Australian independent booksellers have nominated their favourite Australian books of 2022 and are thrilled to announce their SHORTLIST for the Indie Book Awards 2023!
Established in 2008, the Indie Book Awards celebrate the best Australian writing; and who better to nominate and judge the best-of-the-best than indie booksellers! What makes indie booksellers uniquely placed to judge and recommend the best Aussie books of the past year, is their incredible passion and knowledge, their contribution to the cultural diversity of the Australian reading public, by recommending beyond the big brands, and above all, their love of quality writing. The Awards recognise and celebrate indie booksellers as the number one supporters of Australian authors.
Leanne Kadareanu, Head of Books at Leading Edge Retail, proud facilitator of the awards says:
“This year’s shortlist speaks to the incredible breadth of Australian publishing. Book lovers are truly spoilt for choice when seeking Australian stories and content, and no one can be relied upon to create a list of the best of the best like indie booksellers. These are this year’s favourites as nominated by the true champions and lovers of Australian wriring – Australian independent booksellers.”
Announced early in the award calendar year, The Indie Book Awards are now considered the forerunners of all major Australian book awards. The Awards cover the best Australian books in six categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Debut Fiction, Illustrated Non-Fiction, Children’s books (up to 12yo) and Young Adult (12+).
The Category Winners and the Overall Book of the Year Winner will be announced at a virtual awards event on Monday 20 March 2023.
Since the Awards inception, independent booksellers have a well-deserved reputation for picking the best of the best in Australian writing. Past Book of the Year winners have gone on to be bestsellers and win other major literary awards. Previous winners include: Love Stories by Trent Dalton; The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams; There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett; Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton; Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend; The Dry by Jane Harper; The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood; The Bush by Don Watson; The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan; The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman; All That I Am by Anna Funder; The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do; Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey; and Breath by Tim Winton.
The Shortlist for the Indie Book Awards 2023 is:
FICTION SHORTLIST
Limberlost by Robbie Arnott (Text Publishing)
Horse by Geraldine Brooks (Hachette Australia)
Seeing Other People by Diana Reid (Ultimo Press)
The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland (Fourth Estate Australia)
NON-FICTION SHORTLIST
The Book Of Roads And Kingdoms by Richard Fidler (ABC Books, HarperCollins Australia)
The First Astronomers by Duane Hamacher, with Elders and Knowledge Holders (Allen & Unwin)
Nothing Bad Ever Happens Here by Heather Rose (Allen & Unwin)
The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner by Grace Tame (Macmillan Australia)
DEBUT FICTION SHORTLIST
Wake by Shelley Burr (Hachette Australia)
All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien (HQ Fiction, HarperCollins)
Son of Sin by Omar Sakr (Affirm Press)
Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor (Macmillan Australia)
ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION SHORTLIST
First Nations Food Companion by Damien Coulthard and Rebecca Sullivan (Murdoch Books)
Big Beautiful Female Theory by Eloise Grills (Affirm Press)
Cressida Campbell by National Gallery of Australia (National Gallery of Australia)
RecipeTin Eats: Dinner by Nagi Maehashi (Macmillan Australia)
CHILDREN’S SHORTLIST
Frank's Red Hat by Sean E Avery (Walker Books Australia)
Ceremony: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, illustrated by David Hardy (Allen & Unwin Children’s)
Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard (Albert Street Books)
Runt by Craig Silvey (Allen & Unwin)
YOUNG ADULT SHORTLIST
Cop and Robber by Tristan Bancks (Puffin)
The Museum of Broken Things by Lauren Draper (Text Publishing)
Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood (Text Publishing)
The Brink by Holden Sheppard (Text Publishing)
The Indie Book Awards would like to gratefully acknowledge the 2023 Awards Sponsors: Shawline Publishing Group, Allen & Unwin, HarperCollins Publishing,Text Publishing, Thames & Hudson, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House and Awards partner Hachette and Pan Macmillan.
