Perpetual reveals esteemed 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist
May 18, 2021
Perpetual, the trustee of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, has today announced the 2021 longlist which includes a mix of acclaimed Australian authors and new voices showcasing the richness of Australian literature. One of the 12 authors will win arguably one of the most prestigious literary prizes in Australia, along with receiving $60,000.
The Miles Franklin Literary Award was established by feminist and author of My Brilliant Career, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin. First presented in 1957, the Award celebrates novels of the highest literary merit that tell stories about Australian life, shining a light on some of the country’s most talented writers.
The 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist is:
| Author | Novel | Publisher |
| Aravind Adiga | Amnesty | Pan Macmillan Australia |
| Robbie Arnott | The Rain Heron | Text Publishing |
| Daniel Davis Wood | At the Edge of the Solid World | Brio Books |
| Gail Jones | Our Shadows | Text Publishing |
| Sofie Laguna | Infinite Splendours | Allen & Unwin |
| Amanda Lohrey | The Labyrinth | Text Publishing |
| Laura Jean McKay | The Animals in That Country | Scribe Publications |
| Andrew Pippos | Lucky’s | Pan Macmillan Australia |
| Mirandi Riwoe | Stone Sky Gold Mountain | University of Queensland Press |
| Philip Salom | The Fifth Season | Transit Lounge |
| Nardi Simpson | Song of the Crocodile | Hachette Australia |
| Madeleine Watts | The Inland Sea | Pushkin Press |
“The 2021 Miles Franklin longlist is a rich mix of well-established, early career and debut novelists whose work ranges from historical fiction to fabulism and psychologism. Through an array of distinctive voices these works invite their readers to engage with questions regarding the natural and animal worlds, asylum, sexual abuse, colonialism, racism and grief. These are stories about trauma and loss, and also about beauty, resilience and hope,” said Richard Neville, State Library of NSW Mitchell Librarian.
The judging panel comprises Richard Neville – Mitchell Librarian of the State Library of NSW and Chair, book critic Dr Melinda Harvey, author and literary critic Dr Bernadette Brennan, book critic Dr James Ley and author and activist Sisonke Msimang.
Last year, the Miles Franklin Literary Award was awarded to Tara June Winch for her novel, The Yield (2020).
The shortlisted finalists will be revealed on 16 June 2021 and the winner announced on 15 July 2021.
For further information about the Miles Franklin Literary Award: milesfranklin.com.au