STFU Reading Society #AustLit Reading Challenge Wrap Up

One of my final 2020 challenges was the STFU Reading Society challenge. This year, it focused on Australian authors, and it was one that had categories that were both open and specific – yet not so specific that it was impossible to fill anything.

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I managed to tick off one for each category and managed to fill the bonus categories for the award winners, and had ideas earmarked for the bonus climate change category. Yet I didn’t reach that one. But, I still filled each challenge with at least one book, as with all my other challenges, and they all crossed over with my others as well.

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What I liked about the Literary Prize in this one, is that I could choose from the longlist or shortlist of finalists – from three different awards. I found that this gave me much more scope, and I had heard of or already owned a few of the books, which helped in tracking them down. I liked having a challenge that was focused on Australian books, as others are very American-focused, and whilst one can tweak the categories to fit Australian books, it is not always possible, and Australian authors need love too!

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I’ll be interested to see what 2021 brings for STFU Reading Society.

1. Found on #BookstagramAustralia

The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan

2. An Australian classic

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner

3. A book by an Indigenous Australian author

Meet Sam by the Mangrove Creek by Paul Seden and Brenton McKenna

4. A book about climate change [cli-fi or non-fiction] 

Fiction: The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte, The Giant and the Sea by Trent Jamieson and Rovina Cai

Non-Fiction:

5. A book by an LGBTQ+ Australian author

Firewatcher Chronicles: Phoenix by Kelly Gardiner                     

6. A #LoveOzYA book

The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte

7. A memoir by an Australian woman

Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales

8. A poetry collection

The ABC Book of Australian Poetry compiled by Libby Hathorn

9. A 2020 Finalist for a State Premier’s Literary Prize

* Note: Not all states have a Premier’s Literary Prize / some are awarded biennially rather than yearly, so are not running in 2020.

* New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards – Shortlist announced March 2020 / Winners announced 27 April 2020 – Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

* The Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Shortlist out now / Winners announced 29 February 2020 – Between Us by Clare Atkins

 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award – Shortlist out now / Winners announced 30 January 2020 – When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn

Bonus: Read a finalist [shortlisted book] from each of the State Premier’s prizes 

10. A Book by a Territorian author – NT or ACT

Bonus: Read both an NT and ACT author

ACT: On A Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick and Harold Ludwick

NT: An Alice Girl by Tanya Heaslip, Between Us by Claire Atkins

11. Read and watch a book to movie adaptation

Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr (21^st anniversary edition)

12. A book from across the ditch – A book by a New Zealand author 

Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn