What's the Best Book Based in Brisbane

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Posted 2017-01-11 by Barry J ⇒ follow

Even before it was named Brisbane in 1825, Queensland's capital city has been the setting for countless stories as storytellers have delved into our ancient past when the area was known as Mian-jin , dug up our colonial secrets and peered into the unknown future.

Of the many tales, from fantasy and fable, history and humour, sci-fi and suspense, what's your favourite book featuring Brisbane? It could be based on our colourful characters, including Joh Bjelke-Petersen , Charles Kingsford Smith or Thea Astley , the environment and wild weather, or a nostalgic sensation felt when reading about a special spot within the city, viewed from a new perspective.

Is one of these Brisbane-based books your favourite?

The Slow Natives by Thea Astley. Winning the Miles Franklin Award in 1965, The Slow Natives explores the challenges, often self-inflicted, we undergo as we grapple with spiritual identity. The characters, including nuns, a priest, and a husband and wife with their teenage son, are memorable for their flaws, painfully detailed with intimate backstories. As they develop, there's a sense that Brisbane was developing with them, rapidly growing from a large country town into the complex, modern city we now know and still love.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. Beginning in Latrobe Terrace, Nell, a girl abandoned on a voyage from Cornwall to Brisbane, grows up in the city. Decades later, she returns to Cornwall, searching for answers from the Authoress. Nell's granddaughter, curious to visit her inheritance, the same manor house explored by Nell, finds fairytales in a forgotten garden .

Cop This! by Chris Nyst. After a bomb explodes in Fortitude Valley, killing 11 people, a scapegoat, Johnny Arnold, is framed as the bomber. Inspired by the frightening tales of real-life corruption in the police force and parliament, Johnny's lawyers begin a fight to expose the treacherous truth, risking more than their retainers to battle sinister political forces. For fans of courtroom dramas in the style of John Grisham , eager for a Brisbane-based legal thriller.

Zigzag Street by Nick Earls. Over 6 weeks in Brisbane, Richard Derrington is suddenly single. Perhaps not suddenly – Anna left him 6 months ago. But in Red Hill, the 28-year-old stumbles through a series of career, sporting and DIY disasters, perhaps finding love, or at least hoping to. Aren't we all?

12 Edmondstone Street by David Malouf. The subtle sensations that form our memories, myths and dreams of Brisbane – how to put this feeling into words? Malouf paints this picture with details to captivate visitors and evoke nostalgia in locals. He brings his childhood home to life, recalling creaky timber floors, tin roofs and vast verandahs that are slowly disappearing, replaced by apartment towers, duplexes and McMansions.