The Slap

Hector and his wife Aisha invite family and friends to attend a family barbecue. All is going well until Hugo, one of the young children present, loses his temper and lashes out. His parents do not discipline him but eventually peace is restored. Later on the child has another break-down and when one adult, not related to the child, intervenes the child kicks him in the leg. Unfortunately the man slaps the four year old boy causing horror and a variety of reactions from those present, as well as bringing an early end to the barbecue.

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas examines the aftermath of the slap from the perspective of eight of the adults present at the barbecue including, a family friend - Anouk, Hector's cousin - Harry, Connie who works with Aisha, Hugo's mother - Rosie, Hector's father - Manolis, Connie's friend - Richie, as well as Hector and Aisha. The novel deals with many topics including family relationships and values, parenting, discipline, respect, marital relationships. It also provides a glimpse of multicultural Melbourne at the beginning of the 21st century.

Awards and commendations for The Slap: Australian Literary Society Gold Medal 2008; Commonwealth Writers' Prize - best book - 2009; Shortlisted for Miles Franklin Award 2009; Winner of Nielsen BookData Booksellers' Choice Award 2009; Victorian Premier's Literary Awards - Winner of Vance Palmer Prize for fiction 2009 and long listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2010.

The book was the basis for an eight episode television series made in Australia 2011. The series was remade for an American audience in 2015.

 

Barracuda

Christos Tsiolkas has written a novel about the fear of failure and the difficulty of living a full life after success which is not fully realised.

Danny Kelly is a swimmer. Swimming is his life and when he wins a scholarship to a school where he can work towards his goal of being an Olympic swimmer he can see his future success within his reach. Although he really does not fit in at the new school where he is an outsider he trains hard at his swimming and when he wins races he is a hero - the barracuda. When life is difficult he assures himself that he is the best.

The novel questions whether the win at all cost attitude that can exist in Australia is the attitude that we should impart to our children. Children should be encouraged to do their best but should their life revolve just around the one goal? What resources are in place if, for some reason, the goal is not achievable? What happens when the life the person has trained for has ended and the rest of life stretches ahead? How does one cope with a dramatic change in life expectations?

This is a thought provoking book which parallels real life situations where we hear of athletes' difficulties in coping with life after sport.