The Greatest Australian, Irish "Fiction" Books Since 1950

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This list represents a comprehensive and trusted collection of the greatest books. Developed through a specialized algorithm, it brings together 305 'best of' book lists to form a definitive guide to the world's most acclaimed books. For those interested in how these books are chosen, additional details can be found on the rankings page.

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  1. 176. Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler

    The play is a poignant exploration of the fading dreams and fraying relationships among a group of friends in post-WWII Australia. It centers on two sugarcane cutters, who have maintained a sixteen-year tradition of spending the off-season with two women in the city, indulging in the carefree illusion of their youth and temporary escape from their laborious lives. However, as the seventeenth summer rolls in, the characters are confronted with the harsh realities of aging and the inevitable change in their circumstances, leading to a dramatic reassessment of their lives, aspirations, and relationships. The narrative delves into themes of time, change, and the bittersweet nature of clinging to past traditions in the face of an evolving world.

    The 10998th Greatest Book of All Time
  2. 177. All That Fall by Samuel Beckett

    "All That Fall" is a one-act radio play that revolves around the character of Maddy Rooney, an elderly and struggling woman, as she makes her laborious journey to the train station to pick up her blind husband. Along the way, she encounters various villagers who contribute to the play's darkly comic and poignant atmosphere. The narrative weaves together themes of human suffering, the absurdity of existence, and the search for meaning, all while maintaining a sense of rhythm and musicality in the dialogue. As the story unfolds, the audience is drawn into a reflection on the nature of life’s burdens and the inescapable condition of decline that characterizes the human experience.

    The 10999th Greatest Book of All Time
  3. 178. Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel

    The play is a poignant memory piece that transports audiences to the summer of 1936 in the rural Irish town of Ballybeg, where the five unmarried Mundy sisters live in a modest cottage. Through the eyes of Michael, the son of one of the sisters, we witness the struggles and joys of these women as they grapple with their financial hardships, social norms, and complex relationships. The arrival of their elder brother, a missionary priest from Africa, and the influence of a charming but unreliable radio, which they nickname "Marconi," inject excitement and disruption into their lives. The story is a bittersweet reflection on the sisters' aspirations, unfulfilled dreams, and the fleeting moments of dance and music that offer them a temporary escape from the challenges of their everyday reality.

    The 11050th Greatest Book of All Time

Reading Statistics

Click the button below to see how many of these books you've read!

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If you're interested in downloading this list as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet application, you can easily do so by clicking the button below. Please note that to ensure a manageable file size and faster download, the CSV will include details for only the first 500 books.

Download