What are you reading at the moment? Anything interesting? Anything you’d like to share ?
Yesterday the Australian Book Industry Awards made their recommendations in the form of awards honouring and recognising authors, booksellers and publishers. Winners in various categories were chosen by an academy of booksellers and publishers.
Book of the Year was presented to Anh Do for his book The Happiest Refugee (he also won Newcomer of the Year and joint Biography of the Year).
Other categories recognised were:
Illustrated Book of the Year 2011 – Our Family Table by Julie Goodwin
Literary Fiction Book of the Year 2011 –Bereft by Chris Womersley
Book of the Year for Younger Children 2011 – Noni the Pony, written and illustrated by Alison Lester
Book of the Year for Older Children 2011 – Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord
Biography of the Year 2011 – joint winner, The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do and How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly
General Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2011 – True Spirit by Jessica Watson
General Fiction Book of the Year 2011 –The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Wow, quite a stunning reading list. But there’s more – check out the shortlists.
Top Comments
Mennonite In A Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen is very amusing - she has a lovely line in self deprecation. Also, the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz is a lot of laughs. Anything by Kerry Greenwood...
The happiest refugee is a great, accessible read. I wonder though on what merits the book is judged in terms of 'best' book. I say this as the writing style is simple, almost too simple (daily telegraph simple) for my liking. Perhaps 'best' is determined in just in terms of the most 'enjoyable or beloved' read, in which it certainly delivers in spades. Or is it simply in sales??
I know I sound like a horrid bookish snob (which I admit I am) but find it hard to believe this is the 'best' Aussie book.