Lenora Thaker's sweeping historical novel, The Pearl of Tagai Town, has been shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Award for Work of State Significance.
Of Lenora's work, the judges said:
'The Pearl of Tagai Town is unambiguously and distinctively Queensland. Its vivid sense of place makes the work both accessible and deeply enjoyable. Lenora Thaker’s tale of love, family and friendship is confident and assured. Themes of identity, belonging and self-determination reflect research, respect and care. Warm, richly drawn characters and an innovative integration of Ailan languages come together in a rich, cohesive whole, bringing new insight and fresh imaginative life to a Far North Queensland community. The Pearl of Tagai Town is a stunning debut novel.'
Gail Jones' literary crime novel The Name of the Sister is on the Fiction Book Award shortlist.
Of Gail's work, the judges said:
'The Name of the Sister is a restrained, morally serious novel about grief and absence. Both digressive and propulsive, this novel riffs ambitiously on the literary crime/thriller genre to occupy the interstitial spaces between stories and identities. The prose is assertive in its lyricism but always rooted in the familiar.'
You can view the full shortlists and read more on the Queenland Literary Awards website.
Congratulations to Lenora and Gail from the whole Text team on your well deserved recognition!
