Aussie Readers discussion

Here is the longlist for the Miles Franklin 2014.

The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt by Tracy Farr
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay
Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko
The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
Belomor by Nicolas Rothwell
Game by Trevor Shearston
My Beautiful Enemy by Cory Taylor
Eyrie by Tim Winton
The Swan Book by Alexis Wright
All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld

http://www.milesfranklin.com.au/2014/...

surprised to see Christos Tsiolkas's Barracuda and Hannah Kent's Burial Rites didn't make the list

Agreed Michael! But a reasonable list all the same:)

I was discussing this earlier. Not sure about Barracuda - but the story has to be SET IN Australia, and not necessarily by an Australian Author. Burial rites is set in Iceland.

...the prize shall be awarded for the Novel for the year which is of the highest literary merit and which must present Australian Life in any of its phases …’.

Sally906 wrote: "I was discussing this earlier. Not sure about Barracuda - but the story has to be SET IN Australia, and not necessarily by an Australian Author. Burial rites is set in Iceland.

...the prize shall ..."

The problem with this is that it hasn't been enforced till now. All That I Am by Anna Funder won the Miles Franklin and it wasn't set in Australia.

An award that represents the Australian lifestyle is an interesting approach to an award and I like that but if that if previous winners don't fit then it just feels unfair for Hannah Kent.

Barracuda is a book about race, class, sports and culture; you don't get more Aussie than that.

I hadn't realised that about All That I Am Michael. And I totally agree about Barracuda it is a quintessentially Aussie book - I personally didn't like it, but you can't deny its Aussieness :)

Sally906 wrote: "I hadn't realised that about All That I Am Michael. And I totally agree about Barracuda it is a quintessentially Aussie book - I personally didn't like it, but you ..."

Your taste in books is wrong :P

Michael wrote: "Your taste in books is wrong :P ..."

LOL! I like to think My taste in books is right - well for me anyway.

It is eclectic - not one-eyed about anything - open to everything - I'm an individual :)

Michael wrote: "Sally906 wrote: "I was discussing this earlier. Not sure about Barracuda - but the story has to be SET IN Australia, and not necessarily by an Australian Author. Burial rites is set in Iceland.

....."

Perhaps it was a technicality with All That I Am, as I recall a scene or two that took place in Sydney. Without checking I'd even go so far as to say the story was bookended in Sydney. But it certainly wasn't a book that I thought presented 'Australian life' as such.

I've read three of those (and 2 more on my TBR), would give it to The Railwayman's Wife if I was judging, so that probably guarantees it won't win.......

The only one I've read is Eyrie which I liked, but I'm not sure it deserves the Mile Franklin.

I've only read The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which I thought was pretty good and can actually see it being deserving of the Miles Franklin but of course I'm not in a position to compare it to the others on the list. Unlike Michael I'm not necessarily surprised that Barracuda didn't make it onto the list. I did read it and I really enjoyed it but I don't think it was quite up to that standard. Sorry Christos!!! I hope he never sees this.