Indie Awards 2011

The Indie Awards for 2011 have been announced. The Indie Awards are chosen by independent booksellers from all over Australia and often recognise the next big thing in Australian literature. Previous Book of the Year winners include Breath by Tim Winton and Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey, both of which went on to bestseller status with national and international acclaim.

Here are the 2011 winners:

Book of the Year

The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do (Allen and Unwin)

Best Fiction

Bereft by Chris Womersley (Scribe)

Best Non-fiction

The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do (Allen and Unwin)

Best Debut Fiction

Rocks in the Belly by Jon Bauer (Scribe)

Best Children's Book

Mirror by Jeannie Baker (Walker Books)

Publisher of the Year

Allen and Unwin

 

Metropolitan Bookseller of the Year

Shearer's Bookshop, Leichhardt, NSW

Regional Bookseller of the Year

Mary Who? Bookshop, Townsville, QLD

Wait, what was that? Yes, you read it right, Shearer's has won the Metro Bookseller of the Year Award! We owe our award to all the support we get everyday from our customers and our industry. It's a fantastic feeling to be recognised, but it's also fantastic to be a part of such a wonderful community of passionate book lovers. Barbara brought us all chocolates to celebrate which, as regular readers of this blog and my tweets will know, is a perfect way to celebrate!

Congratulations must go not just to the winners but to all those who were shortlisted for awards. This list of books truly represents some of the best work being done in Australian literature today.

Congratulations and thanks to all!

Written by Mark