Friday High Five: Best of the Best (Books of 2014)

We thought we’d say goodbye to 2014 by making it easy for you to make some last-minute Christmas gift – and summer reading choices. Here are five of the handiest retrospectives on the best books of 2014, all of them Australian (and some of them by us).

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards shortlists 2015

Last week, we announced the shortlists for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, across five categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, young adult and drama. Why not choose some award-recognised reads for your summer break? These are some of the best Australian books around.

The Age: Australian writers choose their best books of 2014

Every year, the Age and Sydney Morning Herald invite Australian writers to choose their best books of 2014. This year, some of the featured writers sharing their picks include Graeme Simsion (The Rosie Effect), Clare Wright (The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka), Maxine Beneba Clarke (Foreign Soil) and Don Watson (The Bush).

Readings Best Books of 2014

Melbourne bookseller Readings compiles a comprehensive best books list each year, chosen by staff as a collective – and helpfully broken down into categories, including a strong contingent of Australian books. Categories include fiction, non-fiction, crime, young adult books, picture books, food and garden books, and art and design books. You can browse them all on their website.

Guardian Australia Best Books 2014

Selected staff and freelance writers for Guardian Australia – including David Marr, Jeff Sparrow and Brigid Delaney – have chosen their best books of 2014. This list has an all-Australian focus.

Wheeler Centre staff best books of 2014