This week the Australian Women Writers Challenge reached a milestone: over 1000 reviews have been linked to the site.We should be celebrating, right?
Or should we?
Over at Meanjin last week, while discussing the progress of funding for The Stella Prize, Chris Flynn wrote: "Is it too late to predict contenders for the inaugural Stella Prize? Too late, I'm doing it."
Flynn proceeded to list 10 books of fiction released in 2012.
So far, six of these have been reviewed for AWW :
- Carrie Tiffany Mateship with Birds, reviewed by Angela Meyer, Tony’s Reading List, Janine Rizzetti
- Deborah Robertson Sweet Old World, reviewed by Lisa Walker, Angela Meyer, Whispering Gums
- Paddy O’Reilly The Fine Colour of Rust, reviewed by Kate Rizetti, Shelleyrae, Maree K, Helene Young, Jenny Schwarz, Lisa Walker, Angela Meyer
- Susan Johnson My Hundred Lovers, reviewed by Jessica White, Marg
- Drusilla Modjeska The Mountain, reviewed by Stephanie RIASS
- Romy Ash Floundering, reviewed by Shambolic Living, Jon Page, Su Luus, Sian Campbell, Jessica White
It made me wonder to what extent the challenge has achieved what it set
out to achieve: to help redress the gender imbalance of reviews in
literary pages. Would these participants have read and reviewed the above books anyway? What about the other books on Flynn's list? Any plans to read and review?
- Josephine Rowe Tarcutta Wake
- Toni Jordan Nine Days (forthcoming in September)
- Chloe Hooper The Engagement
- Michele De Kretser Questions of Travel
Of those, I have read and reviewed two (The Fine Colour of Rust and My Hundred Lovers) and on my to read list still is Sweet Old World, Floundering and Nine Days. So that will make 5 of the 10 of Flynn's nominations.
ReplyDeleteWithout this challenge I probably would not have picked up any of them because its unlikely I would have had the exposure to either the titles or the authors through my usual book finding channels.
I have read 65 books by Australian women writers this year and in previous years that number has been less than 10. Awareness I think is half the battle, and that this challenge is achieving for Aust women writers in spades.
Hi Shelleyrae, Thanks for dropping by. Did I miss your review of My Hundred Lovers among all the Mr Linkies? If so, I must amend the post.
DeleteYou make a great point, and I hope your experience is reflects others'. The challenge certainly wouldn't be the success it is without you.
By the way, I cross-posted this to the test AWW site on Wordpress and it has already attracted a response - I don't know how as I didn't promote it.
You did, but never mind :)
DeleteI think if we ran a poll we would discover that almost all of the participants have read more books by Australian women writers than they have in previous years by comparison
PS I saw the response on the test page, it would have come up in the WP home post feed
I bought Tarcutta Wake last weekend so will be reviewing it soon.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to this, Maree.
DeleteI echo Shelleyrae. In previous years I have publicly stated that my aim was to read at least 10 books by Australian authors - not just women, but men as well. So far this year I have read about 40 all up - an amazing, and gratifying, difference that wouldn't have happened without this challenge.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your wrap-up post at the end of the year, Marg. Thanks for participating in the challenge and helping to bring attention to so many writers.
DeleteYes, I am reading more books written by Australian women and also so much more aware of current Australian women's writing. And there's probably quite a few like me who have done the reading part but not the reviewing as yet, so I'm sure a big wave of reviews is coming! it's been a wonderful way of engaging on so many levels!
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear, Terri. I hope you're right about the "big wave". I know I've read many more books than I've reviewed.
DeleteHi! I'm new to Australian and after a few months here i created a blog on aussie literature. After coming accross your blog i realised how few books by women i selected to review. The challenge definitely contributes to my selection of women writer. Btw, my blog aim at promoting aussie lit to french reader ( http://lekoalalit.wordpress.com) but please come and visit!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, Angelique. It's great to know that the challenge has been useful in introducing you to new Aussie authors.
DeleteAs with the other commenters, I have read far more Australian women this year than ever before, and am far more aware of Australian women's writing now.
ReplyDeleteI've got Tarcutta Wake and will be reviewing it soon, too. Everyone should read Josephine Rowe, her stories are excellent!
Looking forward to reading your review, David. Thanks for being part of the challenge.
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