New Australian Fiction shortlist spotlight: Lucky's by Andrew Pippos

Lucky’s is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. This multi-storyline family saga brims with hope and tragedy as it follows the trajectory of a man named Lucky: his failed restaurant chain, his estranged loved ones, and how he plans to win them back.

Our 2021 judges said of ‘Andrew Pippos brings these characters to life in a way few first-time authors could and has created a charming, familiar delight of a novel, full of hope, fortune and fate.’ Staff reviewer, Alison Huber, also said of the novel, ‘It’s an intricate set of intersecting storylines and a disparate cast of characters, but they are drawn together seamlessly thanks to impeccable pace and structure … Without a doubt, Lucky’s is a standout novel of this difficult year, and one that you’ll be eager to thrust into the hands of all your friends – to remind them of how much fun reading a great book really is, and how the answer to pretty much every problem is always: love.’ You can read the full review here.

We asked author Andrew Pippos about writing inspiration, advice and what he hopes readers may take away from his book.


What was the initial inspiration for this story?

From the outset I intended to write about Greek-run cafes and milk bars in the 20th century. And I had a few scenes in mind. Above all, I wanted to write about the turning points in people’s lives, where patterns of behaviour end and characters move from one stage to another. I was interested in all the ways in which we might change and become a different person, including through feats of the imagination and acts of fraud.


What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The effect of your writing is not something you can wholly design. You describe a set of characters in a particular setting and when the book is published you let go of the story. But I hope the reader sees how the events in the novel are connected, and how the characters have influenced each other. I hope they see that Lucky is flawed and thwarted but full of love.


What is the best writing advice you’ve come across in a book?

In one of Vladimir Nabokov’s Russian novels, Glory, we encounter a critic and author called Bubnov, who is the closest thing to a villain in the book. When young writers share their manuscripts with him, Bubnov takes delight in ridiculing their work. When confronted with a strong piece of writing, he says: ‘But it’s not as good as Pushkin.’

Don’t be a Bubnov. Don’t hold yourself and other people to impossible standards. Also, don’t ask a Bubnov figure for permission to do your work. Write the stories and books you need to write.


You can read more about the 2021 Readings New Fiction Prize shortlist here. We’ll be announcing the winner during the month of November.

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Cover image for Lucky's

Lucky’s

Andrew Pippos

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