NOVEMBER: Miles Franklin Award Winners

Australia’s most prestigious literary award was established through the will of the writer Stella Miles Franklin, best known for her novel My Brilliant Career. 
 The Award is presented each year to a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases.
The Miles Franklin was first awarded in 1957. Since then, the annual announcement of the winner has become an event anticipated and discussed throughout Australia and around the world.

CONNIE:  Dirt Music by Tim Winton   2002 winner
His writing is perfect, but she was annoyed at first by the lack of speech marks, making it difficult sometimes to know who was talking. His descriptions of the coast are the same as in other books. She thought that all the people living in the small fishing village had something to hide, and there was none she could get close to. There was nothing happy in the book.
Connie thought the book was too long, with too much description, but it ended the way it should!
Her final comment was that having read several other books by the author, she had 'read enough of Tim Winton'.

MAREE: Shallows by Tim Winton   1984 winner 
Maree really couldn't get into the book. She found the story line (around whaling) to be depressing as were the people involved. She thought it wasn't the kind of book she would want to persist with.

JULIA: Breath by Tim Winton   2009 winner
Julia was annoyed by the lack of speech marks and the fact that there were no chapters. The book was written in the first person and included a lot of swearing. It was only in the last 15 pages that the story returned to the present day. She also found that the relationship between a 15 year old boy and a 25 year old woman was too explicit.

JANE: That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott   2011 winner
The story was set in the 1820s on the coast of the Margaret River. Jane found that the story jumped all over the place and so was difficult to follow. So she didn't read it all.

KRIS: The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard   2004 winner
The story of a British war hero is set in Japan in 1947 following the war. He writes his observations of war torn Asia and the impending fall of communism in China. Although he has survived the war, he is feeling very battle scared when he meets an Australian girl, 15 years his junior. He falls in love with her as she grows and changes.
Kris thought that the writing was beautiful, very descriptive even though it was sometimes melancholic.

ROSEMARY: Careful He Might Hear You by Sumner Locke Elliott  1963 winner
The story is set in the times of the Depression with great descriptions of the city, particularly Neutral Bay. Two sisters are involved in a custody battle over their nephew P S. He is currently being raised in Neutral Bay by Lila who is poor but caring and happy. When Vanessa returns from overseas, she is determined to raise the boy as she will be able to bring him up the 'proper way.'
It is written from the point of view of the 6 year old, and what he thinks he hears people saying about him.
Rosemary thought that there were wonderful characters in the story, and the writing gave a great sense of what the city was like. She found the ending quite sad.

ANNE: Tirra Lirra by the River by Jessica Anderson 1978 winner
Although it is a small book it is not a simple read. An elderly lady comes back to Australia after 40 years in London. She reflects on her past life....not a happy childhood, a terrible marriage to a cold and controlling husband. Due to the Depression they live with the mother-in-law from hell and she eventually flees London. Although she is artistic, creating beautiful wall hangings in tapestry work, she doesn't realise how good she is.
The title is a quote from Tennyson's lady of Shalott.

PAMELA:The story is framed very much by Nora's concept of Camelot and the lady of Shalott and something beautiful. People cling to unhappy situations through immersion and fear.

JUDY: The White Earth by Andrew McGahan  2005 winner
The story begins in 1992 on the Darling Downs when a small boy is left fatherless when his father dies in a farm accident. William and his mother are left destitute until a mysterious uncle turns up to take them to live in his derelict old mansion.
The story changes between William's story in the present as he explores the property and the story of his Uncle John's past and his life long obsession to own the land.
Judy thought it was a very moving and powerful story covering many themes, including land rites, aboriginal dispossession, inheritance, family loyalty and quite current Australian politics.

WENDY: The Well by Elizabeth Jolley 1986 winner
Wendy's opening comment...."it is close to the 2nd worse book I've read". She thought it was well written and drew her into the story with well drawn characters.
The main character is running a farm when he goes into town one day and comes home with a 14 year old girl. Hesta is obsessed with her. There is no sexuality in the book, they are both just dotty.
The author describes the the counrtyside well, eg the smell of the coming rain.
She was waiting for the grand finale of an ending , but was disappointed and confused, not being able to work out whether the man in the well was dead!

JOAN: All That I Am by Anna Funder 2012 winner
This is her 2nd book (following the publication of Stasiland) and is set in Germany in 1920s to 1930s. It involves a group of middle class writers, activists and dissidents before and during the time of Hitler. They flee to London, one later goes to New York and another to Sydney. These 4 main characters are based on people who really did exist.
It is written in the 1st person and is reflective on what happened, the intrigue, love, betrayal and spying. But it jumps all over the place and hard to get into.
Joan's opinion was that she should have written a non fiction book about these people.
LESLEY: She was also of the opinion that it should have been a non fiction book, as she is very interested in reading about people in history.
She didn't like any of the characters, they were not appealing. She thought them idealistic, and naive. Even though they were passionate she didn't feel anything for them.
She also didn't like the flashbacks, they were often not clear.
It was a good story but the author didn't present it well. Lesley was not sure if she wanted it to be a historical novel or a love story.

JO: Three Cheers for the Paraclete by Thomas Keneally 1968 winner
The story revolves around a Catholic priest who is constantly in trouble with his superiors over his beliefs and actions. Jo thought it was a good book but don't bother to read it if you are not a Catholic.