1. Our Novels

2. Animal Farm – George Orwell (UK)
1945
Placed at 31 on Modern Lib list of 20th c. Best novels.
Genre – allegory, socio/political commentary
Reflects events in Russia leading up to and during the Stalin era ( ).
Under Stalin Russia was rapidly industrialised.
He also spear-headed “The Great Purge” characterised by intense police surveillance, suspicion and murder including that of writers and intellectuals.
It is estimated around 20 million people were murdered under Stalin’s regime ( ). Some estimate as high as 60 million. (more than 1 in 3)

3. Letters from the Inside – John Marsden (AUS)
1991
Our “easier” (young adult) novel.
Structured using letters written by two 15 year-old girls.
Explores ideas of adolescence, relationships, video games, honesty, teenage “voice”.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee (US)
1960
Genre: Southern Gothic, bildungsroman, social commentary.
Won Pulitzer Prize – classic of US lit.
A study of Southern US in 20th century. Deals with issues of racism, injustice, gender roles.
Despite anti-racist message - more appreciated by white readers – black characters not really explored.

5. Sputnik Sweetheart – Haruki Murakami (JAP)
1999 (In English 2001)
Genre –Postmodern (rejection of universal truth, endings are not usually satisfying), whodunit, magical realism.
Follows the male narrator’s (K.) longing for the novel’s protagonist, Sumire.
Deals with themes of loneliness, communication, oppressive society, our inability to really know one another.