Live: Radio National counts down nation's favourite homegrown reads

Paul Jennings, David Malouf and Helen Garner have all made the list, but there is still a long way to go before we reveal Australia's favourite book.We are about to dip into the top 25 of ABC Radio National's Top 100 Australian Books. Follow the latest updates in our live blog.Sun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:59pmSun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:59pmDrum roll please ...The ABC Radio National book-loving boffins have spent the last couple of weeks furiously counting up your votes ... all 280,047 of them!Total votes (ABC Radio National)Thanks to everyone who took time to cast their votes in the Top 100 Australian Books!And now onto the countdown ...Sun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:49pmSun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:49pmWho will be #1?We're so close to jumping into the last quarter of Radio National's Top 100 Australian books, so now is the time to get your #1 predictions in!Some familiar Radio National faces have already put their guesses on tape...Get your guesses in via the comments!Sun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:40pmSun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:40pmThe countdown so far ...The Top 100 Australian Books kicked off yesterday on an irreverent note with #100, Paul Jennings' classic Round the Twist, and wrapped up at #46 with Colleen McCullough's 1977 bestseller, The Thorn Birds.Today's countdown began at #45 with Anna Funder's Miles Franklin-winning novel, All That I Am.Since then, we've heard from Peter Carey and Tim Winton — twice apiece — and a reader who revealed that listening to Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies got her through a 20-hour labour (!).Head over to the Radio National site for the full list so far.We'll pick up the countdown from #25 — stay tuned!Sun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:24pmSun 18 Oct 2026 at 2:24pmHello and welcome!Welcome, book lovers, to our Radio National Top 100 Australian books live blog!My name's Velvet Winter, along with arts reporter Nicola Heath we will be joining you for the remainder of today's countdownOur good friends over at Radio National have been ticking off their list all weekend and we're lucky enough to be here with you for #25 allll the way to #1.It's been a huge weekend so far and we want to hear from you! What book do you think will win? Has your favourite author made an appearence yet? Have you had your 'ya joking should have been higher' moment?Our comments are open!