You may not be acutely aware of this, but Australia is home to quite the library of literary talent. Aussie authors are an impressive bunch, and there’s a long list of titles out there that are absolutely worth your time. Today, however, we’re going to zero in on some of the works of Australian female authors and some of the best books you should be reading by them.
And considering it’s International Women’s Day, what better time could there be to throw your support behind some of our best, most inspiring, Australian female authors?
Here’s a quick list to get you started.
Australian female authors to add to your ‘must read’ list
All synopses have been provided by publishers.
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Kemi Nekvapil knows the feelings of fear, vulnerability and powerlessness. In POWER, she provides the tools to navigate the challenges that impact who we are and how we live, from discrimination and burnout to trauma and self-doubt. She explains how learning to make her own choices and using her voice without apology were her first steps towards reclaiming her power and a leading a life of true joy and fulfilment.
Want more? Kemi Nekvapil has also written Raw Beauty and The Gift of Asking.
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Happiness. Everyone wants more of it. But can you actually get happier? Inspirational Australian Turia Pitt dives into this idea, interviewing high-profile athletes, comedians, scientists and world experts to explore how everything from money to our relationships has an impact on how happy we can be.
Want more? Turia Pitt has also penned Unmasked and Everything to Live For.
Sally Hepworth
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Tully and Rachel are murderous when they discover their father has a new girlfriend. The fact that Heather is half his age isn’t even the most shocking part. Stephen is still married to their mother, who is in a care facility with end-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Want more? Sally Hepworth has also written titles including The Good Sister, The Family Next Door, and The Mother‑in‑Law.
Alexis Wright
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Carpentaria’s portrait of life in the precariously settled coastal town of Desperance centres on the powerful Phantom family, whose members are the leaders of the Pricklebush people, and their battles with old Joseph Midnight’s tearaway Eastend mob on the one hand, and the white officials of Uptown and the neighbouring Gurfurrit mine on the other.
Want more? Alexis Wright has also written The Swan Book, Plains of Promise, and Grog War.
Chantelle Otten
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From award-winning psychosexologist Chantelle Otten comes the well-overdue, inclusive and meticulous guide to all things sex, bodies and relationships.
Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang
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Adolescent health experts Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes have written the only guide to breasts you’ll need. Whether you’re worried they won’t grow, or that they are growing too quickly, this book has all the info – and is reassuring, interesting, and funny!
Want more? Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes have also written Welcome to Consent and Welcome to Your Period.
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Melina Marchetta’s stunning debut novel Looking for Alibrandi is one girl’s story of her final year at school, a year she sets herself free. Josephine Alibrandi is seventeen and in her final year at a wealthy girls’ school. This is the year she meets her father, the year she falls in love, the year she searches for Alibrandi and finds the real truth about her family – and the identity she has been searching for.
Want more? Melina Marchetta has also written titles including Saving Francesca, On the Jellicoe Road and The Place on Dalhousie.
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Emotional Female is a passionate account of the toxic culture of bullying and overwork that junior doctors can experience in the workplace as part of their training. Yumiko Kadota shows us what it was like to train in the Australian public hospital system, and what made her walk away, providing a voice for her generation when it comes to burnout and finding the resilience to rebuild after suffering a physical, emotional and existential breakdown.
Want more? Yumiko Kadota has also written The Courage to be Disliked and Light on Life.
Claire G. Coleman
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In Lies, Damned Lies acclaimed author Claire G. Coleman, a proud Noongar woman, takes the reader on a journey through the past, present and future of Australia, lensed through her own experience. Beautifully written, this literary work blends the personal with the political, offering readers an insight into the stark reality of the ongoing trauma of Australia’s violent colonisation.
Want more? Claire G. Coleman has also written Terra Nullius, The Old Lie and Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia.
Liane Moriarty
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Parents behaving badly … a tragic accident … or murder? What isn’t in doubt is that someone is dead.
Want more? Liane Moriarty has also written titles such as Nine Perfect Strangers, Apples Never Fall and The Husband’s Secret.
Now that you’ve got your reading list stacked with a whole lot of inspiring Australian women authors, why not get moving on some women-led businesses or TV shows next? There’s no better way to celebrate a happy International Women’s Day, if you ask us.
This article on the best books by Australian female authors has been updated since its original publish date.
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