100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Auckland Bookstore open Saturday & Sunday 🎉 Don't forget Father's Day is next weekend 📅

Australiana

By Yumna Kassab
0.0 (0 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Australiana is set in a small Australian town, where the heat of summer and the change of seasons set the backdrop for intertwined lives and secrets. Everyone thinks they know each other and their shared histories, yet perceptions diverge and truths remain elusive. Through multiple perspectives, Yumna Kassab reveals a tapestry of rural life, exposing how deeply connected and complex these relationships are, capturing the essence of community, identity, and place.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel is ideal for readers interested in literary fiction that explores Australian rural life, community dynamics, and multiple narrative perspectives. Fans of nuanced character studies, lyrical prose, and works that challenge traditional national myths will find Australiana deeply engaging.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Shortlisted for the University Of Queensland Fiction Book Award

‘The real deal.’ – Favel Parrett, author of Past the Shallows and There Was Still Love

'Kassab creates an eerie sense of place as the reader is drawn into myriad perspectives and geographies. Without doubt Australiana is an unnerving contribution to contemporary novel writing in this continent.'​ - Books + Publishing

‘poetic, wise and peppered with black humour.’ - T: The New York Times Style Magazine Australia

One small town, a multitude of stories.

When the river runs dry, the town runs red.

This could be any small town. It aches under the heat of summer. It flourishes in the cooler months. Everyone knows everyone. Their families, histories and stories are interwoven and well-known by one and all. Or at least, they think they are. But no-one sees anything quite the same way. Perceptions differ, truths are elusive, judgements have outcomes and everything is connected. For better or for worse.
 
This is a version of small-town Australia that is recognisable, both familiar and new, exploring the characters, threads, and connections that detail everyday life to reveal a much bigger story. A tapestry that makes up this place called home.
 
From the acclaimed author of The House of Youssef comes this extraordinary and unique novel shining a light on Australian rural life.

‘It is a novel of themes, textures, and interplay, seeking engagement through white space and chorus.’ - The Australian

‘There are times that reading these stories feels like being let in on some juicy gossip. And other times, we witness tragedy that is usually hidden from outsiders. In this way, I see Australiana as not merely challenging the established mythology of the regions but creating a new one.’ - Sydney Review of Books

‘Australiana plays with myths of Australian bush life while simultaneously restoring focus on the stories of those who live their lives in the regions. I recognise my young self and those I lived among in its pages.’ - The Conversation


PRAISE FOR THE HOUSE OF YOUSSEF
‘The unadorned style and unobtrusive realism of this book mask, at first, how experimental and original it is in other ways’ – Sydney Morning Herald
 
‘Kassab’s prose is unsparing and frank yet unstinting’ – Australian Book Review
 
 
 

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Celebrated for its poetic, wise prose and black humour, Australiana offers a crisp and authentic voice that portrays Australia's regions with complexity and nuance. Critics praise Kassab's eerie evocation of place and her experimental narrative style, describing the novel as an unnerving and essential addition to contemporary Australian literature. It is recognised for challenging and reshaping myths of bush life, illuminating the hidden stories of rural communities with exquisite storytelling.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761150609

Publisher: Ultimo Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 March 2022

Country: Australia

Imprint: Ultimo Press

Edition: Trade Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 411g

Pages: 304

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Yumna Kassab

About the Author

Yumna Kassab is a writer from Western Sydney. She studied medical science and neuroscience at university. Her fiction has been listed for prizes including the Miles Franklin Literary Award, Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, Queensland Literary Awards, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, and The Stella Prize. Her works include the short fiction collection The House of Youssef and the novels Australiana, The Lovers,Politica and The Theory of Everything. She is the inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature.

Also by Yumna Kassab

View all
  • Goodbye, My Love
    ‘that wildly inventive scriptomaniac’—The Guardian, Australian books to look forward to in 2026When she finally left, like properly totally completely left,it shouldn’t have come as a surprise.The signs were there.Amina's marriage to Amin was supposed to be a new beginning, instead, it became an inescapable end. Even after the divorce, the shadow of their relationship clings to her, defining her...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Politica
    Politica
    LONGLISTED FOR THE MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND FICTION BOOK AWARD ‘a compelling, intricate and multifaceted tale’ –The Saturday Paper ‘Politica can’t make war make sense (what can?), but it does offer a small balm. In her book Kassab looks horror in the eye, dignifies private desires and grieves their loss, and in doing so reminds...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Lovers
    The Lovers
    SHORTLISTED FOR THE MILES FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S LITERARY AWARD FOR FICTION SHORTLISTED FOR THE VICTORIAN PREMIER’S AWARD FOR FICTION ‘her writing is poetic and reverential. The author’s understanding of love, romance and of responsibility runs deep.’ – Books + PublishingWhat happens when we become used to each other, when we become bored, when we anticipate each...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Theory of Everything
    The Theory of Everything
    ‘In The Theory of Everything, Kassab realises the potential and fulfils the promise of her earlier work. This is a writer at her intellectual and poetic peak. Innovative, ambitious, unapologetically intellectual, fearlessly honest, deeply emotional. Read this book – you will be changed.’ – Shankari Chandran, Miles Franklin–award winning author of Chai Time at Cinnamon GardensGood News: The worst has...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    $3799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The House of Youssef
    Shortlisted for the 2020 NSW Premier's Literary Awards UTS Glenda Adas Award for New Writing Longlisted for the Stella Prize 2020 Shortlisted for the 2020 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards: Fiction The House of Youssef is a collection of short stories set in Western Sydney. The stories explore the lives of Lebanese migrants who have settled in the area, circling around...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Parramatta
    Parramatta
    In thinking about the dictionary, I ask what is the dictionary here. It is me and my memories. The dictionary is Parramatta itself as the place that is the backdrop to my memories. As the inaugural laureate, Yumna Kassab set herself the task of collecting her observations and thoughts on living in Parramatta, now one of the country's most important...
    By Yumna Kassab
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Buy to Win
    New Release
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series—now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Buy to Win
    Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Ballad of Falling Dragons [Special Deluxe edition]
    The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling sensation When the Moon Hatched continues with the second book in The Moonfall Series, The Ballad of Falling Dragons… Raeve’s thirst for vengeance continues to burn, as does her love for Kaan Vaegor – a staunch beacon from a past she’s yet to face. With Rekk’s blood still fresh on her hands, she learns the...
    By Sarah A. Parker
    Hardback
    $5999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Throne of Glass Box Set (Paperback)
    Enter the realm. Unleash the darkness. Live the legend. Discover the worldwide phenomenon of the #1 New York Times-bestselling Throne of Glass series in this gorgeous 8-book box set! In a land without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She has no love for the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass, but she has not...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Set
    $12400
    Elsewhere:
    $15500
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Big Little Truths
    Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart but Madeline, Jane and Celeste have been through worse. It's been a decade since the school trivia night that changed their lives forever and now they're living blissfully ordinary suburban lives. But when an anonymous grisly package arrives at the local high school, and a man in a green Volvo is...
    By Liane Moriarty
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Goal
    Welcome to Briar U!Get ready for your newest obsession . . . Discover the addictive world of the Off-Campus series from The Queen of Hockey Romance, Elle Kennedy!Read The Goal now for the perfect forced proximity romance! She's good at achieving her goals . . . College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick...
    By Elle Kennedy
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    On Mystic Lake
    One of the greatest storytellers of our time - Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school in England. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Left alone in the beautiful California house which was once a home, Annie...
    By Kristin Hannah
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Buy to Win
    On Sale
    17% off
    Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    17% off
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set
    Embark on a journey through Middle-earth with J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless masterpieces, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These enthralling tales recount the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a modest hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he unwittingly becomes entwined in a perilous quest involving dragons, wizards, and the fate of the world. Alongside iconic characters such as...
    By J. R. R. Tolkien
    Box Set
    $7199
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Buy to Win
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all