Sam Carmody wins the 2017 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction
The winner of the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction in 2017 is The Windy Season by Sam Carmody.
The Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction is uniquely situated in the Australian literary landscape. It is one of three literary prizes managed entirely by Readings bookshop – all of which seek to raise the profile of exciting new writers – and considers first and second works of fiction by Australian writers. This year’s guest judge, the award-winning author and screenwriter Christos Tsiolkas, commented on the importance of this decision. He says: ‘Works by emerging writers can easily get lost in the white noise generated by the marketing and reviewing of more established writers.’
Tsiolkas and Managing Director Mark Rubbo both joined a judging panel of Readings booksellers to decide the winner from an exceptionally strong shortlist. Carmody’s debut, which flew under the radar when it was first released, was a unanimous choice.
The Windy Season very much deserves to stand out from the white noise Tsiolkas describes. Twenty-year-old Paul travels from Perth to the fictional West Australian fishing village of Stark in search of his missing older brother, Elliot. It’s no coincidence that Carmody chose the name of Stark for this book’s setting – perched on the edge of our harsh continent, nearly tipping into the wild Indian Ocean, Stark is a place where sharks and brutality are always close at hand. It is the kind of town where tourists go for their summer holidays, and then leave well alone the rest of the year.
Tsiolkas says: ‘Carmody has an instinctive grasp of narrative and character – he knows exactly how to tell a story – but what impresses most is the clarity of his voice. The dissection of masculinity, the understanding of the layers of caste and history that dominate outback life, the descriptions of working life at sea – all of this is conveyed with economy and precision and brings the world of the novel alive. Carmody had me hooked from the get-go. And he kept reeling me in. The Windy Season is a very impressive achievement.’
All at once a mystery, a family drama, and an examination of masculinity and violence, as well as a meditation on Australian coastal landscapes, The Windy Season demands attention and a place in our literary canon. The language is immersive, the pace relentless. It roars down and batters the senses. It is, in a word, unforgettable.
When told of his win, Carmody said, ‘Just to be shortlisted among such formidable peers was flooring, and especially in this rare prize founded by a great Australia bookseller. Like many people, whenever I feel a bit weary with the world I step into a bookshop. They are of course vital refuges for the diversity, the radical honesty, and the beauty that books give us. So it is truly humbling to have my novel receive this recognition from Readings. Thank you to all the judges and booksellers.’
This year’s shortlist was characterised by originality, great voice, and beautiful prose. Tsiolkas strongly recommended readers investigate the entire shortlist. He writes: ‘From Melanie Cheng’s stunning story collection Australia Day to the inventiveness and control of Marija Peričić’s The Lost Pages and Jane Rawson’s From the Wreck, from the humanity and craft of Heather Taylor Johnson’s Jean Harley Was Here to the richly imagined savage folktale of Hannah Kent’s The Good People – this is a shortlist that sings in a wonderful choral of voices.’ We are excited to read what every one of them does next.
As this year’s winner, Carmody will receive $3,000 in prize money. Previous winners of the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction include Ceridwen Dovey’s remarkable story collection Only the Animals, Stephanie Bishop’s beautifully crafted novel The Other Side of the World, and Zoë Morrison’s moving debut Music and Freedom.
Signed copies of The Windy Season are available online. Only while stocks last.
