I'm thinking of starting a new series of blog posts entitled "Why aren't these books available outside of Australia?" I've become quite partial to the lovely-looking livery of Penguin Modern Classics, and have even started to collect them, but why is it that Helen Garner's books haven't made it to the Northern Hemisphere yet?
I looked at ordering these from various Australian online booksellers, but the cost of postage is prohibitive. Given Garner's remarkable success (despite last year's Booker snub) with The Spare Room, surely there's an international audience for her work? Isn't it about time Penguin snaffled up her UK publishing rights? Penguin UK, if you are listening, please please please can you make these brilliant books available to British readers?
Far too many Australian authors deserving of international recognition never receive it, because their books are never published outside of Australia and New Zealand. I suspect there's a whole host of economic reasons for this, but I wish that would change. I find it particularly irritating, if you haven't already guessed, that I can view these books on the Penguin Classics Australia website but they're nowhere to be seen on the Penguin Classics UK equivalent. Grrr.
Now don't get me started on Elizabeth Jolley's novels...
