A version of this post first appeared on Substack on 2 June 2026.
My well-worn, older-than-dirt copy of Charlotte’s Web. I’ve had it since I was seven years old.
Back in June this year, ABC Radio National published the top 100 Australian books of all time, which got me thinking. What are my favourite books?
I had a look through my bookcase and came up with a list of books that I still think about (not just Australian ones, though), that I’d never get rid of, even if I won’t read them again.
Here they are – not necessarily in order, and I’m sure some are missing. Fair warning: I couldn’t stick to ten.
1. Charlotte’s Web by EB White
The most important book of my childhood. I remember reading it over and over again, drawing Wilbur, tracing the cover illustration. The book and its characters are core memories. The movie starring Dakota Fanning is gorgeous, too.
2. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
One of my top three favourite writers (along with Hannah Kent and Patrick Ness). I fell in love with the writing in this book, the structure, the voices, the originality of it.
3. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
I knew just about nothing about Iceland when I bought this book, and I was completely immersed in it. Hannah Kent’s writing is amazing, and the world she built was absolutely solid. It’s one of those books where you lose track of time while you’re reading it.
4. The Good People by Hannah Kent
I have an Irish background, so I have a very soft spot for anything to do with Ireland. The old Irish belief in fairies and the folk magic is fascinating, and again, Hannah creates that world with such detail.
5. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Children’s books are just as important as books for adults, so this gets a spot without question. I just wanted to protect Conor and give him a big hug, and I cried through basically the whole second half. Patrick Ness is fantastic. I love everything of his that I’ve read.
6. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Devastating. I cried through the last part of it, and I needed a glass of wine and someone to debrief with when I finished it. It’s one of those books that I still think about, even though I read it years ago. I am careful about who I recommend it to, though!
7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The premise of this book is … oof. Another one that had me in tears at the end. I have to buy the companion novel, The Midnight Train.
8. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
I have a morbid fascination with stories about the plague (I know, what’s wrong with me?) and Geraldine Brooks’ writing is just beautiful. This one swept me away completely.
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Beautiful. This was heartbreaking and tragic, and I couldn’t put it down. I told all the book lovers I knew that they had to read it.
10. The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Confronting and gorgeously written. This book forces you to sit with Australia’s dark history. It’s an important book for Australians to read.
But there are others that I couldn’t leave off the list. How about a top seventeen?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: A classic I studied in Year 12 (or was it Year 11? I can’t remember). Should be required reading for everyone.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: So original.
The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness: The world-building in that series was next level, and Piper at the Gates of Dusk, the first book in his new Chaos Walking trilogy, is sitting in my to-read pile – very exciting.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières: I’m not usually into romance novels, but this book isn’t just a romance novel. It was a slow burn, but I loved it.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton: A special Australian book.
The Green Mile by Stephen King: I inhaled his books as a teenager and I still have a soft spot for him.
Heartless by Tasma Walton: I proofread it when I was freelancing, and it was just so different; as a freelance editor, you don’t always enjoy the books you work on, but I loved this one.
That’s it; my top 10 with some honourable mentions thrown in. I feel guilty about the ones I’ve forgotten, because I know I’ve forgotten some. I thought about including The Road by Cormac McCarthy, but it was so terribly depressing that I’m not sure I’d inflict it on anyone.
Edit: After I published this on Substack, I thought of more that should be on this list. The Yield by Tara June Winch, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier, Infinite Splendours by Sofie Laguna. Since then, I discovered Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, and that should be here too.
It’s too hard.