2012 Miles Franklin Award

The shortlist has been published:

http://www.milesfranklin.com.au/2012/2012_shortlist

Have you read any of the short listed books? Who do you think deserves this year's award?

Anna Funder seems to be getting a great deal of attention having also been listed as a finalist in another Literary prize in the last week or so. I have only read Frank Moorhouse - Cold Light at this stage and am wondering which I should try next.

I must admit that Kate Grenville is the only author that I am familiar with, not that I have read the book listed for her.

Although some of the novels seems to be interesting.

Thank you for the posting.

hazeljune

Of the books on the Long List, I have read Steven Carroll's - Spirit of Progress. This is the final chapter in one family's story set in outer Melbourne. I have read all of Carroll's work and have loved the warm familiarity of his locations. The Art of the Engine Driver, The Gift of Speed and The Time We Have Taken are the other titles in this series; the latter having won the 2008 Miles Franklin. I was disappointed Spirit didn't make the cut for 2012 as I think it's a great story.

I have read the synopsis for each of the short listed books and am most intrigued to try Favel Parrett's Past The Shallows.

Over time there have been some very challenging 'relationship' stories come out of Tasmania; very dark and bleak in many respects. I would like to hear if anyone has read this one and what they thought of it.

australwind

Past The Shallows seemed familiar to me and I recalled that it was discussed on Jennifer Byrnes First Tuesday Book Club in August 2011. If you open up the "home" on "First Tuesday Book Club" site and seek it out from the "books" in alphabetical order for "2011" you will find it, there are a few interesting reviews as well.

I have decided to buy and read Past The Shallows - hopefully I will manage it before the winner of the Miles Franklin is announced.

It's way past the announcement of the winners...Anna Funder being nominated as the recipient of this year's award.

I have just finished reading Past the Shallows and am delighted that I did. It's a beautiful, yet very sad story and I would have given it a five star rating.

I agree with that rating australwind. One of my top reads for 2011.

I am about to go to Tassie for a holiday and will be spending time on Bruny Island....I'm thinking I might take Past The Shallows with me and read it again while I'm there.

So strange for me, I must try to read it again as it did not grab me!! it was a put aside. I may have been suffering from a reader's block at the time, it was at my local library, I shall trawl it out again!!

Definitely a book that you must read when in the right "mood".