I’ve given up doing reading challenges, but I have some ongoing reading projects and a blog project to refine a ‘must-read’ list of Australian literature. The first two reading projects are hosted elsewhere (click the links).
The Complete Booker: I collect Booker winners in first editions, so of course I want to read them all.
Read the Nobels: Some of the world’s most interesting writers have won the Nobel, so these winners are rarely a disappointment.
Miles Franklin winners: I collect hardback winners in first edition and plan to read them all eventually. I read many of them before I started this blog, but there are about 30 of them reviewed here.
Then there’s another ongoing one, reading from the always updating 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.
There are also major Australian authors – and some less established authors who I think have a great future – whose long form fiction oeuvre (and the occasional NF) I want to read over time. I have been reading most of them since long before I started reading this blog, so not every book is ever going to be reviewed here, and it’s most often a challenge just to find copies of the backlist. But since many of these authors are still living and writing, it’s a movable feast.
Please note that this is not a Best Of list, it’s a project list. There are authors I really like who are not on this list because I’ve already read everything they’ve published.
Asterisked authors have their own Author Page from when I hosted a ‘reading week’, see the top menu above.
- Jessica Anderson (1916-2010)
- Robyn Annear
- Robbie Arnott
- Thea Astley AO (1925-2004)*
- Larissa Behrendt AO (b.1969)
- Tony Birch
- Carmel Bird (b.1940)
- Martin Boyd AO (1893-1972)
- Robyn Cadwallader
- Peter Carey AO (b.1943)
- Steven Carroll (b.1949)
- Brian Castro (b.1950)
- Simon Cleary (b.1968)
- Christy Collins
- Sophie Cunningham AM
- Amanda Curtin
- Stephen Daisley
- Eleanor Dark AO (1901-1985)
- Gregory Day
- Liam Davison tribute (1957-2014)
- Gregory Day
- Michelle de Kretser (b.1957)
- Ceridwen Dovey (b.1980)
- Robert Drewe (b.1943)
- Beverley Farmer (1941-2018)
- Richard Flanagan (b.1961)
- Enza Gandolfo
- Andrea Goldsmith (b.1950)
- Peter Goldsworthy AM (b.1951)
- Germaine Greer (non-fiction) (b.1939)
- Rodney Hall AM (b.1935)
- Marion Halligan AM (b.1940)
- Jacinta Halloran
- Elizabeth Harrower (1928-2020)
- Shirley Hazzard (1931-2016)
- Anita Heiss AM (b.1968)
- Helen Hodgman (1945-2022)
- Patrick Holland (b.1977)
- John Hughes (b.1961)
- David Ireland AM (1927-2022)
- Barbara Jefferis AM (1917-2004)
- Susan Johnson (b.1956)
- George Johnson OBE (1912-1970)
- Michelle Johnston
- Elizabeth Jolley* AO (1923-2007)
- Nicholas Jose (b.1952)
- Thomas (Tom) Keneally AO (B.1935)
- Christopher Koch AO (1932-2013)
- Eleanor Limprecht
- Amanda Lohrey (b.1947)
- Joan London (b.1948)
- Melissa Lucashenko (b.1967)
- Wayne Macauley
- Roger McDonald (b.1941)
- David Malouf AO (b.1934)
- Olga Masters (1919-1986)
- Alex Miller (b.1936)
- Drusilla Modjeska (b.1946)
- Frank Moorhouse AM (1938-2022)
- Marie Munkara
- Gerald Murnane (b. 1939)
- Brenda Niall AM (biography, b.1930)
- D’Arcy Niland (1917-1967)
- Louis Nowra (b.1950)
- Kristina Olsson
- Paddy O’Reilly (b.1956)
- Stephen Orr
- Vance Palmer (1885-1959)
- Ruth Park AM (1917-2010)
- Bruce Pascoe (B.1947)
- A.S. (Alec) Patric
- Elliot Perlman (b.1964)
- Katharine Susannah Prichard (1883-1969)*
- Henry Handel Richardson (1870-1946)
- Hazel Rowley, biography (1951-2011)
- Philip Salom (b.1950)
- John (Alan) Scott (b.1948)
- Kim Scott (b.1957)
- Thomas Shapcott AO (b. 1935)
- Trevor Shearston
- Christina Stead* (1902-1983)
- Randolph Stow (1935-2010)
- John Tesarsch
- Kylie Tennant AO (1912-1988)
- Karenlee Thompson
- Lucy Treloar
- Patrick White (1912-1990) Winner of the Nobel Prize in 1973
- Rohan Wilson
- Tara June Winch (b.1983)
- Amy Witting (1918-2001)
- Charlotte Wood AM (b.1965)
- Alexis Wright (b.1950)
- Ouyang Yu (b.1955)
Last updated 1/4/23
To see challenges I did in previous years, click here.
You’ve got my group’s blog on your blog roll! It’s not very active. I’m trying to bludgeon all those enthusiasts who wanted a blog into actually writing on it! Cheers
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By: Sue on March 26, 2009
at 12:39 pm
Some people are surprisingly bashful, eh? Members of this ANZLL group write brilliant, thoughtful, insightful posts about our list in the privacy of our group, but only one has been brave enough to blog here. I’ll be keeping an eye on yours to see how your powers of persuasion work out, and may get some tips from you if you succeed LOL.
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By: Lisa Hill on March 26, 2009
at 9:00 pm
[…] Challenges […]
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By: Two reading challenges finished this month! « ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on September 25, 2009
at 6:39 pm
Wow, you’re amazingly ordered in your planning Lisa. Not to mention optimistic! I’m interested in the 1% challenge, but wouldn’t get to it this year. I just started my own yahoo group to read 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up (the kids version of the 1001 book). My priorities this year obviously will be the kids books, and trying to be better with the Australian reading group. Should I say that I’m going to try and read them all? Nah, even I don’t believe that. Plus I’ve still got so many I want to read from last year. Who says reading is a relaxing past time? And then there’s those Swedish thrillers…..
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By: Louise on January 3, 2010
at 2:27 pm
Ditto Louise. I don’t think I can manage taking part in any challenges. I could possibly “make” my reading pattern fit a couple – would be intrigued to do the What’s in a name challenge – but, in the end, I don’t think I can cope with trying to keep track of any more things!! I bow down to your superior organisational skills Lisa!
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By: whisperinggums on January 3, 2010
at 2:45 pm
I love your all Australian list. What a great idea. Welcome to the challenge and I have your links all sorted out now.
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By: Beth F on January 3, 2010
at 9:51 pm
Thanks, Beth – what a lot of work it must be for you to host the challenge!
Lisa
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By: Lisa Hill on January 3, 2010
at 10:07 pm
[…] Challenges […]
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By: Homer and Langley, by E.L.Doctorow « ANZ LitLovers LitBlog on March 25, 2010
at 11:02 pm
Great site! So many books, so little time. I’ve recently embarked on the challenge of reading my way through the list of 290 favourite Australian novels that we nominated in a poll on ABR toward the end of last year. When that’s done, I know where to come for more inspiration! Thanks
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By: Jenny on June 13, 2010
at 7:16 pm
Wow, Jenny, that’s a serious challenge! At, say, 75 books a year, that could take you nearly 4 years, but you will have a wealth of wonderful books to enjoy! I’ll be watching your blog with interest to see how you get on:)
Lisa
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By: Lisa Hill on June 13, 2010
at 8:59 pm
Thanks for participating in the 2012 European Reading Challenge! I look forward to see what books you pick!
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By: rosecityreader on December 8, 2011
at 3:55 am