I usually write my completion post for the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge, around the middle of the year, even though I plan to take part until the year’s end. As in previous years, I signed up for the top-level, Franklin, which involves reading 10 books and reviewing at least 6, and as in previous years I’ve exceeded this. However, it’s good to get the completion post out of the way before the end of year madness begins!
I have, so far this year, contributed 16 reviews to the challenge, two more than for last year’s completion post.
Here’s my list in alphabetical order (by woman author), with the links on the titles being to my reviews:
- Louisa Atkinson’s “A voice from the country: January” (Newspaper column)
- Carmel Bird’s Family skeleton (Novel)
- Maxine Beneba Clarke’s The hate race: A memoir (Memoir)
- Mena Calthorpe’s The dyehouse (Novel)
- Rebekah Clarkson’s Barking dogs (Short story collection)
- Ally Cobby Eckermann’s Inside my mother (Poetry collection)
- Madelaine Dickie’s Troppo (Novel)
- Sara Dowse’s As the lonely fly (Novel)
- Janette Turner Hospital’s Orpheus lost (Novel)
- Maria Katsonis and Lee Kofman’s Rebellious daughters (Memoir essays)
- Louise Mack’s The world is round (Classic novel)
- Emily Maguire’s An isolated incident (Novel)
- Kim Mahood’s Position doubtful (Memoir)
- Linda Neil’s All is given (Memoir)
- David Carlin and Francesa Rendle-Short’s The near and the far: New stories from the Asia-Pacific Region (Short story anthology)
- Jill Roe’s Our fathers cleared the bush (Memoir/History)
Unlike last year’s half-way list, I did review one classic and a book by an indigenous woman author this year. There are other differences too. Last year I’d read just three memoirs (with two of those being hybrid biography-memoirs) while this year I’ve reviewed five memoirs to date. The fiction-nonfiction ratio, though, is still roughly the same.
Last year, I ended the post on plans for the rest of the year – and said that they would include reading at least one indigenous woman, Ali Cobby Eckermann, which indeed I did (her Ruby Moonlight). This year, however, I’m not setting out any plans. I do know I’ll be reading Heather Rose’s Stella Prize winner, The museum of modern love, as my reading group is doing that. (We will be reading a couple of other women writers, but they are not Australian.) As for the rest of my reading plans for the year, they are undefined – which means I could very well be as surprised as you by what turns up!
Whispering Gums 
I’ve read just two of these, and there are three or four I would like to have read. Like you, I have Heather Rose in my (near, I hope) future. As to how many AWW’s I’ve read this year, I’ll leave it till the Bingo challenge and then scramble to make up the numbers.
Haha, good for you, Bill. I must check what’s happening with this year’s bingo.
I’m going to have a post-PhD reviewing blitz as I’ve hardly reviewed anything this year, though I have read some wonderful books by Australian women, most recently Melanie Cheng’s sparkling short story collection, Australia Day. Highly recommended.
Thanks Angela. I’ll try to remember that book. I have heard it mentioned – perhaps by you? – but not be many people.
I admire your dedication to this and having stuck so well to the plan, you do deserve to have a more relaxed attitude for the rest of the year’s reading.
Thanks Karen. I’m sorry I’ve been AWOL lately. Am travelling, and am barely keeping up with my own communication. Will do lots of blog visiting when we return in early August.
Happy travels.
Thanks Karen. We are enjoying the warmth.
I’ve read and reviewed four Australian books this year: Christina Stead’s A Little Tea, A little Chat, & The Puzzleheaded Girl, Calthorpe’s The Dyehouse and Toni Jordan’s Our Tiny, Useless Hearts. Hope to get another couple in by year’s end. Now do I get a key to Melbourne or what?
Ask Lisa, Guy! I’d give you a key to Canberra! Four books halfway through the year is excellent… For a non -Aussie, I mean of course!
Years ago, I decided that I wanted to up my Aussie lit game, and I’m slowly doing it.
And we love that you are Guy. It’s great seeing someone else (predictive text wrote “smart” not “else” here which is correct too!) take an interest. And it’s also interesting to see a non-Aussie’s response to Aussie books.
I can understand that. I asked about the key to Melbourne as that city is called The Crime Capital of Australia and given my interest in crime.. well…
Fair enough, Guy. And, now you’ve reminded me of this nefarious interest of yours I withdraw my Canberra offer!
Cheeky
Do you think you’ll read more in the rest of the year? I’ve also finished my challenge (although I haven’t reviewed yet!) but I think I’ll keep going
Oh yes Clare, I will. Australian women writers are a priority for me, and were long before the challenge. I hope you get your reviews done, but the important thing is to be doing the reading, eh?