Australian artists, writers and readers share the Australian books they love most

On this special edition of The Bookshelf, ahead of the Top 100 Australian Books Countdown, Kate Evans speaks with historian Professor Martyn Lyons about the history of reading in Australia and what our reading lives can reveal about the nation. Plus, crime fiction expert Sue Turnbull traces the evolution of Australian crime writing before sharing three books she loves. Singer-songwriter Fanny Lumsden and artist-performer Maeve Marsden also reveal their top three Australian reads. And in the podcast edition, music journalist Stuart Coupe joins us with three Australian books he can't live without.

Guests

Martin Lyons – Emeritus Professor of History and European Studies in the School of Humanities and Languages at UNSW

Sue Turnbull – Honorary Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Wollongong, with expertise in crime fiction, television and popular culture

Maeve Marsden – Theatre maker, performer and Creative Director of Varuna, the National Writers' House in the NSW Blue Mountains

Fanny Lumsden – ARIA Award-winning country singer-songwriter whose fifth studio album, Traditions, is due for release on 30 October

Stuart Coupe – Australian music journalist, author, band manager, promoter, publicist and record label founder

Books mentioned and Guest Recommendations

Literary Foundations

Martyn Lyons, The Uses of Literacy in Colonial Australia

Jane Austen, works

Walter Scott, works