Sometime later this month we should see the announcement of the longlist for the 2012 Miles Franklin Award. It's always a difficult task speculating on which novels will be included. There are those that are left off due to their content, or publication date, and there are the "roughies" that come out of the pack: the neglected, the forgotten and the first-timers. Any attempt at speculation here is probably doomed to fauilure, but I'm dumb enough to make at least the semblance of a list.
The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey
All That I Am by Anna Funder
Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
Five Bells by Gail Jones
Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears
Autumn Laing by Alex Miller
Cold Light by Frank Moorhouse
Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman
Sweet Old World by Deborah Robertson
Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany
The Roving Party by Rohan Wilson
That's an even dozen. Given my past performances I'm suspecting that only half of these will make it.
The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey
All That I Am by Anna Funder
Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville
Five Bells by Gail Jones
Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears
Autumn Laing by Alex Miller
Cold Light by Frank Moorhouse
Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman
Sweet Old World by Deborah Robertson
Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany
The Roving Party by Rohan Wilson
That's an even dozen. Given my past performances I'm suspecting that only half of these will make it.
