Literary Bookpossum Vote • October 2013

[paola]

I think three of those available as ebooks are couponable on Kobo, and there is a 50% discount coupon running until 15th October.

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

Thanks Bookpossum for enlightening me about a set of books that I had never heard of. In fact all the authors are new to me. I just picked three that seemed like I would enjoy the most.

It's funny how big and fascinating our world is. In my own ignorance, I wouldn't have imagined that there would be any reader in the world who wouldn't know of authors like David Malouf (in particular) and Tim Winton.

David Malouf wrote a novel called Fly Away Peter which is often studied in high schools in Australia - or at least was in my time.

I don't read nearly enough Australian authors and this challenge is a very welcome one for me. It was a spark of brilliance from Bookpossum in my opinion.

[Bookpossum]

Originally Posted by caleb72

It's funny how big and fascinating our world is. In my own ignorance, I wouldn't have imagined that there would be any reader in the world who wouldn't know of authors like David Malouf (in particular) and Tim Winton.

David Malouf wrote a novel called Fly Away Peter which is often studied in high schools in Australia - or at least was in my time.

I don't read nearly enough Australian authors and this challenge is a very welcome one for me. It was a spark of brilliance from Bookpossum in my opinion.

Oh shucks!

Originally Posted by caleb72

It's funny how big and fascinating our world is. In my own ignorance, I wouldn't have imagined that there would be any reader in the world who wouldn't know of authors like David Malouf (in particular) and Tim Winton.

David Malouf wrote a novel called Fly Away Peter which is often studied in high schools in Australia - or at least was in my time.

I don't read nearly enough Australian authors and this challenge is a very welcome one for me. It was a spark of brilliance from Bookpossum in my opinion.

What can I say? I'm an American and we are still digesting Paul Hogan "throwing another shrimp on the bar-bee." By the way would you like Mel Gibson back? Please!

[caleb72]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

What can I say? I'm an American and we are still digesting Paul Hogan "throwing another shrimp on the bar-bee." By the way would you like Mel Gibson back? Please!

Many people don't know this but Mel Gibson was American. He was born in New York and didn't move to Australia until he was a teenager. I imagine he would have gained Australian citizenship at some stage and I think he still considers himself Australian.

Interesting story - when he auditioned for Mad Max (the first), he actually arrived to the audition with a black eye and stitches from a bar fight the night before. Apparently this helped him get the role. How's that for being in the wrong place at the right time.

I like his acting. I have liked his directing. He has played some great characters. However, I try not to think of him other than that.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Canada will take Mel, but someone has to take Justin Bieber in return.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Many people don't know this but Mel Gibson was American. He was born in New York and didn't move to Australia until he was a teenager. I imagine he would have gained Australian citizenship at some stage and I think he still considers himself Australian.

I was curious, so I looked it up. It turns out Mel holds dual US/Irish citizenship and has never been Australian nor applied for citizenship. Shame, because I was on board with Hamlet53's proposal, but I guess we can't deport him after all.

Mel claimed Irish citizenship through his mother who was Irish and the family was able to emigrate to Oz because his father's mother was Australian.

[fantasyfan]

Originally Posted by issybird

I was curious, so I looked it up. It turns out Mel holds dual US/Irish citizenship and has never been Australian nor applied for citizenship. Shame, because I was on board with Hamlet53's proposal, but I guess we can't deport him after all.

Mel claimed Irish citizenship through his mother who was Irish and the family was able to emigrate to Oz because his father's mother was Australian.

sort of

If you have an Irish Grandparent then you can claim Irish citizenship which does not require an oath of allegiance and thus allows you to have dual nationality. Another way was to marry an Irish citizen but I believe this in no longer the case owing to a proliferation of marriages between immigrants and Irish citizens for the purpose of claiming State services. Both of my daughters have dual citizenship. They are Irish by virtue of the fact that my wife is an Irish national and American because I registered them as American Citizens born abroad.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Since the topic this month is Australia, I've been doing a little bit of surfing looking for what I should read from the country.

Doing searches for best books I found a link for popular, 50 Must Read Australian Novels (the popular vote). I found another for before you die, 10 Aussie books to read before you die.

And the trusty old wikipedia led me to the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards which covers almost every category of writing one would want to look through.

[caleb72]

Good for you Homey. Enjoy.

Actually the list has a few I've read and a few that are on my TBR list - owned or otherwise. There are some I have no desire to read - Patrick White, Hal Porter and Colleen McCullough for example.

I would happily recommend Christos Tsiolkas because he made quite an impression on me. I haven't read The Slap yet (it's on my shelves and on my Kindle), but I've read a couple of his other books.

Looking at these lists, some of the titles are just so ingrained in our psyche here, it's hard to read the titles and not have an immediate response. Bookpossum can probably relate. I really should make an effort to read more great Australian fiction.

[HomeInMyShoes]

It's actually made me look at countries I've read authors from and it's a pretty sad list. I've read three Australian authors which puts Australia pretty high on my list. I've only read 36 Canadian books in recent memory which is pretty terrible for my country of origin and residence.

I think I might blow up all of my potential reading challenges and go for an around-the-world challenge instead and try to be a little more worldly. Fit in twenty countries I haven't read an author from as well as a bunch of Canadiana?

I remember reading about The Slap and thinking it sounded interesting. Maybe that will be part of next year's challenge, although I had penciled in David Malouf for an award-winner challenge. Maybe The Conversations at Curlow Creek or The Great World.

[fantasyfan]

Bookpossum's excellent list has driven home to me how little I know about Australian Literature. I intend to read a number of the books selected by her to expand my awareness of that genre.

One Australian writer whom I did read and who impressed me enormously was the late Patricia Wrightson. I enjoyed a fantasy trilogy she wrote comprising:

The Ice Is Coming
The Dark Bright Water
Behind The Wind.

I enjoyed the film Walkabout (1971}too which was highly regarded by Roger Ebert. But clearly I have a lot to learn.

[Bookpossum]

My list is of course just a small sample - basically ones I have already read and enjoyed particularly, or else ones in my TBR heap.

I'm with you Caleb on Patrick White, even if he did win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Mind you, it's a long time since I tried him so maybe I should give him another go some time. And I wouldn't count Colleen McCulloch (however she spells it) as literature from what I know about her. I haven't tried Hal Porter.

It looks as if The Secret River is going to win, and it's a fine book IMO. I do hope everyone will enjoy it, and maybe some of the others on the list as well.

Unfortunately the closest relative that I have that was a citizen of another country was a grandmother from Canada. Doesn't mean anything as far as a help should I wish to go across the border.

I've actually heard of Colleen McCullough, but not in a positive light. Didn't she pen The Thorn Birds romance dreck?

I also loved Walkabout [the film] and the book it was based on that I read later. Another great Australian film I saw years ago, on my list of favorite films actually, is The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.

Patrick White a winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature? Well that puts something by him on my TBR list.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Since the topic this month is Australia, I've been doing a little bit of surfing looking for what I should read from the country.

Doing searches for best books I found a link for popular, 50 Must Read Australian Novels (the popular vote). I found another for before you die, 10 Aussie books to read before you die.

And the trusty old wikipedia led me to the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards which covers almost every category of writing one would want to look through.

Thanks for sharing these lists!

And thank you, Bookpossum, for your great selections! It was a tough choice, and I plan to put some of them on my TBR list.