CATEGORIES

The titles longlisted for this year’s Miles Franklin Literary Award have been announced.

The longlisted titles are:

    * Lovesong (Alex Miller, A&U)
    * The Bath Fugues (Brian Castro, Giramondo Publishing)
    * Jasper Jones (Craig Silvey, A&U)
    * Sons of the Rumour (David Foster, Picador)
    * The Book of Emmett (Deborah Forster, Vintage)
    * Siddon Rock (Glenda Guest, Vintage)
    * Boy on a Wire (Jon Doust, Fremantle Press)
    * Figurehead (Patrick Allington, Black Inc.)
    * Parrot and Olivier in America (Peter Carey, Hamish Hamilton)
    * Truth (Peter Temple, Text Publishing)
    * Butterfly (Sonya Hartnett, Penguin)
    * The People’s Train (Thomas Keneally, Knopf).

This year’s judging panel was made up of Morag Fraser, Richard Neville, Gillian Whitlock, Lesley McKay and Murray Waldren. Said Fraser: ‘It is exciting to discover new voices, and even more so when they are as accomplished and challenging as the debut authors on this year’s Miles Franklin longlist. The newcomers stand alongside some of the great names of Australian literature, writers who have helped define Australian culture and deepen our understanding of ourselves. For range and diversity, this is an outstanding Miles Franklin list.’

Deborah Foster, Glenda Guest and Patrick Allington have all been nominated for debut novels; Alex Miller, Thomas Keneally, Peter Carey and David Foster have all previously won the award.

The award shortlist will be announced in April, with the winner to be awarded at a presentation dinner on 22 June. 

Source: http://www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/articles/2010/03/15206/

This article from Thorpe Bowker’s Weekly Book Newsletter and Media Extra is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2009, Thorpe-Bowker.

Peter Carey continues his reign of the Most Mentioned chart in MX this week. His new book Parrot and Olivier in America has been receiving some very positive reviews. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest–Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s awaited final book in the ‘Millennium’ trilogy–is also continuing to appear in the review pages, as is Ray Martin’s autobiography Ray: Stories of My Life. Alex Miller’s Lovesong and David Foster’s Sons of the Rumour also feature strongly on the chart this week.

Most mentioned in the Media this week

1 Lovesong, by Alex Miller
2 Parrot and Olivier in America, by Peter Carey
3 Sons of the Rumour, by David Foster
4 Ray: Stories of My Life, by Ray Martin
5 Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, The by Stieg Larsson

Source: http://www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/articles/2009/11/13875/

This article from Thorpe Bowker’s Weekly Book Newsletter and Media Extra is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2009, Thorpe-Bowker.