The Long List

 It's coming into that time of year again -  the time where my book group chooses the books for next year. One of the group asked me for some recommendations. 

Never ask a bibliophile, what to read. It is a dangerous thing. The list will be long and involved and fun. 

Also, we have rules in our book group for book choosing. They are:

1. The book must be fiction - no memoir, non-fiction, autobiography.
2. Must be easily obtainable in libraries, bookshops, online
3. Should be of a literary or very good popular fiction quality - so Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies) has begrudgingly scraped in, but Stephenie Meyers and EL James would not be accepted.
4. Preferably under 500 pages
5. Sometimes it's good to throw in a classic. 

It's always fun to see what people come up with. We got in our first nomination on the weekend. We hold the vote in December, in circumstances far more fun and less contentious than the American elections. To be honest, having everybody champion two books and then have them voted on is a great system - and we've barely had a universally hated book in the years we've been running the show like this. You may not love what we're reading for the month, but as we've democratically voted for the books, you know you'll like something along the line. And the 'Lit Heads' and the 'Popularists' are pretty well balanced out. We can work around preferences - one or two members don't like War content - I'm not that fond of crime. But generally, it all works well.

Anyway, as none of us have been able to get into a book shop lately, I was asked by a member to share my long list for my book choices.

Here it is. There's some popular stuff, some high end literature, some older books and some new releases and a few classics thrown in for good measure. There are a few books on my wish list which I know will never happen.

But here you go:

• Below Deck by Sarah Hardcastle – Australian author, under 300 pages, brilliantly written, thought provoking, nautically themed.
• The Mother Fault by Kate Mildenhall – Australian author, under 300 pages, brilliantly written, near future dystopian, very good popular fiction. Thought provoking.
• The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams – Australian author, under 400 pages, historical fiction, lots to talk about, feminist take on the OED.
• Exploded View by Carrie Tiffany – Nominated for the Miles Franklin, topical, Australian author, very short (under 200 pages) gripping, amazing writing
• Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf – Classic, short (under 200 pages) always wanted to read Woolf as an adult
• All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton – Under 400 pages, by the author of Boy Swallows Universe, Australian content.
• Honeybee by Craig Silvey – Under 400 pages, Australian content, but the author of Jasper Jones. 
• A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu – Australian Author, under 300 page, great write ups.
• The Yield by Tara June Winch – Australian Aboriginal content, won the Stella this year, under 350 pages
• Washington Square by Henry James – Classic, about 200 pages, should read it one day
• The English Patient – by Michael Ondaatje – Classic, always meant to read it, 250 pages
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders – 300 pages, hard read but engrossing, incredible and amazing. Won the Booker a few years back
• Gilgamesh by Joan London – 200 pages, Australian content, a few years old but easily obtainable. 
• A Confederacy of Dunces  by John Kennedy O’Toole – American Writer, classic, around 200 pages, easily obtainable, strange and weird and have always wanted to read it again as an adult. 
• Lanny by Max Porter – English writer, very strange, under 200 pages, incredible stuff though
• The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz – Won the Pulitzer a few years ago, incredible writing, challenging read, good fun in many ways – set in the Dominican Republic – and you learn a lot about this. Family dynamics and Dominican politics (which are as involved as they are fun) – has fantastic footnotes. 
• The Dutch House by Anne Patchett – American Writer, tried and tested author, not too long. 
• Allegra in Three Parts by Suzanne Daniel – Australian fare, not too long, easily read, family dynamics
• The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas – Young Adult (but exceptional Young Adult) not too long, topical.  
• The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor – Irish Writer, shortlisted for the booker, not too long. 
• The Gathering by Anne Enright – Irish Writer, topical, a few years old but great writing. Not too long. 
• The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin – Irish Writer, great book, family dynamics, not too long – Toibin is great.
• Infinite Splendours by Sofie Laguna - Tested Australian Writer (The Eye of the Sheep and The Choke), under 300 pages, new out and she's just amazing. 
• The Living Sea of Waking Dreams by Richard Flanagan - well, it's Flanagan.... what more do I need to say. New release. 

Today's Song: