Get your head around Canberra’s best books of the year
Posted on
Need a moment for yourself? Take some time out with Canberra’s best books of the year.
Celebrating local literature, the ACT Book of the Year Awards are an annual event to highlight the amazing works coming out of the community each year and the breadth of talent in Canberra.
Announced in August, the ACT Book of the Year Award recognises quality contemporary literary works including fiction, non-fiction and poetry by ACT-based authors published in the previous calendar year – and from a gripping crime thriller to thought-provoking speculative fiction, the six commended works for 2024 are worth getting lost in.
The Seven by Chris Hammer
Awarded ACT Book of the Year 2024, Chris Hammer’s gripping rural noir was commended for its gripping, page-turning intrigue – which is something of a specialty for the bestselling Australian crime writer and journalist.
Set in the country town of Yuwonderie, homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are back to investigate the murder of a member of one of the town’s seven founding families. But what are the secrets The Seven are so desperate to keep hidden? And can the detectives crack the case before more people die? Filled with intrigue and emotional depth, it’s a mystery you’ll want to sink your teeth into.
Untethered by Ayesha Inoon
Highly commended by the ACT Book of the Year 2024 judges, Untethered is no stranger to acclaim. The winner of the 2022 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize, this debut novel from Sri Lankan-Australian writer Ayesha Inoon.
Inspired by her own experiences, Untethered tells the story of a young Muslim woman’s immigration journey to Australia, weaving together themes of family, culture, and tradition. An eye-opening story spotlighting what it’s like for people migrating to Australia, it examines the ever-present question immigrants often ask themselves: did they do the right thing?
The Measure of Sorrow: Stories by J. Ashley-Smith
This might be author J. Ashley-Smith’s first collection of short stories, but it was highly commended by the ACT Book of the Year 2024 judges, making it a must-read for horror fans.
Drawing together ten new and previously acclaimed stories of dark speculative fiction, from the mastery of uncanny imagery to J. Ashley-Smith’s ability to haunt you long after the story is over, the reviews for this book are glowing. But just a warning: you might need to sleep with the light on long after you’ve closed the book…
Sleeplessness by Paul Hetherington
Short-listed for the awards, this poetry collection explores its narrator’s insomnia for the hours between three a.m. and six a.m., presenting a captivating series of reflections on love and desire, language, reading, identity, and intersubjectivity.
Perfect for poetry lovers, the series of four extended and interlinked sequences span cultures, eras, and mythologies, painting beautiful pictures as they map a sleepless night.
Tiwi Story: Turning history downside up by Mavis Kerinaiua and Laura Rademaker
Highly commended in the 2024 Chief Minister’s NT History Book Award and shortlisted in the 2024 Ernest Scott Award as well as the 2024 ACT Book of the Year Award, this non-fiction book is a showcase of the history of the Tiwi people and their resilience.
A powerful collection of pieces written by Tiwi people about their experiences of colonisation, historians Mavis Kerinaiua and Laura Rademaker shine a light on a side of Australia history not often talked about. An important telling of past and present issues, it’s an insight into the ongoing impact of colonisation on Indigenous cultures.
The Great Gallipoli Escape by Jackie French
Jackie French has done it again. Shortlisted for her book The Great Gallipoli Escape, it’s a reminder of why she’s so well known (and loved) for her historical fiction titles.
Based on first-hand accounts of the famous evacuation of Gallipoli, the story is told through the eyes of a boy who lied about his age to defend his country and is a beautiful tribute to the horrors experienced during the Gallipoli campaign and the courage, compassion, determination, friendship, loyalty, and ingenuity of the men involved.
It’s perfect for all ages.
Feature image supplied by Arts ACT.
