Inez Baranay: 10 books

The narrator Inez is contacted by the mysterious Vlad from Transylvania who claims to be her cousin and wants to introduce her to his tradition. As Inez becomes drawn to Vlad’s gifts, Vlad discovers new pleasures at the Gold Coast, enough to even make mortality acceptable. Previously published in...

First published in 1994, Rascal Rain is an account of novelist Inez Baranay’s year in the chaotic, violent province of Enga in Papua New Guinea. Sent there by Australian Volunteers Abroad, her life changed from inner-city Sydney to a culture where brides are bought, rape is commonplace, and women...

Described in reviews as “refreshing, sophisticated, playful, beguiling, horrifying and sexy” this is a vampire story for literate adults. Yearning for the lands of the old gods, escaping the pressures of New York, controversial cultural commentator Marisa comes to Amsterdam in search of escape...

Based on a true story, set in Sydney in the 1950s, Pagan is a story of the new music, the new migrations and the old magick. First published in 1990, it was described as brilliantly written and a narrative tour-de-force. To quote a review: As well as being very readable, it offers a highly intelligent...

Sheila Power has been described as “A rattling good read that defies pigeon holing into any one genre. Our heroine is Sheila Power, a very rich film producer and all-round prominent social identity, who is about to start work on what will be the crowning achievement of her spectacular career. The...

When first published in India in 2003 Neem Dreams was widely acclaimed for its language, the accuracy of observation and the pitch perfect depiction of the various characters. Set in southern India in the mid 1990s Neem Dreams deals with the clash between tradition and globalisation. Four characters...

Partly a memoir about writing Neem Dreams, partly a critical study of her own novel, themes include the creation of a novel, travels and research in India, neem as a symbol of the clash between globalisation and tradition, and the influence of EM Forster. Neem Dreams was published in India in 2003...

A novel set in Sydney in the late 1970s, described as witty and satirical, taking us into the life of a classy call girl. First published in 1989, the new ebook edition has new Afterwords by the author. Between Careers takes a close look at the moral values of both the ancient profession and of more conventional ways of living. The prose is spare and sparkling.

With The Tiger is a retelling of the Somerset Maugham novel the Razor’s Edge (1944), which popularised the idea of the Westerner’s search for meaning in “spiritual India”. First published in India by HarperCollins in 2008 to positive reviews. Larry, an Australian teenager goes on a backpacking...

Writings on yoga practice and writing practice, how yoga and writing reflect, support or conflict with each other, by a widely published author and a long-time yoga practitioner. Practice, discipline, dreams, the body, tradition and life are some of its themes. First published in India and with a review by N Sjoman, author of The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace.