiar Act (2014)
  • See Sonia’s comment from Sonia a.k.a. smaxine27 about why she enjoyed this book here,
  • See Emma’s review at Book Around the Corner
  • and see my ANZ LitLovers review.

Siv Palmer from the Yuwallaraay Aboriginal Nation in far west New South Wales.

• Nightwalkers
  • See my review

Bruce Pascoe*, a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man

• Shark (FAW Australian Literature Award, Melbourne University Press Literature Award), 1999
• Earth
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Leah Purcell*, a Goa (Koa/Guwa) Gunggari, Wakka-Wakka Murri woman from Queensland .

• The Drover’s Wife, the legend of Molly Johnson (2019, novel)
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Jennifer’s review at Tasmanian Bibliophile at Large

Kim Scott* of the Noongar people of the southern coast of Western Australia

• True Country (1993)
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
  • See Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
  • See Emma’s review at Book Around the Corner
• Benang: From the Heart, (1999) Miles Franklin Literary Award, joint winner 2000,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review 
  • Bill’s at The Australian Legend and
  • Brona’s review at This Reading Life
• That Deadman Dance, (2010) Miles Franklin Literary Award, 2011; Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book, 2011 and a swag of other awards,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers  review;
  • see Marilyn’s review at Me, You and Books; and
  • See Becky’s review at Becky’s Books
  • See Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
  • See Charlotte’s review at Booklog for Charlotte
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• ‘Departure’ in Review of Australian Fiction Vol 15 Issue 4
  • see Marilyn’s review at Me, You and Books
• Taboo (2017)
  •  see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend
  • see Kim’s review at Reading Matters
  • see Denise’s review at Denise Newton Writes

Nardi Simpson, a Yuwaalaray woman from the North West NSW freshwater plains

• Song of the Crocodile
  • See Lisa’s ANZ LitLovers review
  • See Jennifer’s review at Tasmanian Bibliophile at Large
  • See Meredith’s (MsWriter3) review at Down the Wombat Hole
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Jared Thomas of the Nukunu/Nuguna people of South Australia in the Spencer Gulf region.

• Sweet Guy (shortlisted for the 2006 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards Prize for Indigenous Writing)
• Calypso Summer(YA),
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
• Songs That Sound Like Blood,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Adam Thompson, a pakana (Aboriginal) writer from Launceston, Tasmania

• Born into This (2021)
  • See Lisa’s review at ANZ LitLovers
  • See Kim’s review at Reading Matters
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
  • See Brona’s review at This Reading Life

Ellen Van Neerven*, a writer of Mununjali and Dutch heritage who identifies with the Yugambeh people of the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim in Queensland, also see the poetry section below

• Heat and Light  This book won the David Unaipon Award in 2013, and has been widely reviewed and shortlisted.
  • See Sonia’s comment about why she enjoyed this book here, 
  • Sue’s review at Whispering Gums,
  • see Weezelle’s review at Words and Leaves
  • my ANZ LitLovers review.
• ‘The Sweetest Thing’ in Review of Australian Fiction, Vol 10, No 4, May 2014
  • see Sue’s review at Whispering Gums

Sam Watson of the Birri-Gubba Juru/Munaldjali people of southeast Queensland

• The Kadaitcha Sung
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review

Herb Wharton born in Yumba, an Aboriginal camp in the south-western Queensland town of Cunnamulla

• Unbranded (Black Australian Writers)

Tara June Winch of the Wiradjuri people of New South Wales.

• Swallow the Air,  Winner of the David Unaipon Award for Indigenous Writers,
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review, and
  • another by Marilyn Brady at Me, You and Books, and
  • another from Sue at Whispering Gums.
• After the Carnage (2016)
  • see my ANZ LitLovers review
  • see Karenlee’s review at Karenlee Thompson
• The Yield
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
  • See Brona’s review at Brona’s Books
  • See Denise’s review at Denise Newton Writes

Alexis Wright of the Waanyi people in the Gulf region of Queensland.

• Carpentaria (2006, winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2007. I read it before starting this blog.)
  • See Bill’s review at The Australian Legend.
  • See Sue’s review at Whispering Gums
• Plains of Promise (Black Australian Writers) (1997)
• The Swan Book, (2013, shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award 2014),
  • see my ANZ LitLovers  review
  • see Bill’s review at The Australian Legend

Karen Wyld, of Martu descent, from people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia

• When Rosa Came Home (2013)
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
• Where the Fruit Falls (2020)
  • See my ANZ LitLovers review
  • See Meredith’s (MsWriter3) review at Down the Wombat Hole