Free Books Written by Women Will Be Scattered Across Public Transport This Week

In the lead-up to International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8 — which celebrates the achievements of those who identify as female and how far we have come in the fight for gender equality for everyone — you can read books written by some of Australia's best female authors. For free. The catch? You just need to find them.

Books on the Rail has teamed up with female-identifying Australian authors to drop signed copies of their novels on trains, buses, trams and ferries all over Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this week. Expect to find works written by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Clare Bowditch, Dr Anita Heiss, Jamila Rizvi, Carly Findlay, Kitty Flanagan, Gabbie Stroud and Holly Wainwright, among others.  

With a goal to get more people reading books by Australian women, the week-long initiative will see the famous authors hiding their own works. So, as well as picking up a new free read, you might get to meet one of your literary idols.

For hints on what, where and when, keep an eye on the Books on the Rail Instagram Stories — it looks like a few copies of Jane in Love by Rachel Givney are already travelling around Sydney. Another one to look out for is Vivian Pham's The Coconut Children.

Launching in Melbourne back in 2016, Books on the Rail sees a diverse collection of books set loose on trains, trams, ferries and buses around Australia — kind of like a roving public transport library. You can also become book ninja yourself. Find out more in the Books on the Rail Facebook Group.

Free novels will be dropped on buses, trains, trams and ferries around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane until Sunday, March 8. For hints, keep an eye on the Books on the Rail Instagram Stories.