Writers’ Festivals 2023: Our Hottest Picks For Your Bookshelves
What a month for the Aussie Lit scene!
May saw both the Melbourne Writers’ Festival and Sydney Writers’ Festival fling open their literary doors to writers, readers and everyone in between for an exquisite program of talks, workshops and events.
This was the first year in a few where I wasn’t able to attend either festival, but that didn’t stop me from checking in on the programs, catching any digital talks I could and generally enjoying the vibe from a distance!
Below are my hot picks of books from authors in attendance across both festivals that I’m definitely getting on my TBR pile ASAP.
Fiction
Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright
Internationally acclaimed Australian author Alexis Wright’s latest novel, Praiseworthy, explores the vast landscapes of northern Australia in an epic tale that showcases Wright's mastery of language and vivid imagery. In a small town shrouded in an ominous haze, a delusional visionary embarks on a quest to find donkeys as a solution to the global climate crisis and the economic struggles faced by the Aboriginal community. Meanwhile, his wife seeks solace by observing the dance of butterflies and immersing herself in online research, yearning to repatriate her family of Aboriginal and Chinese heritage to China. Praiseworthy “stretches the boundaries of allegory and language” and pushes against oppression and inequality. In a fable that reflects the struggles of our contemporary world, Wright offers a staggering glimpse into the impending end of days. This is one of my most anticipated books for 2023!
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
In Birnam Wood, Eleanor Catton, the Booker Prize-winning author of The Luminaries, delivers a gripping psychological thriller that will “captivate readers with an unflinching examination of humanity's instinctual drive for self-preservation.” Set in New Zealand's South Island, Birnam Wood hones in on the Korowai Pass – closed due to a landslide, isolating the town of Thorndike and leaving a deserted farm behind. This catastrophe presents an opportunity for Birnam Wood, a clandestine guerrilla gardening collective known for planting crops in inconspicuous locations, who set their sights on claiming the farm. American billionaire, Robert Lemoine, is also interested in the property, and when Lemoine encounters Mira, the founder of Birnam Wood, he becomes intrigued by both her and the collective. Lemoine and Birnam Wood might share common enemies despite their stark political differences. But can they ever trust each other? Birnam Wood delves into the complexities of intentions, actions and repercussions.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Shehan Karunatilaka's second novel won the Booker Prize in 2022 and takes readers into a scorching and darkly humorous satire amidst the chaotic violence of Sri Lanka's civil war. Revolving around Maali Almeida, a war photographer, a compulsive gambler, and a closeted gay man, Maali bewilderingly finds himself dead and awakens in a “celestial visa office”. His dismembered body lies submerged in Beira Lake, and he has no clue about the identity of his killer. Even in the afterlife, Maali's time is limited. He possesses "seven moons" to reach out to the two individuals he loves most and guide them to a concealed collection of photographs capable of shaking Sri Lanka to its core. A truly unique story that explores the multiple facets of a too-often-forgotten culture, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is not to be missed.
Non-fiction
Fat Girl Dancing by Kris Kneen
In Fat Girl Dancing, Kris Kneen takes us on a journey from a child burdened by weight, an adolescent plagued by self-denial, and a young woman haunted by hunger, their body now unruly as they enter middle age. Kris has endured the daily humiliations: ill-fitting clothes, a mirror that taunts and the critical gaze of strangers who pass judgment and dismiss. This is the tale of Kris's relentless quest to confront their stubborn body, learning to face it unflinchingly and ultimately discovering body liberation. Fat Girl Dancing is an “honest, exquisite, and triumphant celebration of self-worth”, penned by one of Australia's most distinctive and highly regarded authors.
The Queen is Dead by Stan Grant
The Queen's reign spanned seventy years, encompassing the era of a mighty Empire and ending amidst a world on the precipice of change. With the passing of what Stan Grant refers to as 'the last white Queen,' what lies ahead? An unflinching exploration of the deep scars left by colonialism on Indigenous communities, The Queen is Dead is an emotionally charged and urgently vital read. Grant passionately argues for an Australian Republic, highlighting the imperative for change to address the painful history and seek reparation. “Timely and monumental”, The Queen is Dead is an urgent call for justice and accountability.
Personal Score: Sport, Culture, Identity by Ellen van Neerven
Award-winning writer, Ellen van Neerven, shares their journey through the world of sport and their realisations that it can be a painful and exclusive realm. As they continue participating, van Neerven becomes increasingly aware of sports' complex relationship with race, gender and sexuality. Personal Score offers an “emotionally honest and piercingly insightful exploration of sport” from a queer First Nations perspective. With unrivalled originality, van Neerven presents a groundbreaking work approaching an age-old topic with a fresh and must-needed voice.
Poetry
Dress Rehearsals by Madison Godfrey
Dress Rehearsals is an extraordinary memoir crafted in the form of poetry, chronicling a decade-long exploration of womanhood within a non-binary body. Described as a “one-of-a-kind reading experience”, the book serves as an ode to womanhood, performative feminism and profound introspection. Godfrey presents a deeply intimate account of their everyday existence through a collection of “sultry and evocative poems”. Delving into the complex journey of performing womanhood, starting from their teenage years as an enthusiastic fan to their growth into tender femme, Godfrey’s poems “traverse the realms of the autobiographical body, encompassing both the ordinary and the surreal”. Expertly blending dark humour and raw honesty, Dress Rehearsals emerges as a “heartfelt testament to embracing one's queer self” and is a phenomenal read for us all.
The Jaguar by Sarah Holland-Batt
Sarah Holland-Batt won the Stella Prize 2023 for her fearless new collection, The Jaguar, and having just finished it (read my review here) I can very clearly see why. Delving into the depths of mortality, Holland-Batt presents an extraordinary and profoundly compassionate portrayal of her father's battle with Parkinson's disease over 20 years and the profound impact of the experience of his life and death on her identity. Injected with an uncompromising fierceness, The Jaguar explodes with metaphor, grief, loss and love. This is a collection well worth spending a quiet weekend with.
Elaine Chennatt is a writer, educator and psychology student currently residing in nipaluna. She has a special interest in bibliotherapy (how we use literature to make sense of our lives) and is endlessly curious about the creative philosophies of others. She lives with her husband and two bossy dachshunds on the not-so-sunny side of the river (IYKYK). Find her online at wordswithelaine.com.
