This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2008.
Events "The Bulletin" magazine publishes its last issue, the first was in 1880The Bulletin shuts down after 128 years The Australia Council for the Arts announces Christopher Koch and Gerald Murnane as recipients of its 2008 emeritus writers awards The Australian Federal Government announces funding for a new chair of Australian Literature based at the University of Western Australia Clunes, Victoria, holds its second Booktown weekendThe book of regenesis The first Crime and Justice Festival in held in Melbourne over the weekend of 19–20 JulyCrime and Justice Festival Australia wins the right to host the 2010 World SF convention in MelbourneAussiecon 4 A number of previously unknown Banjo Paterson poems are found in an old cash book dating back to the Boer WarPoet's works discovered in war diary UNESCO names Melbourne as its second City of Literature, after Edinburgh received the first such award in 2004Write at the centre Caro Llewellyn, a former director of the Sydney Writers' Festival and PEN World Voices Festival in New York, is appointed as director of the new Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas (now called the Wheeler Centre) in MelbourneCentre for writing and books gains services of a mind much travelled The Indie Book Awards are presented for the first time
Major publications
Literary fiction
Debra Adelaide – The Household Guide to Dying Murray Bail – The Pages Geraldine Brooks – People of the Book Peter Carey – His Illegal Self Luke Davies – God of Speed Robert Drewe – The Rip Richard Flanagan – Wanting Helen Garner – The Spare Room Peter Goldsworthy – Everything I Knew Kate Grenville – The Lieutenant Vicki Hastrich – The Great Arch Wendy James – The Steele Diaries Susan Johnson – Life in Seven Mistakes Toni Jordan – Addition Sofie Laguna – One Foot Wrong Nam Le – The Boat Joan London – The Good Parents Louis Nowra – Ice Kevin Rabelais – The Landscape of Desire Claire Thomas – fugitive blue Steve Toltz – A Fraction of the Whole Ian Townsend – The Devil's Eye Christos Tsiolkas – The Slap Tim Winton – Breath Arnold Zable – Sea of Many Returns
Children's and young adult fiction Isobelle Carmody – The Stone Key Kate Constable – Always Mackenzie Alison Croggon — The Singing Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury – Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes Jackie French – A Rose for the ANZAC Boys Mark Greenwood and Frane Lessac – Simpson and His Donkey Sonya Hartnett – Sadie and Ratz Jack Heath – Money Run Simone Howell – Everything Beautiful Catherine Jinks – Genius Squad Maureen McCarthy – Somebody's Crying Melina Marchetta – Finnikin of the Rock Sophie Masson – The Case of the Diamond Shadow Garth Nix – Superior Saturday Penni Russon – The Indigo Girls Shaun Tan – Tales from Outer Suburbia Lili Wilkinson – The (Not Quite) Perfect Boyfriend Sean Williams The Changeling Dust Devils
Crime and mystery Peter Corris – Open File Leah Giarratano – Voodoo Doll Kerry Greenwood – Murder on a Midsummer Night Marion Halligan – Murder on the Apricot Coast Jarad Henry – Blood Sunset Katherine Howell – The Darkest Hour Barry Maitland – Bright Air PD Martin – Fan Mail Camilla Nelson – Crooked Malla Nunn – A Beautiful Place to Die Alex Palmer – The Tattooed Man Bronwyn Parry – As Darkness Falls Kel Robertson – Smoke and Mirrors Michael Robotham – Shatter
Romance Anne Gracie – The Stolen Princess Stephanie Laurens – The Edge of Desire Margaret Leigh – The Heart Divided Estelle Pinney – Burnt Sunshine
Science fiction and fantasy K. A. Bedford – Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait Honey Brown – Red Queen Nathan Burrage – Fivefold Sara Douglass – The Twisted Citadel Greg Egan "Crystal Nights" Dark Integers and Other Stories Incandescence "Lost Continent" Jennifer Fallon – The Chaos Crystal Pamela Freeman – Deep Water Alison Goodman – The Two Pearls of Wisdom Traci Harding – The Dragon Queens Simon Haynes – Hal Spacejock: No Free Lunch Margo Lanagan – Tender Morsels Juliet Marillier – Heir to Sevenwaters Karen Miller – Hammer of God K. E. Mills – The Accidental Sorcerer Cat Sparks – "Sammarynda Deep" Sean Williams – Earth Ascendant
Drama John Doyle – The Pig Iron People Alexandra Edmondson – Cruising Joanna Murray-Smith – Ninety
Poetry See also 2008 in poetry Robert Adamson – The Golden Bird: New and Selected Poems, winner of the C.J. Dennis Prize for Poetry in the 2009 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, shortlisted for the 2009 Age Book of the Year Awards Michael Brennan – Unanimous Night David Brooks – The Balcony, finalist for the 2008 Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry; University of Queensland Press, Brook Emery – At a Slight Angle: and Other Poems Jamie Grant – 100 Australian Poems You Need to Know (edited) Elizabeth Hodgson – Skin Painting, winner of the 2007 David Unaipon Award; University of Queensland Press, Sarah Holland-Batt – Aria Clive James – Opal Sunset: Selected Poems, 1958–2008 John Kinsella – Divine Comedy, University of Queensland Press, Anthony Lawrence – Bark, University of Queensland Press, David Malouf – Revolving Days, University of Queensland Press, Peter Rose editor – The Best Australian Poems 2008 Black Inc., Alan Wearne – The Australian Popular Songbook
Non-fiction Germaine Greer – On Rage Chloe Hooper – The Tall Man: Death and Life on Palm Island John Silvester and Andrew Rule – Underbelly: The Gangland War
Biographies Peter Costello – The Costello Memoirs Jacqueline Kent – An Exacting Heart: The Story of Hephzibah Menuhin Andrew Riemer – A Family History of Smoking
Awards and honours
Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Not awarded Patrick White Award John Romeril
Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Don Watson American Journeys Random House ALS Gold Medal Michelle de Kretser The Lost Dog Allen & Unwin Colin Roderick Award Malcolm Knox Jamaica Allen & Unwin Indie Book Awards Book of the Year Tim Winton Breath Hamish Hamilton Nita Kibble Literary Award Carol Lefevre Nights in the Asylum Vintage
Fiction
International Award Region Category Author Title PublisherCommonwealth Writers' PrizeSE Asia and South Pacific Best Novel Steven Carroll The Time We Have Taken HarperCollins Best First Novel Karen Foxlee The Anatomy of Wings University of Queensland Press
National Award Author Title Publisher ABC Fiction AwardKain Massin God for the Killing ABC Books Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Roger McDonald The Ballad of Desmond Kale Vintage Books The Age Book of the Year Award Tim Winton Breath Hamish Hamilton Australia-Asia Literary Award David Malouf The Complete Stories Knopf The Australian/Vogel Literary Award Andrew Cromme Document Z Allen and Unwin Barbara Jefferis Award Rhyll McMaster Feather Man Brandl and Schlesinger Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Fiction Tim Winton Breath Hamish Hamilton Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction Toni Jordan Addition Text Publishing Miles Franklin Award Steven Carroll The Time We Have Taken HarperCollins Prime Minister's Literary Awards Steven Conte The Zookeeper's War Fourth Estate New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Michelle de Kretser The Lost Dog Allen & Unwin Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Helen Garner The Spare Room Text Publishing South Australian Premier's Awards Roger McDonald The Ballad of Desmond Kale Vintage Books Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Helen Garner The Spare Room Text Publishing Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Richard Flanagan Wanting Random House
Children and young adult
National Award Category Author Title PublisherAurealis Award Young Adult Novel Melina Marchetta Finnikin of the Rock Viking Press Young Adult Short Story Trent Jamieson "Cracks" Shiny, magazineChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers Sonya Hartnett The Ghost's Child Viking Books Younger Readers Carole Wilkinson Dragon Moon Black Dog Books Picture Book Matt Ottley Requiem for a Beast Lothian Early Childhood Aaron Blabey Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley Viking Books Davitt Award Young Adult NovelMandy Sayer The Night has a Thousand Eyes Fourth Estate Indie Book Awards Book of the Year Children's & YA Shaun Tan Tales from Outer Suburbia Allen & UnwinNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Children's Li Cunxin and Anne Spudvilas The Peasant Prince Viking Books Young People's James Roy Town University of Queensland PressQueensland Premier's Literary Awards Children's Li Cunxin and Anne Spudvilas The Peasant Prince Viking Books Young Adult Matt Ottley Requiem for a Beast Lothian South Australian Premier's Awards Children's Michael Gerard Bauer Don't Call Me Ishmael Omnibus Books Victorian Premier's Literary Award Young Adult Fiction Brigid Lowry Tomorrow All Will Be Beautiful Allen and UnwinWestern Australian Premier's Book Awards Children's Liz Lofthouse and Robert Ingpen Ziba Came on a Boat Viking Books Writing for Young Adults Ken Spillman Love is a UFO Pan Macmillan
Crime and mystery
National Award Category Author Title PublisherDavitt Award Novel Katherine Howell Frantic Pan Macmillan Young adult novel Mandy Sayer The Night Has a Thousand Eyes Fourth Estate True crime Janet Fife-Yeomans Killing Jodie Penguin Readers' Choice Lindy Cameron Scarlet Stiletto: The First Cut Mira BooksNed Kelly Awards Novel Michael Robotham Shatter Sphere Books First novel Chris Womersley The Low Road Scribe True crime Evan McHugh Red Centre, Dark Heart Penguin Lifetime achievement Marele Day
Science fiction Award Category Author Title PublisherAurealis Award SF NovelK. A. Bedford Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing SF Short Story Simon Brown "The Empire" Dreaming Again, Voyager Fantasy Novel Alison Goodman The Two Pearls of Wisdom HarperCollins Fantasy Short Story Cat Sparks "Sammarynda Deep" Paper Cities, Senses 5 Press Horror Novel John Harwood The Seance Random House Horror Short Story Kirstyn McDermott "Painlessness" Greatest Uncommon Denominator #2Ditmar Award Novel Sean Williams Saturn Returns Orbit Books Novella/Novelette Cat Sparks "Lady of Adestan" Orb #7 Short Story Rick Kennett "The Dark and What It Said" Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #28Collected Work Jonathan Strahan ed. The New Space Opera HarperCollinsRussell B. Farr ed. Fantastic Wonder Stories Ticonderoga Publications
Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature John Tranter Urban Myths: 210 Poems University of Queensland Press The Age Book of the Year J. S. Harry Not Finding Wittgenstein Giramondo PublishingAnne Elder Award2008 National Literary Awards Results Sarah Holland-Batt Aria University of Queensland Press Sandy Fitts View from the Lucky Hotel Five Islands Press Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Alan Wearne The Australian Popular Songbook Giramondo Publishing Mary Gilmore Prize Nathan Shepherdson Sweeping the Light Back into the Mirror University of Queensland Press New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Kathryn Lomer Two Kinds of Silence University of Queensland Press Queensland Premier's Literary Awards David Malouf Typewriter Music University of Queensland Press Victorian Premier's Literary Award Lisa Gorton Press Release Giramondo Publishing Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Bronwyn Lea The Other Way Out Giramondo Publishing
Drama Award Author Title Publisher Patrick White Playwrights' Award Nicki Bloom Bloodwood
Non-fiction