ANZAC Author Reading Challenge 2015

Welcome to the ANZAC Author Reading Challenge!



Australia

January- Richard Flanagan
February-Cate Kennedy
March-Michelle De Kretser
April-Roger McDonald
May-Christina Stead
June-Kim Scott
July-Peter Carey
August-Helen Garner
September-Ruth Park
October-Robert Hughes
November-Kerry Greenwood
December-Matthew Reilly

New Zealand

January-Fiona Kidman
February-Maurice Shadbolt
March-Elizabeth Knox
April-Alan Duff
May-Katherine Mansfield
June-Witi Ihimaera
July-Lloyd Jones
August-Keri Hulme
September-Michael King
October-Patricia Grace
November-Ngaio Marsh
December-Paul Cleave

I'm looking forward to participating in this challenge! I have, however, been completely unsuccessful at tracking down a book by Fiona Kidman. Still, I plan to read Wanting by Richard Flanagan.

Thanks, Jacqui, for organizing this reading challenge!

>2 EBT1002: I'm planning to read Wanting too. It will be good to compare people's reactions to the book.

I also have The Unknown Terrorist sitting on my shelf- if I have time. :)

Also, I have found Fiona Kidman books on Amazon

That'll be three of us at least reading Wanting next month then!

>4 PaulCranswick: It should be a lively discussion then. As opposed to the Penelope Lively discussion on your British Author challenge. ;)

I'm in!

Hi Jacqui and thank you for this challenge. Think I'm going to order my Flanagan book from the library later on today. After all, January is bearing down on me like a train and I am a First Class procrastinator.

This reminds me, I have to track down a copy of The sound of one hand clapping (Richard Flanagan) very soon. I assume I won't be alone in reading that one?

I'm in! I have requested Wanting by Flanagan and In the Clear Light: A Novel by Kidman from our library system (it's actually the only book they have by this author). I have The Deep Road to the Narrow North put from the library now, so I'll start with that one.

I will be lurking in the background with the odd appearance ....

There are a few secondhand Fiona Kidmans available in the US for under $4 US on abebooks.com, many are The Book of Secrets - I read and loved Paddy's Puzzle and have wanted to read more for ages. I have 3 unread Kidmans here, none are ones anyone else has mentioned finding though!

Jacqui--Thanks for researching and setting up this challenge. I hope to be popping in and out throughout the year, but, unfortunately, won't be able to participate fully for each author. I will say that a few years ago we took a trip to Australia and New Zealand, and I read a ton of authors from these two beautiful countries before we went, so there is a wealth of material to choose from.

I just read Flanagan's Narrow Road to the Deep North last month and it was one of my best books for the year, so if anyone hasn't chosen yet......

I have Gould's Book of Fish on my shelf, and I will be reading that in January. I've already read Wanting and The Sound of One Hand Clapping.

I plan to read Flanagan's Narrow Road to the Deep North; I'm wait-listed at the library.

>6 drneutron: >7 Fourpawz2: >8 evilmoose: >9 Crazymamie: >10 roundballnz: >11 elkiedee: >12 arubabookwoman: >13 LoisB: Welcome all! I hope you all have a good time discovering (rediscovering in some cases) some great Antipodean writers.

January, I think, is going to be good. Those of you who are reading Narrow Road to the Deep North are in for a treat. It really is a great book. Plus, I'm pleased to see that most of Richard Flanagan's books have been claimed by someone. It should be fun.

As for our Fiona Kidman this is my first time reading her. I must admit that, before I started doing this, my knowledge of New Zealand writers was very poor. Of the New Zealand writers featured here, Katherine Mansfield is the only one I've read before.

Lloyd Jones I knew of vaguely, he was meant to be at the Byron Bay Writer's festival but was a late cancellation. He had completely slipped my mind until I started researching for this. Then as if the universe approved, Paint Your Wife was released in all my favourite book shops.

Happy reading everyone.

OZ - I have requested The Sound of One Hand Clapping from my library so as soon as it comes in I will attempt this one.

NZ - Our Toronto Public Library has 4 books by Fiona Kidman but they are only available at the research library and cannot be checked out. So, sadly, I will not be reading anything by her.

Since I am participating in a number of challenges, I think I will leave it at that.

I have not read nor heard of most of these Australian and New Zealand authors. Looking forward to reading some of their works and getting to know them.

I'm in. I've just bought The Narrow Road to the Deep North and The Captive Wife, so I'm set. I'm very much looking forward to this!

I don't think I can commit to adding another author challenge to my 2015 reading, I do own a copy of Fiona Kidman's The House Within that has been languishing on my bookshelves for some time now so count me in for January!

I'm also heavily committed to previous challenges, but I do have a small number of books in my TBR collection by these authors, so I'll try to read them as part of this challenge:

Kim Scott, That Deadman Dance
Peter Carey, Bliss or His Illegal Self
Keri Hulme, The Bone People
Patricia Grace, Potiki or Dogside Story

The Narrow Road to the Deep North was my favorite novel published in 2014, and it was a worthy winner of this year's Booker Prize. I enjoyed The Spare Room by Helen Garner and Mr. Pip by Lloyd Jones. I don't think I've read anything by the other ANZAC authors, but I'll follow along to see what others are reading.

I'll be hunting down these first two authors at my library tomorrow morning!

To get the discussion started here is my review of The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I wrote it back in 2013 when it was first published. http://wp.me/p20PAS-t9

Hi there! I am excited to join in. I had Australian and NZ authors as a challenge category last year and really enjoyed it. It will be great to be part of this group. I am looking forward to The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I've seen some great reviews around LT. I will read whatever my library has for Fiona Kidman.

still waiting for The Sound of One Hand Clapping *frown*

I'm about ready to Pearl Rule The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I don't know whether it's the mood I'm in (not feeling well), or whether it's slow to start, or whether it's just not my style. Any thoughts?

>23 LoisB: I felt that same way about The Narrow Road to the Deep North, as did several other LTers if I remember correctly. I forget where in the book it picked up, but once it did I thoroughly enjoyed nearly all of the rest of it.

I started Wanting this morning. Few chapters in but very impressed so far.

Picked up my copy of Death of a River Guide from the library on my way home tonight. Hoping for good things!

I finished The Infinite Air this morning. A more in depth review is in progress. I will say though that this was okay. While I have read better, I have also read much much worse. It's an interesting biographical novel about a fascinating women.

I must admit I'd never heard of Jean Batten. (Maybe the Kiwi's amongst us can shed some light.) After reading this, I'm not sure I LIKE her, but I do agree that she was brave and an pioneer. I guess that ultimately being liked is for we mere mortals, while the extraordinary ones as busy doing other things.

I've been meaning to drop by to say I'll be joining in sporadically with some of the authors already on my tbr.

Among the Ozzies, I'm looking forward to Peter Carey, as have had Oscar and Lucinda waiting on the stacks for ages and really looking forward to that one and to seeing the movie as well. I may also go for Parrot and Olivier in America, which I've got on audio narrated by Humphrey Bower whom I like a lot, if I can fit it in. I'll also make room for at least one or two of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries in November for good fun.

Among the Kiwis, I'll probably borrow Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors from the library, since I saw the movie a couple of times over the years and really loved it. I only discovered Katherine Mansfield last year and absolutely fell in love, so will definitely read one of her short story collections in may. I acquired two lovely little Bloomsbury Classics editions from the Book Depo, so it'll be one of those two. Also joining in for Witi Ihimaera's Whale Rider in June, also have that one on audio, and got it after seeing the movie which I absolutely adored. Had already planned to read Keri Hulme's The Bone People in August, so that's a done deal.

  

Thanks for organizing this Jacqui!

I just finished The Narrow Road to the Deep North--amazing. For those who have not read it, I do not want to give anything away, but the little that I had read about the book did not compel. I'm grateful to the challenge for overcoming my issues with reading such grim material. It is grim, but ultimately so rewarding.

Here is a quote from near the end that captures some of the essence of what this book does:

His mind slowly distilled his memory of the POW camps into something beautiful. It was as if he were squeezing out the humiliation of being a slave, drop by drop. First he forgot the horror of it all, later the violence done to them by the Japanese. In his old age he could honestly say he could recall no acts of violence....Then his memory of the sickness and the wretched deaths, the cholera and the beri-beri and the pellagra, that too went; even the mud went, and later so too the memory of the hunger. And finally one afternoon he realised he could remember none of his time as a POW at all. His mind was still good; he knew he had once been a POW as he knew he had once been a foetus. But of that experience nothing remained. What did was an irrevocable idea of human goodness, as undeniable as it was beautiful. At the age of ninety-four he was finally a free man.

I did finish Wanting a little earlier this month and enjoyed the writing although his attempt to tell two stories in the same novel did distract and detract a little.

I've just finished The Captive Wife and reviewed it here.

I have just barely started The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Great writing!

Turns out that Richard Flanagan and I do not get along. I had to return Death of a River Guide to the library today as I just could not bring myself to crack it open again. Instead, I have ordered a copy of Paddy's Puzzle from the library which is the only thing they have by Fiona Kidman. I am thinking that it will be a better fit.

I just found this thread for January ANZAC books! https://www.librarything.com/topic/185851

Jacqui started it, but I hadn't noticed it until now. I thought I'd link it here, as I don't think it has been linked already, and perhaps I'm not the only one to have missed it.

>33 Fourpawz2: I am struggling with Narrow Road to the Deep North. I will probably finish it, but so far, bleurgh.

I've just set up the thread for February

Because this months authors aren't easily available everywhere, I have added Colleen McCullough as a WILD CARD for the month. Feel free to substitute one of her books for either Cate Kennedy or Maurice Shadbolt.

I have had a reader's advance copy of Gould's Book of Fish on my shelf for a long time. I think it was gift at an indie bookstore for buying a certain amount of books. I really had no idea about the story but liked the design of the book. And, may have been confused that the author was Richard Brautigan rather than Richard Flanagan.

I'm trying to read my ROOTS this year so this challenge was an opportunity to dig into the book. And what a book it was. Fantastical, horrific, hilarious even at times: I was absorbed and repelled often at the same time. Like Riven Rock that I just read, this book is based in non-fiction but veers into fiction without always making clear which is which. Gould, the narrator and erstwhile painter of fish, is as unreliable as they come even as he seems to be stripping his life and soul bare for the reader.

I can get an ILL of a Cate Kennedy book The World Beneath through the library system so that is what I will read.

I have read Tim, The Thorn Birds, and Bittersweet by Colleen McCullough and enjoyed them all.

>37 witchyrichy: Great review of Gould's Book of Fish! Now it's on my wish list.

I have the WOrld Beneath on hold, and hope to get to it in February. Thank you, Jacqui, for putting this challenge together.

On the bright side, for once I'm not having any trouble getting a hold of books by either February author. I'm looking forward to the Shadbolt books especially.

>37 witchyrichy: That's great. I had to resort to EBay for my Shadbolt book. I've got the New Zealand War trilogy on it's way.

The World Beneath

My first Cate Kennedy - a very good debut novel that takes place in Tasmania. Fifteen year old Sophie goes on a week long trek in the Tasmanian mountains with her father who has been out of her life since she was 7 months old. The parents' characters were interesting, but not particularly likeable. In fact, I kept wanting to yell at them as I was reading. Sophie was a rebellious teenager, in some ways, wise beyond her years. The plot was somewhat predictable, but overall the book was a compelling read.

>42 LoisB: Oh good, I am planning to read The World Beneath this month.

Hi everyone! A new thread for March has been opened at: ANZAC Author Reading Challenge- March 2015- Michelle De Kretser and Elizabeth Knox

Thought that I would post my review of the Cate Kennedy that I read for this month here, in case anyone is interested.



Dark Roots by Cate Kennedy (4.75 stars), library paperback, short stories, contemporary fiction

I truly loved this book, and only a couple of the stories fell just shy of the perfection mark, which is why it gets not quite a full five stars from me. I picked this up from the library for the ANZAC challenge - Cate Kennedy is an Australian author, and I was not familiar with her work. I have been branching out into short story collections, although it is not my favorite format. This collection is different - I loved the humor, the wit, the charm of people caught in the actions of every day life. Some of these people are at crossroads moments, and what was unexpected was that in the beginning of most of them, I had no idea of the sex of the main character. You learn that as the story unfolds, but first just the voice that could be from any skin, any gender - just...human. The first story, What Thou and I Did, Till We Loved was sublime; a perfect read for me on what it means to love someone.

And the writing! The writing is gorgeous, and thought and feeling flow with each sentence, taking us along on the journey of each story. The unexpected sharp smack of dark humor and the hum of edginess all woven into the structure that is a paragraph. This collection is a feast for the senses. When I had finished reading it, I wanted nothing more than to turn back to the first story and begin again. Which is just what I did. Highly recommended, even if, like me, short stories are not your favorite. This collection shows how very much can be done with so little - fully-fleshed characters and plot and an advanced story arc all in miniature. Small, but not abridged.

"I watch people sometimes, wonder how they can walk around with the weight of what they know. Wonder if they feel like me, stumbling with lead shoes on the bottom of the ocean, swimming in a sea of the unsayable. It's a mistake we make, thinking that it's words that tell us everything. It's sound that breaks glasses, cracks windows, sends cats up trees. Bats hear more than humans, understand more noise, let alone dogs. Maybe we're just not getting it, standing here listening for sensible speech, dying of loneliness and waiting for whatever it is. How do we know we're not calling and calling all the time, our throats so tight with it, it's too high to hear?"

March - Australia The Hamilton Case

An interesting approach - not a mystery, but a story about a mystery. Coincidentally, it draws heavily on, and references Hercule Poirot's Christmas which I just re-read two weeks ago. I could not stand the main character, but the book was very well-written with wonderful descriptions of Ceylon.

>45 Crazymamie:- I loved Dark Roots too. I read it about a year ago, and I must admit that it was based on that book that I picked her for the challenge this year. I've started reading Like A House on Fire which is a more recent collection of stories by Kennedy. It was short listed for the Stella Prize, and so far I can see why. I am almost tempted to say it is better than Dark Roots, but that is a BIG call, because as you say Dark Roots is sublime.

>45 Crazymamie:, >47 jll1976: I will have to give Dark Roots a try. I really didn't love my pick for the month, which was The World Beneath, so I'd like to read something better by the author.

I am trying to choose between Mortal Fire and Daylight by Elizabeth Knox. I have mixed reviews from a friend on Daylight, so I will have to see.

I have chosen The Hamilton Case for my read by Michelle de Kretser. >46 LoisB: I love Poirot, so this should be fun. :)

>48 nittnut: I liked Daylight, though I'm partial to a vampire novel from time to time.

>47 jll1976: I am checking my library for that story collection as soon as I finish posting this! Thanks so much for that, Jacqui!

>48 nittnut: It's just so good, Jenn! Hoping you can snag a copy of it.

Of course, the library doesn't have it!

I finally finished The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy. I gave it 3.5 stars. There were times when I really enjoyed this novel of a dysfunctional family set against the beauty of the Tasmanian outback, but it did annoy me that the author chose such stereotypical main characters, and I felt the story could have been shortened considerably with better effect.

Hi everyone. I have set up the April discussion group. Go to http://www.librarything.com/topic/189594

Jacqui, that link just goes back to the top of this page.

Any suggestions for Roger McDonald?

>54 Crazymamie: Thanks for the heads up. I've fixed it now. I just couldn't get the HTML to work properly.

I could not find any of the May authors at my library system, but I did find The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield for FREE on Kindle!

>57 LoisB: What a great find!

Hi everyone!

The May thread is now open at: Christina Stead & Katherine Mansfield

It's still ridiculously early to start thinking about next years authors list. But, I just wanted to record here that I promised over in another feed, that I would include Patrick White in next years list.

Obviously if anyone else has any suggestions of Australian or New Zealand authors they would like to see next year, feel free to add your suggestions.

Maybe a month where we read from a selection of writers who've published up to 3 or so novels - Eleanor Catton, Catherine Chidgey, Sarah Laing, Anna Smaill, Sarah Quigley, Craig Cliff, Hamish Clayton or from an award shortlist.
or a month of anthology or short story collections such as Frank Sargeson, Maurice Duggan, Essential New Zealand Short Stories, Anthology of New Zealand Literature

NZ writers to consider:
James McNeish
Maurice Gee
Joy Cowley - written several well received adult novels though known mainly for her children's books and educational readers.
Fiona Farrell
Owen Marshall
Ronald Hugh Morrieson
C K Stead
Lloyd Jones
Laurence Fearnley
Vincent O'Sullivan
Kirsty Gunn
Anthony McCarten
Paula Morris

I'm less well versed in Australian writers so am listing writers whose books are in my to read pile -
Elliot Perlman
Derek Hansen
Frank Moorhouse
Garry Disher
Thomas Keneally
Christopher Koch
Alex Miller
Judith Armstrong

Hope this is helpful

Go Kerry! :)

I love my lists!

Ha! I love your lists too. Lol

>61 avatiakh: Wow! That was quick! The New Zealand ones are especially handy, as that is my weak spot.

BTW- We have Lloyd Jones coming up in July this year. So, that is one for you to look forward to. :)

I love your lists as well, reminds me there still many NZ/AUS authors to be tried, rather than the latest book out .....

Did any of you Kiwi readers get to the Auckland Writers Festival last week? 60,000 turned up apparently.

If you did manage to get along, did you discover any exciting new authors for us to try?

Also, are these any Sydneysiders amongst you that have been (or are going) to the Sydney Writers Festival ?

The NSW Premier's Literary Awards have been announced. There are lots of categories, but the key ones are:
Christina Stead Prize for Fiction (named after our May author)- The Snow Kimono by Mark Henshaw; UTS Glenda Adams Prize for New Writing- An Elegant Young Man by Luke Carman & the overall Book of the Year was awarded to The Bush by Don Watson.

Should we add Mark Henshaw, Luke Carmen and/or Don Watson to our list for next year?

>67 jll1976: I was one of the Throngs at Auckland Writers Festival .... Had a n awesome time, but back to your question : writers that are new for me :

Tim Winton -
Daniel Mendelsohn
Ben Okri

Trying to decide what to read for June - here's the review of Benang: From the Heart. Not to be completely silly, but I read the blurb:

"Oceanic in its rhythms and understanding, brilliant in its use of language and image, moving in its largeness of spirit, compelling in its narrative scope and style, this intriguing journey is a celebration and lament—of beginning and return, of obliteration and recovery, of silencing, and of powerful utterance. Both tentative and daring, it speaks to the present and a possible future through stories, dreams, rhythms, songs, images and documents mobilized from the incompletely acknowledged and still dynamic past."

I just got back from a winter campout and I am tired, but seriously, based on the above, I. Have. No. Idea. What this book is about.

Hi everyone,

The June thread is now up and running at: Kim Scott & Witi Ihimaera

Since June is all about a couple of indigenous writers from both Australia and New Zealand, I would just like to send a shout out to The Indigenous Literacy Foundation . The foundation are an important tool in the work being done to 'Close the Gap' between indigenous and non-indigenous communities.

Our January author, Richard Flanagan donated his prize money from last years Prime Ministers Literary Award to the foundation.

"Flanagan said words were the first beautiful things his father knew, and he wanted to help close the Indigenous literacy gap.

"If just one of those children in turn becomes a writer, if just one brings to Australia and to the world an idea of the universe that arises out of that glorious lineage of 60,000 years of Australian civilisation, then I will think this prize has rewarded not just me, but us all," he said."

We in the LT community don't need much convincing about the value of reading in a person's life, so I think it is a good idea if every now and again we give a thought to organisations (and people) that help people who for one reason or another finding reading difficult.

A reading list of indigenous writers from Australia and New Zealand: http://anzlitlovers.com/the-anzlitlovers-list-of-books-you-must-read/anzll-indig...

In NZ, Alan Duff started the Duffy Books in Homes charity in 1992 which is still running successfully in schools - he noticed on a visit to a lower decile school that many children came from bookless homes and he wanted to change that. http://www.booksinhomes.org.nz/Home.aspx

>73 avatiakh: That's good to know. If I remember, at the beginning of Once Were Warriors Beth makes an observation about the correlation between their bookless homes and their hopelessness. Obviously, there are other issues going on there, but I do think it is something that needs to be looked at more.

Also, that's a great list of writers. Some more to add to next year.

I think your earlier suggestion about having a month focusing on writers with 3 or fewer books might be a good idea too. There are so many new Aus and NZ writers that only have one book out there that I would love to introduce to people here, but I realise that it's no fun for people who have already read their one and only novel.

For example- Fiona McFarlane's The Night Guest was my go to book for recommending to people last year. But it's her first (and therefore only) book, so I couldn't include her this year.

I just finished The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimeara. What a lovely story!

>75 LoisB: Me too. Loved it.

Just waiting around for the July thread... No pressure.... lalalalalala

I don't know either of these authors, so I'm excited to see what people are choosing. :)

>77 nittnut: I haven't found the July thread either, but I will be reading Oscar and Lucinda.

Hi everyone- sorry for the delay. Better late than never and all that...

The thread is now up and running at: https://www.librarything.com/topic/193003

Enjoy!

For those in Melbourne (or who can get to Melbourne) the Melbourne Writers Festival has a session talking about Ruth Park in particular The Harp in the South (our September Australian author). The session is called "The Book the Changed me: Ruth Park"
Details are here: http://mwf.com.au/session/the-book-that-changed-me-ruth-park/

Thanks for your patience everyone!
The August thread is now open at: Helen Garner & Keri Hulme

Hi everyone. How's it going with choosing your September books? I've ended up with sort of autobiographies for both authors. Just curious what everyone else is reading...

Hello? Is anyone there? Hope all is well - feel like I'm the only person left on this challenge. Lol.

Just in case anyone wants to know, I LOVE Ruth Park. I just read A Fence Around the Cuckoo and it was lovely.

>83 nittnut: I could not find any of the September authors at my library, so I'm skipping this month.

>84 LoisB: Woo-hoo! I'm not alone. lol Fair enough, but I will still give a warble for Ruth Park. I found her voice delightful. She wrote novels and children's books. So, if you ever do run across her work, hopefully you'll give it a try. :)

I thought there was a monthly thread for the ANZAC, so I was waiting to post on that. My September read was a Ruth Park - Things in Corners.

ETA: My spreadsheet says that I listed last month's read in the thread, and it doesn't show on THIS thread, so that makes me think that there's usually a monthly one. I don't see a September or October thread, either one.

I just placed a hold on Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore, so I should be joining this month's challenge.

>86 countrylife: Yeah - I am not sure what's up with our fearless leader, and I hope everything is OK. Meanwhile, we can just carry on here for now, right?

>87 LoisB: I started Things I Didn't Know and we had irreconcilable differences in the first 100 pages. I may or may not try something else. All his books are So Very, Very Long! I'm not normally put off by long books, but RL is kind of busy at the moment. :)

I've got Chappy for my NZ one. It looks pretty good. And short. I'm running out of month already.

I am also reading The Fatal Shore this month - excellent it is too!

>88 nittnut: >89 PaulCranswick: I didn't even start The Fatal Shore. The size was too intimidating!

Just finished Chappy. Loved it! Warble, warble, warble...

Guess I'll keep posting my finished reads on this thread, then.

October: Tu by Patricia Grace (NZ) (4 stars)
November: Spinsters in Jeopardy, Ngaio Marsh (NZ) (3.3 stars)

Completed my ANZAC AUTHORS Reading Challenge with a 92%.

My plan was to read one or the other of the month's authors. I missed my intended N.Z. read for May. Ended with 7 Australians and 4 New Zealanders. Nice little challenge. I enjoyed participating!

Jan:Aus: Richard Flanagan - The Narrow Road to the Deep North (3.6 stars) 1/31/15
Jan:NZ: Fiona Kidman
Feb:Aus: Cate Kennedy - The World Beneath (3.4 stars) 2/13/15
Feb:NZ: Maurice Shadbolt
Mar:Aus: Michelle De Kretser - The Lost Dog (3 stars) 3/30/15
Mar:NZ: Elizabeth Knox
Apr:Aus: Roger McDonald - Mr. Darwin's Shooter (3.3 stars) 4/28/15
Apr:NZ: Alan Duff
May:Aus: Christina Stead
May:NZ: Katherine Mansfield - Option: The Garden Party, and Other Stories (didn't get to it) 5/15
Jun:Aus: Kim Scott
Jun:NZ: Witi Ihimaera - The Whale Rider (3.5 stars) 6/24/15
Jul:Aus: Peter Carey
Jul:NZ: Lloyd Jones - Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance (3.3 stars) 7/21/15
Aug:Aus: Helen Garner - The Spare Room (3.1) 8/27/15
Aug:NZ: Keri Hulme
Sep:Aus: Ruth Park - Things in Corners (2.5) 9/28/15
Sep:NZ: Michael King
Oct:Aus: Robert Hughes
Oct:NZ: Patricia Grace - Tu (4 stars) 10/30/15
Nov:Aus: Kerry Greenwood
Nov:NZ: Ngaio Marsh - Spinsters in Jeopardy (3.3 stars) 11/12/15
Dec:Aus: Matthew Reilly - Seven Deadly Wonders (3.5 stars) 12/10/15
Dec:NZ: Paul Cleave

>93 countrylife: Well done! In the end I've only managed.. wow, just seven books. I had trouble tracking down some authors, and started to give in towards the end.

I managed to read the following - wasn't keen on the first two, but the other five were all wonderful:

Richard Flanagan - Gould's Book of Fish
Michelle De Kretser - The Lost Dog
Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors
Katherine Mansfield - The Garden Party
Witi Ihimaera - The Whale Rider
Peter Carey - Oscar and Lucinda
Robert Hughes - The Fatal Shore

I started on Cate Kennedy's The World Beneath, but really wasn't enjoying it. I still may get to Ruth Park. I'm really glad to have had the excuse to finally read The Fatal Shore, Oscar and Lucinda and Once were Warriors, and I'm delighted to have discovered Katherine Mansfield.

All in all, an excellent booky adventure.

this was fun! Are we going to do it again?

>94 evilmoose: I will give a warble for Ruth Park. I really enjoyed A Fence Around the Cuckoo.

Here's my wrap-up

Australia

January- Richard Flanagan - The Narrow Road to the Deep North
February-Cate Kennedy - The World Beneath
March-Michelle De Kretser - The Hamilton Case
April- Roger McDonald - Mr. Darwin's Shooter
May- Christina Stead - Pass
June- Kim Scott - That Deadman Dance
July- Peter Carey - The Chemistry of Tears
August- Helen Garner - The Spare Room
September- Ruth Park - A Fence Around the Cuckoo
October- Robert Hughes - Pass
November- Kerry Greenwood - Cocaine Blues
December- Matthew Reilly - Seven Deadly Wonders

New Zealand

January- Fiona Kidman - Captive Wife
February- Maurice Shadbolt - The House of Strife
March- Elizabeth Knox - Mortal Fire
April- Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors
May- Katherine Mansfield - In A German Pension
June- Witi Ihimaera - Ask the Posts of the House, The Whale Rider
July- Lloyd Jones - Mister Pip
August- Keri Hulme - pass
September- Michael King - Being Pakeha
October- Patricia Grace - Chappy
November- Ngaio Marsh - A Man Lay Dead
December- Paul Cleave - Cemetery Lake

I wouldn't mind trying again, do you want me to throw a thread together. I'd suggest:
Jan:
James McNeish (NZ)
Kate Forsyth (Aus)
Feb:
Ronald Hugh Morrieson (NZ)
Thomas Keneally (Aus)

Mar & Apr - your turn?

How did I not know this group existed? I belong to ANZ LitLovers an online book group so read Australian and New Zealand fiction all year. I would love to join in for 2016. who nominates authors?

Well I was going to set up a thread and have nominated for Jan/Feb so was leaving Mar/Apr up for grabs.
I thought that we (I) might do better if we nominated 4-6 writers for a two month read as I did rather poorly in 2015 getting stuck on Christina Stead.

I'll set up a thread this afternoon, just need to get dinner sorted.

Planning thread now open in our 2016 group: http://www.librarything.com/topic/211009#5402455