Yesterday I learned that a leading Australian bookseller had confessed to not having read a single book by a female Australian writer in 2013. Apparently, nothing interested him. And he didn’t like the covers. So yes, I am signing up for this year’s Australian Women Writers Challenge, a challenge established in 2012 to raise awareness of the exciting and varied work of Australia’s women writers and to redress the gender imbalance in book reviewing in major publications that stats tell us still exists. You can read more about the challenge here.
As I did in 2013, I’m opting for the Franklin level—a commitment to read at least ten books by Australian women writers and to review at least six. In 2014 I hope to better my 2013 totals of twenty-three read and six reviewed.
Already I have a pile of books I want to read, and a long wish list—and 2014 is sure to bring many more. Some of them might even have great covers—hey, you never know.
If you’re interested in joining the 2014 challenge, either as a reader/reviewer or just as a reader, you can sign up here.
Happy 2014 reading, everyone!
looking up/looking down 
I’ve just read that post too Amanda and was horrified. It’s one thing not to get around to reading a particular type of book but to say as he did that there wasn’t one that looked interesting is rather disturbing, to say the least.
Sue, I agree. As though books by Australian women—literary, historical, crime, fantasy, memoir, YA, romance, children’s, speculative, suspense, erotica—constitute a (dismissible) genre of their own. Baffling.
Thanks for this post, Amanda. It’s given me to opportunity to leap right in and put my name down for the Franklin level. I’m no skilled reviewer, but until you throw your hat into the ring, you’ll never know how skilled a reviewer you can become. Besides which I love reading work by Australian women. As for the bookseller? I’m speechless. “There’s nowt so queer as folk.” And I’ll leave it at that as I’ve many a fine book by an Australian women to read in 2014. And congrats on your awesome reading and reviewing achievement in 2013. You’re a star.
Oh, I think I’m a light-year from awesome in what I managed to get done in the year, Marlish, but hopefully I’ll do better this year. Looking forward to it—and to reading your reviews. So glad you’ve joined the challenge! 🙂
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