A Bunch of Aussie Recs for The Reading Women’s Bingo Card

Hello friends!

I’ve done a little camera flip for Jaclyn at Six Minutes for Me on this topic. While I’ve only talked about one line on the camera flip, I’m going to try to give Aussie recommendations for all of the squares I can in this post! You can check out the video here, with many thanks thanks to Jaclyn for the opportunity!

If you’re not a follower of the Reading Women podcast, (why not, firstly) these wonderful women promote reading women in recognition of the fact that men seem to get most of the attention. June is their birthday month, which is being celebrated with the following bingo card and a bunch of prizes for playing along. You can find out more about this specifically on their site here. But here is the bingo card for your reference.

If you are playing along with my Aussies Rule 2019 Challenge, you may also find this list helpful!

Aussie Author: Given the title of this post, this may seem a little obvious. But maybe try an Aboriginal author: Melissa Lucashenko, Claire G Coleman, Ellen Van Neerven, Dr Anita Heiss, Tara June Winch and Ali Cobby Eckermann all have books available outside of Australia. (I’ve talked about Charlotte Wood’s The Natural Way of Things on the camera flip – not an Aboriginal author, but a damn fine book.)

Short Stories: Ellen van Neerven Heat and Light – this is a wonderful collection of spec fic stories.

Summer Read: I confess I always get a bit bemused by these sorts of prompts. Winter is barely a blip here in Brisvegas. However, I reckon Lianne Moriarty’s books are probably a good place to start.

Road Trip: Swallow the Air by Tara June Winch

YA by WOC: Laurinda by Alice Pung, (US title is Lucy and Linh) which is a wonderful story about identity and mean girls set in a prestigious private school. (I’ve used this for the Asian Author box on the camera flip).

The Astrologer’s Daughter by Rebecca Lim is also delightful for it’s kick arse main character.

In Translation: Okay, I’m struggling to find something available in the US for this one, but great news is The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar will be coming out there in January 2020 so put this on your TBR. This is a beautiful story that talks about the impact of the Islamic Revolution on a family.

Muslim author: Yassmin Abdel Magied’s Yassmin’s Story and Anne Aly’s Finding My Place. These are both memoirs by inspiring women.

Memoir by WOC: Am I Black Enough For You by Dr Anita Heiss – about taking a journalist to court over racist statements in the media towards Aboriginal people.

Mental Health: Sarah Wilson’s First We Make the Beast Beautiful

Beautiful Cover: The Erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie. I mean look at it.

About Food: Stephanie Alexander is one of Australia’s best known foodie writers and her recipe books are pretty popular.

Beach Read: Every Aussie beach read I can think of is also mixed with difficult family stuff (maybe it’s because we spend so much time there?) Bluebottle by Belinda Castles, Breathing Under Water by Sophie Hardcastle and Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley. Warnings for death and grief. These will all rip your heart out so be warned.

Free Space: Check our Krissy Kneen’s Wintering. Her writing is beautiful and this one sounds really creepy.

Graphic Novel: Everything is Teeth by Evie Wyld

On Feminism: Clementine Ford’s Fight Like a Girl and Boys Will be Boys are great for this prompt.

Essays: Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales. In this book journalist Leigh Sales talks to a number of people who have suffered through and survived incredible tragedies in an analysis of how the average human deals with something that most of us couldn’t imagine.

LGBTQ: (Please note I am intentionally not including authors who identify as non-binary in this list, due to the “Reading Women” title. We do have great non binary Aussie authors!) Some authors for you: Magda Szubanski, Ellen Van Neerven, Claire G Coleman, Jen Wilde, Alicia Tuckerman, Krissy Kneen.

Kiddie Lit: Playing Beattie Bow by Ruth Park. Super creepy and should be readily available.

Asian Author: I’m not sure how to define this, but some Aussie authors from Asian backgrounds include Michelle de Krester, Sulari Gentil, Mirandi Riwoe and Alice Pung, mentioned above.

Reread a Favourite: Do you have a favourite Aussie author? Monkey Grip by Helen Garner would probably be my pick for this box.

Rural Setting: Carpentaria or The Swan Book, both by Alexis Wright would be excellent for this prompt. There are also lots of mysteries set rurally such as The Dry by Jane Harper.

True Crime: Helen Garner’s This House of Grief, which is about the court case, conviction and subsequent appeals of a man who drove his three children into a lake. Also Trace by Rachael Brown where a journalist takes on a cold case murder.