The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

10.7. Kuddle a Koala?: April 26th is Hug an Australian Day – read a book by an Australian author or set in Australia. If the connection is not obvious from the title of the book, please briefly explain the connection in your post.

authors:
Markus Zusak
Kate Morton
Bryce Courtenay
Kerry Greenwood
Matthew Reilly
John Marsden
Geraldine Brooks
Garth Nix
Kerry Arthur
Wendy Orr
Stephanie Laurens
Anna Campbell
Ally Blake
Denise Rosetti
Jess Dee
Sarah Mayberry
Melanie Milburne
Nicole Murphy
Mark Alders

Books:
In a Sunburned Country

reserved

I highly recomend The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, who is australian

i second what erin said! :) beautiful book!

I plan on reading The House at Riverton by Kate Morton. Kate Morton is from Australia, and I HIGHLY recommend her book The Forgotten Garden to anyone looking for a book to fit this task.

Oh, and I definitely second The Book Thief recommendation.

Matthew Reilly - thriller, sci-fi type

Bryce Courtenay - historical fiction - mostly set in Australia; a couple in South Africa; a heart-wrentcher about his son who had haeomphilia

John Marsden - YA dystopia

Romance Australian Authors-

Stephanie Laurens
Anna Campbell
Cindy Gerard
Ally Blake
Denise Rosetti
Jess Dee
Sarah Mayberry
Melanie Milburne
Nicole Murphy

I got this list from a google search so just double-check if you are going to use an author from this list

Thanks, everyone, for posting all the recommendations!

i believe Nalini Singh is actually New Zealand not Australia (at least according to her profile)

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "i believe Nalini Singh is actually New Zealand not Australia (at least according to her profile)"

Thanks Dee, you are right. Not sure how she ended up on that list.

Kerry Greenwood has a LONG list of cozy mysteries set in 1920s Australia, and she is Australian, so it covers both bases (note, some of the mysteries are set outside australia, but not to worry!)

Does People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks work? Her page says that she is an Australian American and she was born in Australia.

How about Garth Nix? His biography states that he was born in Australia and now lives in Sydney.

Isabell wrote: "How about Garth Nix? His biography states that he was born in Australia and now lives in Sydney."

Kathryn wrote: "Does People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks work? Her page says that she is an Australian American and she was born in Australia."

Both fine.

Thanks for verifying.

Isabell wrote: "How about Garth Nix? His biography states that he was born in Australia and now lives in Sydney."

I LOVE Garth Nix! Anything by him is super good. I really love the Sabriel series as well as The Keys to the Kingdom. However I've also really enjoyed Shade's Children and Time Cat and The Rag Witch were my favorite books in 4th grade. (I still read them lol).

Amanda wrote:I LOVE Garth Nix! Anything by him is super good. I really love t..."

His books have been recommended to me by a friend and when I saw he was born in Australia that made him a must-have for this task.

I whole-heartedly recommend Bryce Courtenay - I discovered him when I was 15 and on an exchange program in New Zealand - homesick and physically ill - his book The Power of One/Tandia got me through. I've since gone on to read nearly everything he's written, and I'm always impressed. You cannot always find his books in the US, but they're worth tracking down.

Is a nonfiction/memoir set in Australia okay? I'm thinking specifically of In a Sunburned Country.

Riona wrote: "Is a nonfiction/memoir set in Australia okay? I'm thinking specifically of In a Sunburned Country."

That's just fine.

Sandy wrote: "Riona wrote: "Is a nonfiction/memoir set in Australia okay? I'm thinking specifically of In a Sunburned Country."

That's just fine."

Awesome, thanks!

If anyone is looking for werewolf/vampire novels, Keri Arthur is a great urban fantasy author from Australia.

I was thinking about reading Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. Orr wasn't born in Australia, but according to her website, she lives there now and it seems like she has been there for a long time.

http://www.wendyorr.com/

Would this work?

I just wanted to make sure Bryce Courtenay, who Stesse mentioned in an earlier post, would fit this task? He was born in South Africa, where "The Power of One" takes place, but he's now a citizen of Australia.
Thanks

Janice CA wrote: "I just wanted to make sure Bryce Courtenay, who Stesse mentioned in an earlier post, would fit this task? He was born in South Africa, where "The Power of One" takes place, but he's now..."

Carly wrote: "I was thinking about reading Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. Orr wasn't born in Australia, but according to her website, she lives there now and it seems like she has been..."

Both work - they live in Australia and both seem to be firmly Australians at this point, regardless of their country of birth.

Fran wrote: "Romance Australian Authors-

Stephanie Laurens
Anna Campbell
Cindy Gerard
Ally Blake
Denise Rosetti
[author:Jes..."

I've checked on all these authors, but didn't find anything indicating that Cindy Gerard was Australian - the only thing I found was one notation that she lives in the Midwest.

If anyone is still looking, I highly recommend Tim Winton's Dirt Music or Breath.

I read Tim Winton's Cloudstreet a couple years ago while I was visiting Australia. It was a very compelling book, reminding me in some ways of Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.

I was going to read Cloudstreet for this task, before I realized that my book group's March selection is by Kate Morton.

I came across The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard which works here.

For the Winter challenge I read Gilgamesh by Joan London, who is an Australia writer. The book is partly set in Australia. I enjoyed the book, which was mostly set in the 1930s and 40s.

Jenn Renee wrote: "Scott Westerfeld splits his time living in the US and in Sidney Austrilia, can I use him for an Australian author?"

- Sandy, would you accept this author as an Australian?

Jennifer N. wrote: "Jenn Renee wrote: "Scott Westerfeld splits his time living in the US and in Sidney Austrilia, can I use him for an Australian author?"

- Sandy, would you accept this author as an Australian?"

I researched what I could find about him, and it doesn't seem as if he's an Australian, but rather someone who stays there for part of the year. He was born in the US and lives in NY, although it says he "splits his time" - doesn't seem to me like he considers himself an Australian, so much as a frequent visitor.

Sandy, I have been reading a SciFi/fantasy series by Sandra McDonald, who is an American. The first book The Outback Stars (and the rest) has themes based on Australian mythology such as Dreamtime and characters who have Aborigenal bloodties. The second book The Stars Down Under is partially set in Earth Australia and I had originally planned to use it for 15.1. I'm still reading the third, but it doesn't seem to applicable to this except for the same characters. Anyway, the question becomes, is it possible to use the first book with the Australian themes and character?

Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy, I have been reading a SciFi/fantasy series by Sandra McDonald, who is an American. The first book The Outback Stars (and the rest) has themes based on Australian mythology suc..."

Unfortunately, Donna Jo, if the book is not written by an Australia and isn't set in Australia, then it doesn't work for this task.

Sandy wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy, I have been reading a SciFi/fantasy series by Sandra McDonald, who is an American. The first book The Outback Stars (and the rest) has themes based on Austral..."

Well, I guess I had to try. Luckily, there are other books in my house right now that will qualify. And maybe I can work the other in on some other task. Thanks, Sandy.

Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy, I have been reading a SciFi/fantasy series by Sandra McDonald, who is an American. The first book The Outback Stars (and the rest) has themes ba..."

with the initials SD, it would work for 20.1. Also, as sci fi, would work for 10.10. And, of course, if it's from the library, there are other options.

Sandy wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Donna Jo wrote: "Sandy, I have been reading a SciFi/fantasy series by Sandra McDonald, who is an American. The first book The Outback Stars (and the re..."

There are some Australian sci fi writers whose work is easy to find, such as Greg Egan and George Turner. Also, on the mainstream side, there is the two-time Man Booker winner Peter Carey.

Would Susan Maushart work? Her Author Bio on her website says "Susan Maushart is a columnist for The Weekend Australian Magazine and is heard regularly on Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio. Susan has a PhD in Media Ecology from New York University, and her book The Mask of Motherhood was hailed by the London Times as “a feminist classic.” She has lived in Western Australia since 1986, and is thrilled to be moving home to New York this winter."

I wanted to read The Winter of Our Disconnect.

♥Meagan♥ wrote: "Would Susan Maushart work? Her Author Bio on her website says "Susan Maushart is a columnist for The Weekend Australian Magazine and is heard regularly on Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio...."

From the GR bio, sounds like she still lives in Australia, so I'd call this good. I'm planning on reading this one as well, for the "Yours, Mine, Ours" task.

Yay! Thanks. And I hope you like it, I had heard about it and thought it sounded good :)

Beth NC wrote: "If anyone is looking for werewolf/vampire novels, Keri Arthur is a great urban fantasy author from Australia."



Thanks for this post. I am going to use her. :)

Is Lian Hearn OK? Real name Gillian Rubinstein, she was born in England but has lived in Australia since 1973.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_...

Rosemary wrote: "Is Lian Hearn OK? Real name Gillian Rubinstein, she was born in England but has lived in Australia since 1973.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_..."

sure, that's fine.

if anyone is still looking for a book for this task i was just recommended a book by my stepmom and she said it was fab. it's written by an aussie and the book is set there. i already have a book for this task, but i'll definitely be checking this out for future reading.

Remembering Babylon: A Novel by David Malouf

hey Sandy - I want to read a book by Mark Alders for this - I know he is from australia because of posts he's made in another group, but there is nothing on his profile/blog to indicate that...how would you like me to provide proof?

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "hey Sandy - I want to read a book by Mark Alders for this - I know he is from australia because of posts he's made in another group, but there is nothing on his profile/blog to ind..."

I clicked through and his GR group indicates his location as "Australia." So, just note in your post that he was approved in the help thread.

thanks!!

I started read book "Blue Skies" by Fleur McDonald. She's australian author who's live in Western Australia with her husband Anthony. She also wrote her previously bestselling novel "Red Dust". In my opion this book "Blue Skies" is really good for reading, and I can recomended to you.

PS: Australian Day is 26th January. I lived previosly in Sydney-Australia for 8 years. I'm from Bratislava-Slovakia.