If you’re reading this and you’re under 25 (although you’re probably not, because reading isn’t as radical as pouring vodka into your eyeballs, drinking hand-sanitizer or raising a Tamagotchi) you should be aware that Express Media, that tireless champion for young writers, has an excellent thing happening during National Young Writers Month. It’s a Travelling Story, where 30 young writers (under 25) from 30 different towns around Australia will each day contribute 100 words to a collaborative story. The completed story will be published in the September Issue of Voiceworks.
It’s like those stories where you write a bit and then fold the paper over and then pass it on to the next person, but so much cooler (how can I put this, young person? It’s like The GoogleTube crossed with Alf. You remember Alf, right?)! The starting 100 words have been provided by me, and it’s your job to keep the story going! Regional writers are especially encouraged to apply, so get to it, youngsters! You’ve got until Monday, May 21 at 5pm to enter. Find out more here.
Random House have just announced a range of children’s books in their continuing Vintage Classics series. They’ve had great success with their excellently designed modern classics for $12.95, and this new range will come in at $9.95. As always, they’ll go up against Penguin, whose Puffin Classics share a price point (but whose titles are a little more run-of-the-mill). Here are a few of my favourite covers from the new list:
The series is due for publication in August. You can find the complete list here.
So if you’re not exploring the exciting Brisbane literary site Stilts then you really should be. The brainchild of a bunch of QUT graduates (also my fine alma mater), it’s grown into an excellent resource of essays, reviews, fiction and general goings-on about town. Over the next month or so, a bunch of Brisbane writers have read each others’ books, and are posting responses. My response to Mei Yen Chua’s “Brisbane’s Budget Bites” has just gone live, and is a brand new piece of fiction from me called All The Time. You can read it here.
And if you still have time left in the week, why not have a listen to 56 hours of David Foster Wallace.
And speaking of DFW, here’s The New Yorker’s pretty excellent take on the recent Pulitzer Prize for Fiction scandal.
So sometime while I was asleep last night, my book, The Ottoman Motel was shortlisted for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize! I’m completely stunned and deeply honoured to be part of what is an excellent shortlist. Special congratulations must go to my Australian compatriots Mette Jakobsen, Cory Taylor and Jeanine Leane, who join me on the shortlist for the Pacific Region. Mette, Cory and myself are all published by the wonderful folks at Text Publishing, whose commitment to finding new literary voices continues to be richly rewarded. Jeanine’s book is published by University of Queensland Press (whose offices are just across the river from me) and was the recipient of Winner of the 2010 David Unaipon Award for Indigenous Writing, an award just scrapped by new mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman. Just another reason to support the new, Newman-Free Queensland Literary Awards. Special mention also to Nic Low, whose short story Rush was shortlisted for the 2012 Commonwealth Short Story prize.
Here is the list in full:
Commonwealth Book Prize
The Wandering Falcon, Jamil Ahmad (Pakistan), Hamish Hamilton
Patchwork, Ellen Banda-Aaku (Zambia), Penguin Books, South Africa
Rebirth: a novel, Jahnavi Barua (India), Penguin Books India
The Sly Company of People Who Care, Rahul Bhattacharya (India) Picador
The Ottoman Motel, Christopher Currie (Australia), The Text Publishing Company
A Cupboard Full of Coats, Yvvette Edwards (UK), Oneworld Publications
The Book of Answers, CY Gopinath (India), HarperCollins India
Jubilee, Shelley Harris (South Africa), Weidenfeld & Nicolson
The Dancing and the Death on Lemon Street, Denis Hirson (UK), Jacana Media
The Vanishing Act, Mette Jakobsen (Australia), The Text Publishing Company
Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, Shehan Karunatilaka (Sri Lanka), Random House India
Purple Threads, Jeanine Leane (Australia), University of Queensland Press
Sweetheart, Alecia McKenzie (Jamaica), Peepal Tree Press
The Town that Drowned, Riel Nason (Canada), Goose Lane Editions
Seeing as Wednesday is the start of my writing week, I thought I might share with you a few literary diversions to get you through your mid-week (anyone who uses the phrase “hump day” is not allowed to read this blog).
The Pulitzer Prize committee could not decide on a winner in the Fiction category. You can read excerpts from most of the shortlisted books in all Literature categories here at The Millions. You can also read some interesting commentary from Laura Miller at Salon and Bethanne Patrick at Bookriot.
And in final, really sad non-book news, I learned this morning that Levon Helm, legendary member of The Band and amazing musician in his own right, is in the final stages of cancer. His is a voice I’ve loved all my life, and it’s unbearably tragic to hear that it will soon disappear.
Here is the video I will be watching for the rest of the day:
Oh man, it’s just been brought to my attention that no one has been able to see my numerous and well-considered posts on here for absolutely ages and I definitely haven’t been ignoring the blog and not writing anything at all. I have contacted my webmaster to see what has happened and once again I can’t stress enough how this was a technical error and nothing to do with me not posting anything for months and months. I mean, here are some of the great posts that you’ve missed and which I have kept no other copies of so no one will ever get to read them:
ACTUALLY, WHAT I SAID WAS THAT FLIPBOOKS WOULD NOT ACTUALLY BE THAT GREAT (23 August 2011)
WHY JULIAN BARNES WILL WIN THE BOOKER PRIZE AND YOU SHOULD PUT $5 ON HIM (15 October 2011)
MY GREAT NEW IDEA FOR A NOVEL WHERE KIDS TRY TO KILL EACH OTHER AS PART OF A GAMESHOW (Repost: Originally posted April 9, 2008)
I HAVE DECIDED TO WITHDRAW “THE OTTOMAN MOTEL” FROM ALL MAJOR LITERARY PRIZES, WHICH IS THE ONLY REASON YOU WON’T SEE IT ON ANY AWARDS SHORTLISTS (31 December 2011)
CAMPBELL NEWMAN TALKS ABOUT HIS FAVOURITE BOOKS (12 January 2012)
JUST TO CLARIFY, LISTS OF INGREDIENTS ON BREAKFAST CEREALS ARE NOT “BOOKS” (13 January 2012)
BEST BOOKS OF FEBRUARY 23, 2012, 11.53AM (23 February 2012)
BEST BOOKS OF FEBRUARY 23, 2012, 11.53AM [UPDATED] (23 February 2012)
NO, I HAVEN’T READ THE NEW MURAKAMI YET, OKAY??! (9 March 2012)
OR THE DAVID FOSTER WALLACE, I MEAN, JESUS, THERE ARE A LOT OF BOOKS YOU KNOW AND I CAN’T READ THEM ALL AND MAYBE I WANT TO READ THE SHORT ONES FIRST DID YOU THINK OF THAT?! (3 March 2012)
NEW AMAZON “KONY” TIPPED TO REVOLUTIONISE E-READING (12 March 2012)
THE 18 BEST PAGE 259s OF MODERN LITERATURE(29 March)
I think that covers it. Again, sorry I kept no copies or drafts of any of these and I definitely just haven’t been slack on updating Furious Horses.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the opening lines of 1Q84 (courtesy of The Millions):
The taxi’s radio was tuned to a classical FM broadcast. Janáček’s Sinfonietta—probably not the ideal music to hear in a taxi caught in traffic. The middle-aged driver didn’t seem to be listening very closely, either. With his mouth clamped shut, he stared straight ahead at the endless line of cars stretching out on the elevated expressway, like a veteran fisherman standing in the bow of his boat, reading the ominous confluence of two currents. Aomame settled into the broad back seat, closed her eyes, and listened to the music.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the official Australian/UK cover of 1Q84:
And, because I like you, I’ll let you in on a little competition that Random House have running, where you can win a leather-bound edition of 1Q84. Obviously, I will be winning this, but I just thought I’d let you know. Good luck!*
You might say to me, “Chris, I’m a busy person. Why would I need more distractions? Also, why are you in my living room?” To this, I would simply answer: “All these things will enrich your life and may even save you time, getting you straight to the good stuff and meaning you’re not meandering aimlessly around the internet looking for the best things to read. Also, your windows are not very secure. Sorry about the footprints on your carpet.”
Here, then, are three new places you simply must visit/explore/read/listen to this week.
First off, the very exciting new site that kicked off this blog post is The Rereaders, the brainchild of young Sydney-based writers, reviewers and book industry go-getters Sam Twyford-Moore, Rebecca Giggs and Fiona Wright. Each fortnight you can download the Rereaders Podcast, a literary and cultural discussion based heavily on the Slate’s Cultural Gabfest series. The first Rereaders podcast went live today, and it was terrific. In fact, you’re wasting time reading me talking about it. Listen right here (mp3). Twitter = @therereaders
While you’re in the mood for listening, why not check out the excellent BookTuner, where book editor and tastemaker Nikki Lusk impeccably matches book and music combinations (I can personally attest to the Visit from the Goon Squad and Sleigh Bells match). Twitter = @booktuner
And two more quick links to see you through the week:
So I’ve spent the past two days listening to all major Australian publishers pitching their Christmas lists to indie Queensland booksellers, and can I say, the future looks bright. These are the books that I’m looking forward to, but they’re the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty of books that people of any taste will want to read/give as presents this Christmas. Just remember, if you read them here first, you have to buy a copy from an indie bookseller! And remember, there’s more of them than you’d think.
FICTION:
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (late October)
If you’ve followed this blog for long enough, you’ll know I’ve been looking forward to this book for a long, long time. Clocking in at around 900 pages, this is a monstrous (but hopefully amazing) piece of literature. I’ll reserve my judgement on the cover until I see a final version, but needles to say, WHAT THE HELL? I guess when Chip Kidd designs the US cover, you’ve got something to live up to.
Animal People by Charlotte Wood (October)
Set over a single day in Sydney, we follow Stephen, one of the characters from Charlotte’s earlier book The Children as he simultaneously unravels and relearns. I can’t wait to read this, particularly what promises to be an hilarious set piece at a child’s birthday party. P.S. If you don’t follow Charlotte on Twitter you’re a dill.
The Cook, Wayne Macauley
People far more in the know then me have been mentioning Wayne Macauley’s name in reverential whispers for years, so I was incredibly excited to see Text Publishing is bringing his work to a wider audience in October.
Ed King by David Guterson (October) 9781408807477
The author of the magnificent Snow Falling on Cedars turns his hand to the kind of American saga I’m always a sucker for.
The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides (October)
I’ve just finished this book. And it is great. Effortless brilliance. A no-brainer purchase.
The Night Circus by Erica Morgenstern (October)
Halfway through this book at the moment, and it’s very good. It got me in because it’s about two duelling (in a competitive and romantic sense) magicians who both work for a mysterious and marvellous circus, where nothing is quite as it seems. It is full of rich imagination and it’s quite enchanting, but I’m waiting to see if there is enough narrative interest to carry the more fantastical elements.
The Street Sweeper, Elliot Perlman (October)
It’s been a long wait for a new book by Elliot Perlman, author of the excellent Three Dollars, The Reasons I Won’t Be Coming, and the critically-acclaimed (but, in my opinion, highly overrated) Seven Types of Ambiguity. Set in New York, Melbourne, Chicago, Warsaw, Berlin and Auschwitz, The Street Sweeper is a multi-strand epic narrative that promises to be very interesting and will certainly be pushing for major awards.
Triptych, Krissy Kneen (October)
Triptych is made up of three erotic novellas from the Brisbane-based author of the wildly successful memoir Affection, and should build on this book’s success. I have the pleasure of not only working with Krissy, but often writing alongside her, and from what I know about this book, it’s going to blow your bloody socks off. Get set for shock, controversy and a lot of national interest.
What the Family Needed by Steven Amsterdam (November)
This is so exciting. Steven Amsterdam’s first book Things We Didn’t See Coming was one of my favourite books of 2009, and his new one sounds freaking fantastic. From what I could gather, it centres around a dysfunctional family whose members each receive a superpower, but this does not necessarily mean they are able to become a perfect family.
COOKING:
Kitchen Coquette by Katrina Meynink (November)
In the large, potent soup of end-of-year cookbooks, this one easily stood out. Beautifully designed, yes, but also funny an unique. I think I’ll just let the author explain it.
Cumulus Inc. by Andrew McConnell (November)
If you’ve been here for breakfast, you’ll know how exciting this is.
The Family Meal by Ferran Adria
The author of 2008′s beautiful but impenetrable A Day at elBulli (and head chef of the world-renowned restaurant elBulli) Ferran Adria, returns with a cookbook which promises to show us real food. It’s broken up into 100 simple, seasonal recipes, separated into three-course “family meals” (i.e. the food elBulli’s staff eat). The layout is very easy to follow, with plenty of step-by-step photographs. Dare I say it has a Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals feel to it? Probably not.
KIDS
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (October)
The wonderful-looking new book from the author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. This is a book told through two voices set 50 years apart; one is made up entirely of text, the other entirely of images. It sounds incredible, and the best way to fully explain it is to let Brian Selznick tell you himself.
Star Wars: The Jedi Path by Daniel Wallace (October)
The important thing to remember here is that yes, the book does open like a vault when you press a button and there is a cool noise when you do it. And a flashing blue light. Gotoit, nerds.
The Enchanted Wood and The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton (November)
Yes, finally, a reprint of the proper, full-sized books I loved as a child, complete with the original illustrations! The only downside is Dick and Fanny’s names have been changed. Probably to something less “offensive”, like Jaelyn or Breyahnnah.
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (October)
I know very little about this YA book except the writing is being compared to Haruki Murakami and David Mitchell. Enough said.
Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis (October)
A really great looking tale (The first of “The Wildwood Chronicles”) from husband-and-wife team Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) and Carson Ellis. At the moment, it’s pure McSweeney’s-bait (with requisite blurbs from Jonathan Franzen and Michael Chabon), but I’m pretty sure the story will match the potential. In fact, if you like, you can read the first four chapters (PDF LINK). If you’d prefer, you can listen to these fucking hipsters.
OTHER:
The Last Testament: A Memoir by God (December)
Simon & Schuster have scored a real coup here. David Javerbaum, the head writer of The Daily Show, gives us what will without doubt be the funniest (and possibly most seasonally appropriate) book this Christmas. Read an excerpt, or follow God on Twitter. This press release (PDF) is also pretty good.
M C Escher Popups (November)
I’m not prone to hyperbole, but if they pull this off, it will be the best thing ever.
Swainston’s Fishes of Australia, Roger Swainston (November)
I include this book not only because of its breathtaking detail and depth (individual illustrations of over 1500 fish species), but because its scheduled publication for Christmas last year was ruined by a bookmark that left a red stripe down any page it touched. Copies had been printed and shipped to bookstores before the fault was recognised, meaning every copy had to be pulped. So get out there and support this amazing achievement this Christmas!
