For the Love of Books

NAIDOC Week Reads

NAIDOC Week runs from the 5th to the 12th of July. This year’s theme is “50 Years of Deadly”. To celebrate here are four of my favourite First Nations books.

“Terra Nullius” by Claire G Coleman had a huge impact on me and I’m still recommending it years later. It’s important to go in blind, but it starts with a young man living in a children’s home after being removed from his family. There is a twist, which hopefully brings a shift in perspective for the reader. Compulsory reading for all Australians.

Tony Birch has many brilliant books, this one “Dark as Last Night” is a short story collection. Each one extremely well written and succinct. A skill to make people care about a character in such a short span of time. I don’t think there was one I would skip!

“The Yield” by Tara June Winch is told in three separate narratives. One in the present where August is returning to her Country amidst family tragedy and news that a mining company is taking the land. A second set in the days of colonisation as the Reverend sets up the Prosperous Aboriginal Mission. And a third where Aboriginal Elder Albert shares stories from his life as he create a dictionary to preserve his traditional language.

Lastly, my favourite, “Song of the Crocodile” by Nardi Simpson. These characters have stayed with me long after putting it down. The story weaves in the dreamtime and demonstrates the impact of intergenerational trauma and colonisation.

For more about NAIDOC Week and activities:

www.naidoc.org.au

Happy reading!

@sarahsbookchat

Author and images: Sarah Krause