Best-selling Australian author Dr Anita Heiss showcases the diversity of modern Indigenous Australian culture in her latest humorous novel, Manhattan Dreaming (Bantam, 2010). With a fun, light-hearted plot and frequent references to prominent Indigenous Australian artists and musicians, Manhattan Dreaming supports Heiss' title of the ‘Queen of Koori chick-lit’.
Manhattan Dreaming
When Lauren, a curator at the National Aboriginal Gallery in Canberra, is offered a one year fellowship at the Smithsonian in New York she can’t believe it. It’s her dream job, but to accept the position she must leave her family and friends behind, including Adam her commitment-phobic boyfriend.
When Lauren arrives in New York, she quickly makes friends and loves the variety of cultural opportunities the city and her job offer her. When Adam makes a surprise trip to the US to visit her, Lauren needs to decide if she is ready to embrace all that New York has to offer or if it is time for her to return home.
Lauren is an upbeat, intelligent woman excited to find herself in the middle of a vibrant city with numerous social and career opportunities. She excels at her job and is passionate about her role in promoting Indigenous artists and their work, although she doubts herself and tends to make bad choices when it comes to her personal relationships. She maintains a strong emotional attachment to her Indigenous background and seems to incorporate this smoothly into her very modern lifestyle.
Manhattan Dreaming is an easy read with frequent Australian Indigenous and cultural references to add some variety to a genre that can at times become tired and repetitive.
Koori Chick Lit
Anita Heiss has written across a variety of genres, including two previous chick lit titles, Avoiding Mr Right and Not Meeting Mr Right. As with her other work, Heiss’ priority is bringing an awareness of Indigenous Australian culture into the public forum.
Heiss believes that Koori chick lit is “a great way to breakdown stereotypes and bring Indigenous culture to an urban audience. These books feature characters that are like me and my friends – lawyers, curators, teachers, artists and others that retain a connection to their traditional culture as well as being part of modern Australian society.”
For Australian readers, local settings and references in mainstream fiction are all too rare and it is particularly exciting to find knowledgeable Indigenous Australian references. Heiss’ work with Aboriginal artists is particularly evident with several artists and artworks specifically mentioned.
Dr Anita Heiss
Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is one of Australia's most prolific and well-known authors of Indigenous literature. She is the recipient of numerous awards for both her literary achievements and work promoting Indigenous culture and issues.
Heiss has published in a range of genres including poetry, non-fiction, social commentary, chick lit and travel articles. Her YA historical fiction novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937 was shortlisted for the NSW Premiers Young Peoples History Prize 2002 and brings the story of the Stolen Generation to primary school-aged and teen readers.
Anita Heiss is currently working as a full-time writer and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Western Sydney attached to the Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education. She is an ambassador for Indigenous Literacy Day, an initiative of the Indigenous Literacy Project.
Australian Chick Lit
Set in Australia and New York and focusing on the Indigenous art culture of both countries as well as the familiar tourist highlights of The Big Apple, Manhattan Dreaming is a fun story with a likeable cast of characters.
An enjoyable read in its own right, Manhattan Dreaming is also to be applauded for bringing the often overlooked diversity of indigenous Australian culture into a modern fictional setting.
Review copy details:
Manhattan Dreaming (ISBN: 9781741668926, 304 pages)
Note:
Koori - In numerous languages across South-Eastern Australia, Koori means man or people. Since the 1960s, it has become widely used in New South Wales to describe Aboriginal people in general. Koorie with an 'e' is a word used by Aboriginal people in Victoria. (definition courtesy of the National Museum of Australia, accessed 13 March 2010).
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