The Boat by Nam Le has been included in the New York Times ‘100 Notable Books’ list.

The New York Times has just announced its list of 100 Notable Books of 2008. The list is a selection from books reviewed in the newspaper since 2 Dec, 2007.

The opening story of Nam Le’s first collection, a writer named Nam, who is on a tight deadline during his “last year at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.” Read more …

Nam Le’s book The Boat is one of the books on the Summer Read shortlist.

Nam Le will post on the Reading Victoria blog from 16 – 20 of January 2009.

Alice Pung is our first Summer Read author to blog from 22-25 November.

Alice was born in Footscray and grew up in Braybrook. She is a writer and lawyer, whose work has appeared in The Monthly, Good Weekend, The Australian, Meanjin, The Age, The Best Australian Stories 2007 and Etchings.

Her book Unpolished Gem won the 2007 Australian Newcomer of the Year award. Alice is editor of Growing Up Asian in Australia, one of the books on the Summer Read shortlist.

In this anthology, new and well-known Asian-Australian authors share their courageous and often humorous stories of leaving home and finding their feet. With authors spanning several generations, these stories show what it is really like to grow up both Asian and Australian.

As part of the free Summer Read events across Victoria, Alice will be appearing at:

• Footscray Library on Wednesday 11 February 2009 at 7pm
  For more information and bookings phone 9688 0289
• Mill Park Library on Monday 23 February 2009 at 6.30pm
  At this event Alice will launch the Mill Park Writers Group
  For more information and bookings phone 9437 8189

What Alice says about summer reading

 ”I spent most of my adolescent summers in dark corners of the Footscray Library reading MAD magazine. I especially loved folding the back-page cryptic artwork (which could only be done in dark corners, as librarians don’t like their books origamied). At the end of every summer I emerged anaemic, but filled with blissful fits of hilarity.”

Over summer the authors on the Summer Read shortlist will be blogging about their books, writing, favourite reads, summer memories - in fact, anything that takes their fancy!

Here’s who’s blogging and when…

• Alice Pung, editor of Growing up Asian in Australia�
  22 November - 25 November
• Sophie Cunningham, author of Bird
  26 November - 30 November
• Steven Conte, author of The Zookeeper’s War
  1 December - 5 December
• Toni Jordan, author of Addition
  6 December - 10 December
• Jared Henry, author of Blood Sunset
  11 December -15 December
• Fiona Capp, author Musk & Byrne
  18 December -20 December
• Ann Blainey, author of I am Melba
  21 December - 24 December
• Greg de Moore, author Tom Wills
  26 December - 30 December
• Catherine Dyson, author of Swing by Sailor
  31December - 5 January
• Dennis McIntosh, author Beaten by a Blow
  6 January - 10 January
• Charmaine O’Brien, author of Flavours of Melbourne
  11 January - 15 January
• Nam Le, author The Boat
  16 January - 20 January
• Jeff Sparrow & Jill Sparrow, authors of Radical Melbourne
  21 January - 25 January
• Arnold Zable, author of Sea of Many Returns
  26 January - 29 January
• Carolyn Landon, author of Cup with No Handles
  31 January - 4 February
• Authors featured in Dreaming Again
  5 February - 9 February
• Jacinta Halloran, author of Dissection
  10 February - 14 February
• Peter Steele, author White Knight with Beebox
  15 February - 19 February
• Jack Dann, editor of Dreaming Again
  20 February - 24 February
• Chloe Hooper, author of The Tall Man
  25 February - 28 February

The authors would love to hear from you. Ask them who their favourite writers are, what their favourite reads are, how their reading influences what they write, or anything else you’d like to know.

It’s on again! The State Library’s annual Summer Read program. As in previous years, there’s a list of 20 great books to read over the summer and get excited about. The list includes something for everyone - an even mix of fiction and non-fiction titles including fiction genres of crime, romance, literary and historical fiction and non-fiction titles including biography, memoir, sport, history, political issues, short stories and poetry.

Vote for your favourite read and be you’ll be entered into the draw to win nearly $5,000 in prizes including a personal library of 20 Summer Read books, accommodation vouchers for Best Western Hotels, a Sovereign Hill ticket package and book vouchers.

The five most popular books voted by the public will be announced at the State Library of Victoria on Friday 20 March 2009 at 4pm, along with voter prizes.

So this is your chance! Why not sneak away for a few long afternoons this summer to laze around and relax with a book from our list. Turn off the computer, turn on the answering machine and lock the door. And when you’ve finished reading, let us know what you think here on the blog or by voting for your favourite.