Aussie Readers discussion

Not entirely sure where to post this (mods, pls feel free to move it to another thread if not appropriate here! :) )...

I've recently discovered the joy of reading books that are set in places that you know (or think you know) really well, Melbourne being one of them for me. I've so far read a few books set in Melbourne (mostly YA) and I'd love to get some further suggestions!

I've read "Aliki Says", "Rose by Any Other Name" (really like that one!), Does My Head Look Big In This?" and "Winter Journey" (mostly set in Poland but starts and finishes in Melbourne). What other books are set in Melbourne (I do read fairly widely though I'm not hugely into crime fiction.)?

Great topic!

Some off the top of my head:
* Helen Garner's Monkey Grip (Brunswick/Carlton in the 1970s) and The Spare Room
* Christos Tsiolkas' Loaded (one night in four different suburbs of Melbourne) and The Slap
* Lisa Lang's Utopian Man (Melbourne, 1880s)
* Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series, mostly in 1920s Melbourne (though they are, I guess, crime fiction)
* Steven Carroll's Glenroy trilogy starting with The art of the engine driver
* Peter Temple & Shane Maloney have used Melbourne as a setting in their crime ficiton as well.

There's some good history/non-fiction out there too, Radical Melbourne: A Secret History & Radical Melbourne 2: The Enemy Within; any of the small books published by Arcade, including Madame Brussels: This Moral Pandemonium, E.W. Cole - Chasing the Rainbow .

And after poking around a bit:
* My Brother Jack
* Three Dollars
* On the Beach
* Power Without Glory
* Graffiti Moon (YA)
* Pink (YA)

Looking forward to seeing what else there is out there!

Awesome topic Muphyn!!! Lots of fabulous books there too, from you and Jess. I agree, I love to read books where you know where they are set, it seems much more real!! Let's see how many Melbourne based books are out there. :)

PS...perfectly posted too ..:)

Awesome, thanks Brenda (hitting the right thread, I mean). :)

Jess, thank you heaps and heaps - how did you do that?! Just pulling them out like that?!! I shall be adding heaps to my ever growing, never ending to-read book stash... :)

Jess, have you read the "Spare Room"? I tried it the other day (got the audiobook from the library) but just couldn't get into it... And completely missed that it was set in Melbourne!

Beatle meets Destiny (YA)
Shadowfae

The Spare Room ...is this the one, Muphyn? :)

Brenda wrote: "The Spare Room ...is this the one, Muphyn? :)"

Yep, that's the one!

Muphyn wrote: "Brenda wrote: "The Spare Room ...is this the one, Muphyn? :)"

Yep, that's the one!"

Sounds interesting, wonder if we could have feedback on anyone else who may have read it? :)

A couple more. Haven't read them, came across them in a blog...
http://my-girlfriday.blogspot.com/sea...

Jarvis 24
Notes from the Teenage Underground
Six Impossible Things

Jess, thank you heaps and heaps - how did you do that?! Just pulling them out like that?!! I shall be adding heaps to my ever growing,..."

No worries Muphyn! I sometimes take a keen interest in books set in Melbourne, so those ones are just the ones that have stuck with me since reading them. Plus, I work as a bookseller, so knowing that sort of trivial information can sometimes be helpful on the job!

I have read The Spare Room. I did like it, but it was a while ago that I read it. I wrote a review on my blog if you're interested.

I'm going to do a bit of detective work and see what I can find on my day off tomorrow, but for now I've thought of a few more:
* There's also a guide to literary Melbourne, pointing out significant landmarks around the city and novels that are set in Melbourne - Literary Melbourne, A Celebration of Writing and Ideas - might have to see if my local library still has a copy and check it out for some more answers.
* Reunion by Andrea Goldsmith

There's a couple of titles not yet mentioned in this thread on this Set in Melbourne list, but it's not very comprehensive.

Another one I can think of is Cafe Scheherazade.

A few more from some bookish Twitter folk and some cursory research (can you tell I love this topic?):
* Halfway To Good
* The Good Daughter
* Saltwater Moons
* Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman series starting with Earthly Delights
* Sold
* Idiot Pride (loved this book as a younger reader, male narrator YA set in Footscray, if I remember correctly.)
* The Getting of Wisdom
* Fall Girl
* The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

Completely unrelated, but pretty cool nonetheless is this Wikipedia list of songs about Melbourne. Just in case you want to make a playlist to go with your reading :)

(And while asking my Dad if he could think of any, he suggested the Melways. Dad humour, never gets old does it! :D)

Wow Jess, you are awesome!!! What an amazing list of books, and other knowledge you have!!! :)

Cool. I set all my books in Melbourne. Well. Ish. All my published stories anyway. Not that there are a huge number of those yet. I'm working on it though.

The Secret of Talmor Manor

:)

The Riley Jensen Guardian Series by Keri Arthur is apparently set in Melbourne. I came across that fact in an authors blog a couple of years ago and put them on my want to read list.

You are all absolutely awesome!! :D I'm in love with this group and Jess in particular! ;) To be honest, I was hoping that I'd get at least three or four suggestions but THIS?!! :D :D :D

I'll be a busy bee over Easter checking out and chasing up all these recs!! :D Thanks, thanks, thanks! (falls very, very, very short of how overwhelmed I am by the amazing response!)

Jess, haha, the Melways, that's awesome and I ahve to admit somewhat sheepishly that I have actually "read" it... I can get a bit sidetracked and have been found 'reading' dictionaries, encyclopaedias and maps...

Hmm... I think I need a new copy of the Melways. Mine's a bit tattered.

Yes, Muphyn is one happy chappy!!! LOL

Yeah, totally! :)

OMG. *does happy little dance* I just checked my 'Melbourne' shelf and I have one book there. One! (Though I'm sure I read more when I was younger that I just can't remember now.) I need to check out all of these!

Brenda wrote: "Yes, Muphyn is one happy chappy!!! LOL"

I just re-read my comment, and suddenly thought...oops, sorry Muphyn is a gleeful girl!!! LOL

Muphyn wrote: "You are all absolutely awesome!! :D I'm in love with this group and Jess in particular! ;) To be honest, I was hoping that I'd get at least three or four suggestions but THIS?!! :D :D :D

I'll be a..."

Muphyn - we're kindred souls. I LOVE reading dictionaries and encyclopaedias. Maps, not so much, unless they're full of odd place names. (Good place to find those is the U.K. Some of the villages have fantastic names.)

One of my nieces used to read the phone book and fall all over the place laughing. When she was a lot younger, don't know if she still does! I must admit that I do read the number plates of cars. Saw one once on a '64 Holden that read "000-OOH"!

Monya (aka Mary)

Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Yes, Muphyn is one happy chappy!!! LOL"

I just re-read my comment, and suddenly thought...oops, sorry Muphyn is a gleeful girl!!! LOL"

*LAUGH* that is funny, Brenda! (still chuckling...) maybe my profile should read "Muphyn (= muffin = Kati)"??? :D

Monya wrote: "...Muphyn - we're kindred souls. I LOVE reading dictionaries and encyclopaedias. Maps, not so much, unless they're full of odd place names...."

:) Good to know I'm not the only crazy dictionary reading person out there! :D

Sally wrote: "OMG. *does happy little dance* I just checked my 'Melbourne' shelf and I have one book there. One! (Though I'm sure I read more when I was younger that I just can't remember now.) I need to check o..."

Sally, WHAT?!! Only one book on your Melbourne shelf, I am appalled! ;) You'd better hurry and add a few! I reckon you'd enjoy "Rose by any other name" but I think I already recommended that you ages ago...

Muphyn wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Yes, Muphyn is one happy chappy!!! LOL"

I just re-read my comment, and suddenly thought...oops, sorry Muphyn is a gleeful girl!!! LOL"

*LAUGH* that is funny, Brenda!..."

Hahaha!!! Hi Kati!!!! LOL

Sally, WHAT?!! Only one book on your Melbourne shelf, I am appalled! ;)

What makes it even worse is that there are four for Sydney! Aghast, I am it. Time to go through all my books and re-shelve again *grins*

And yep, on the to-read list!

The Murray Whelan series of books by Shane Maloney are all set in Melbourne. They were made into TV movies staring David Wenham. Some of the books are:

Stiff
Sucked In
The Brush Off

I've not read any of them but I enjoyed the TV movies.

The book I am reading at the moment is partially set in Melbourne - Little Paradise by Gabrielle Wang. I expect it is going to move to China as well at some point.

One I read recently is Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung.

Gillian wrote: "The Riley Jensen Guardian Series by Keri Arthur is apparently set in Melbourne. I came across that fact in an authors blog a couple of years ago and put them on my want to read list."

This is the series I was going to recommend, it's a great series too, such a pity I have finished it.

I've read a great group that is set in Melbourne. It is called http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77... by Joanne Valiukas and it is set here in Melbourne.

I live in Melbourne myself and it took me to places that I haven't been in years. The Vic Market, the city, St Kilda Road, Luna Park and the Beach. Even the clubs and cafes of Chapel Street in South Yarra. It's a great read, try it.

This is so cool, thanks all for your amazing suggestions!! :D I think I'll be reading books set in Melbourne forever... :)

You know I was wondering if anyone can actually help me. I'm looking for a book I read years ago. And i'm positive it was set in Melbourne. I love books set in Australia but Melbourne is so much different. Can anyone help me? I have no idea what's the name or author but its about a uni student who gets a job taking care of a woman who suffered a stroke. It was such a nice book and i've searched high & low and can't find it anywhere. If anyone knows the name or author or anything. The girl starts to here the woman humming or playing music or something somewhere in the story. And she also begins to see a boy she goes to uni with. Any help would be much appreciated.

Kevork, I transferred your request to a new thread, to see if we can get some feedback from other members http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...

Also, welcome, you are a new member...maybe you'd like to introduce yourself to everyone http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3..... lovely to have you with us:)

Thankyou guys. I'm so excited to be on here. My sister posts here and told me to join. I love reading so much.

Carmel THANKYOU SO MUCH. :) I found the book listed on one of those links you gave me. It's called Finding Grace.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

This was such an amazing book. I am so happy I found it.

Oh wow Kevork, that is fantastic!! I thought it would take AGES!!!! Let's put a link.. is this the one?

Yes that is the one :)

Awesome!! Another book to add to my to-read-because-set-in-Melbourne list! :D

This one is set in Melbourne too:A Small Free Kiss in the Dark

Got another one. Vissi d'arte. In spite of the esoteric title it's in English and very easy to read.

Students at an opera school in Melbourne are united by their passion for opera and divided by their love affairs, ambition and political differences.

I wasn't interested in opera before reading this. Now I'm the proud owner of some CD's and books about opera.

It's on Kindle. The first 4 chapters are free.

Vissi d'arte

Coping With Pleasure by David Owen
I am sure about the title and %80 sure about the author. Read it years ago and I think it was the first one I had read set in Melbourne.

Am reading Fragrant Rice by Janet De Neefe right now - it is mainly set in Bali with small side servings of Melbourne.

Dean wrote: "I have print copies of my novel The Hambledown Dream available now direct from my website http://www.deanfromaustralia.com. Set in both Melbourne and the Sapphire Coast of Australia ..."

Dean, your website link isn't working...it said 'Blogger not found' when I clicked on it:(

Brenda wrote: "Dean wrote: "I have print copies of my novel The Hambledown Dream available now direct from my website http://www.deanfromaustralia.com. Set in both Melbourne and the Sapphire Coast ..."

try, http://www.deanfromaustralia.com/

Knowledge Lost wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Dean wrote: "I have print copies of my novel The Hambledown Dream available now direct from my website http://www.deanfromaustralia.com. Set in both Melbourne and the ..."

Thanks Knowledge! Worked that time:)

Can anyone tell me if Tim Flannery's The Birth of Melbourne is any good?

Don't forget to read In Lonnie's Shadow, set in Little Lon, 1891.
Historical fiction title, published by Ford Street Press.

Michael wrote: "Hi Chrissie welcome to the aussie readers group if you would like you can tell us more about yourself here http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3..."

On the ball Michael..welcome Chrissie!!