Alexis Wright wins the 2024 Miles Franklin Literary Award for her epic novel Praiseworthy

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Waanyi author Alexis Wright has won the country's most prestigious literary prize for the second time. Her novel 'Praiseworthy' explores colonisation, Aboriginal sovereignty, and climate change, and is this year's Miles Franklin Award winner.

Transcript

00:0010 years of writing and reflection led to this moment for Alexis Wright.

00:07It's unbelievable.

00:09Ms Wright has spent decades drawing inspiration from personal experience and international literature.

00:15Her latest book, Praiseworthy, explores climate change and Aboriginal culture.

00:20It seems to me that we're moving into a really uncertain era.

00:25Praiseworthy has already taken home a prestigious stellar prize this year

00:29and the 2024 Miles Franklin is Ms Wright's second after Carpentaria was honoured in 2007.

00:37These things don't happen to people like me.

00:39The epic novel is written in Ms Wright's unique style.

00:42Long, repetitive sentences make up Praiseworthy's 780 pages.

00:48It's really important that the reader should catch the rhythm and just go with it, trust it.

00:53And I was wanting to explore the ability of our own people to work towards the future.

01:00An author and novel worthy of praise.

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