Nest
by Inga Simpson (Hachette, 2014); audiobook ready by the author (Wavesound, 2016)
A could-have-been murder mystery in which Inga Simpson defies all genre expectations and instead just tells the story of a woman coming to terms with her life choices. A beautiful exploration of flora and fauna, person and place (the Sunshine Coast hinterland).
Midnight Oil & First Nation Collaborators: Makarrata Live
@ Sirromet Wines, 28 February 2021
Frontman Peter Garrett brims over with spasmodic, shambling energy; Midnight Oil remain a loud and formidable, politicised unit: at times musically self-indulgent but culturally more relevant than ever. Highlights included First Nation, Power and the Passion (drum solo!) and The Dead Heart.
The Brisbane Line
by Hugh MacMaster (Rockhampton, 2000); audiobook read by Graham Webster (QNS Audio, 2002
A locally produced account of Australia’s controversial Second World War defence strategy and the historical circumstances from which it arose. MacMaster succeeds admirably in detailing Australia’s war efforts and providing the global context of military mismanagement, clandestine manoeuvring and self-interested political short-sightedness.
Fatherhood: Stories About Being a Dad
by William McInnes (Hachette, 2018); audiobook read by William McInnes (W F Howes, 2018)
McInnes reflects upon his own journey as a father but also, with the benefit of passing years, upon childhood experiences and his dad’s parenting. Discursive but always with purpose; wistful yet laugh-out-loud funny; McInnes is a natural storyteller (and narrator). Highly recommended.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 1
(ABC, 2012)
A series that stands far better when viewed in its own right, rather than as an adaptation of Kerry Greenwood’s novels. Set in 1920s Melbourne, the mysteries comprise a well-pitched blend of (not-too-)quirky characters, serious crime and light-hearted societal comings and goings.
On the Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta (Penguin, 2006); audiobook read by Rebecca Macauley (Bolinda, 2010)
Looking for Alaska meets Picnic at Hanging Rock. An Australian school story that builds slowly and earns its character development, trusting the reader to get by without exposition. Australian accent warning on the audiobook (for those not cultured enough to appreciate it!).
St Kilda Blues
by Geoffrey McGeachin (Penguin, 2014); audiobook read by David Tredinnick (Playaway, 2014)
Though the investigation itself is commonplace, McGeachin immerses his protagonist in the details of history, presenting a time capsule of Australian—in particular, Melburnian—culture in the late 1960s. Stolid ex-WWII bomber pilot Charlie Berlin shows mettle worthy of the character study.
The Last Continent
by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 1998); audiobook read by Nigel Planer (Isis, 1999)
One of the weaker Discworld novels. Pratchett makes suitably merry with intelligent design and the origins of (stereotyped) Australianism, but the Unseen University wizards are rather tiresome when employed as main characters and Rincewind’s exploits are equally belaboured. Funny but unusually pointless.
Hitler’s Daughter
by Jackie French (HarperCollins, 1999); audiobook read by Caroline Lee (Bolinda, 2014)
The framing narrative of this cleverly structured middle grade book sees three rural Aussie kids sharing a story while waiting for their school bus. The tale of Hitler’s daughter raises the disturbing question: should children be held responsible for their parents’ beliefs.
Playing Beatie Bow
by Ruth Park (Thomas Nelson, 1980); audiobook read by Kate Hood (Bolinda, 2012)
Ruth Park mixes time displacement with coming-of-age in a classic of Australian literature. 14-year-old Abigail Kirk, having fought with her mother, finds herself transported back to Sydney of 1873. Amidst the historical realism unfolds a beautifully told tale of hardship and self-discovery.