BookChatAustralia

Mif · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:08 am Post subject: The Miles Franklin Literary Award

The Longlist for the award has been announced, with the shortlist coming up in April, and the winner announced in June. Susan and I are going to take a shot at reading all 9 books on the long list. (Doesn't seem particularly long to me!) Hopefully we'll be done in time to predict the shortlist, but chances are we'll make it in time for the winner. :D

Let us know if you've read any of the books on the list, and what you think! Here's an article about the award itself and one with the longlist books.

Sooze · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:05 pm Post subject:

I've just picked up 6 of the 9 longlisted books from the library. Not sure how I will go reading them all by the 17th April, but I am going to give it a try.

I am starting with The Fern Tattoo. 20 pages in and I'm enjoying it so far, which is a good sign I suppose.

Must go, I'm on a book reading deadline. Very Happy

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Sooze
Avid reader of just about anything, including the back of the cereal box.

Mif · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:41 am Post subject:

Well we did it. We've read and reviewed the entire shortlist. I think we deserve a lot of credit for this, because it seems that for books to qualify for an award they must be worthy. And by "worthy" we mean "bleak". OK - they weren't all that bad. And we did enjoy reading some books that were a little more meaty with regards to language and content. Susan regrets only having a 400 to 600 word limit to review them on Suite 101. (Check her reviews out here at the website - they are all linked into the umbrella article about the award itself.

We probably wont get to the end of the longlist, as there are more pressing books to review first, and Susan is busy with other articles, but I think we've done well to do this many. :D

Predictions? I think Sorry might get it, as it has been getting a bit of interest in the UK press as well, and with the official apology to the stolen generations earlier this year, it really is a timely novel. The other one that might go through is Steven Carroll's The Time We Have Taken, as it is the third in a series, with the previous two novels also being shortlisted. Maybe they're doing a Return of the King at the Oscars, and will give it the award on behalf of the series.

What do you think Sooze?
Has anyone else braved the longlist with us?
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