Customer Reviews

Australian Literature: An Anthology of Writing from the Land Down Under

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Pieced together in snipets that leave the reader hungering for more, "Australian Literature, An Anthology of Writing from the Land Down Under," ambitiously attempts to collect the works of Aussie writers spanning two centuries and crossing class, gender, and racial lines. Edelson's introduction is invaluable for those who are new to Australian history, providing an excellent context for the works that follow.

"The Cooboo" by Katharine Prichard and "Wanamurraganya: The Story of Jack McPhee" offer a glimpse into the mythical, troubled, and gritty negotiations of Aboriginal life, their dealings with colonial oppression, and their relationship to the land. "The Chosen Vessel," by Barbara Baynton, depicts a bush culture of misogyny and "Breaking a Man's Spirit," by Marcus Clarke, offers insight into the convict legacy. At first, the stories appear fragmented and unrelated, but as the reader progresses, the unifying themes of suffering, man/woman's relationship with a hostile environment, and self-determination begin to unfold. Aesthetically, the stories "feel" uniquely Australian, conveying a certain terseness, intensity, and independence.

On the downside, no poetry is included in the collection and I would have preferred more short fiction over novel excerpts. As an introduction to Australian literature, however, it succeeds beautifully.

"Australian Literature: An Anthology of Writing from the Land Down Under," edited by Phyllis Fahrie Edelson, contains over 300 pages of literature and supplementary material. Included are a substantial introductory essay, short author biographies, a map of Australia, a glossary of Australian terms, and a list of suggested readings.

The anthology is broken down thematically. Part I is "The Idea of the Bush." Part II, "Images of Australia," is further broken down into 3 subsections: "The Aboriginal Experience," "The Convict," and "The Search for a National Identity." Part III is "Relationships." Altogether there is a rich sampling of fiction and autobiographical writing. The anthology covers many themes and ideas: family ties, relations between the people and the land, socioeconomic status, education, Aboriginal culture, gay life, marriage, crime, etc.

There are a number of standouts in this overall solid collection. "The Chosen Vessel," by Barbara Baynton, is a chilling suspense tale. "The Loaded Dog," by Henry Lawson, is a wild piece of slapstick comedy. "Northern Belle," by Thea Astley, is a powerful character study that deals with the intersection of racial anxiety and gender roles. Excerpts from "A Fortunate Life," by A.B. Facey, offer a graphic look at the horror of war. This is a rich and diverse collection, well suited both for literature classes and individual reading.

I am an Australian -- living in California. I am also an English professor. With this combination, I have purchased MANY copies of this book to share with my colleages, students, friends. It offers a great encapsulation of Aussie literature from many different perspectives and I really like the organization, looking at the different parts of the culture. Most Australian kids read Lawson's "bush" tale in grade school. It paints a somewhat romanticized image of the brave "women" of the bush, taking care of the kids, killing snakes, etc., and I'm glad to see it included in this book. But Barbara Baynton's "bush" tale highlights the REAL dangers for women in the "outback" and is an interesting addition to this brief Aussie Canon of literature.

The book was published in 1993 and contained 26 short stories or excerpts from novels and a memoir by 24 writers. The publication dates ranged from 1870 to 1989, and about half the pieces were by contemporary writers. The works were grouped by the themes of the bush, the Aboriginal experience, the convict system, the search for a national identity, and relationships. There was an introduction to the country and its literature, with recommendations for further reading.

Compared to other anthologies of Australian literature read that've been published in Great Britain and Australia since the 1960s, this one stood out for including excerpts from well-known novels by Marcus Clarke, Randolph Stow and A. B. Facey. Other memorable stories included one by Beverley Farmer written from the point of view of a male criminal, one by Tim Winton on a difficult childbirth, and one by Marian Eldridge about the problems of a welfare mother.

The selections were in general realist in style and not experimental, unlike some anthologies from earlier decades or the Oxford Book of Australian Short Stories. Although a number of the pieces, 11 or so, have appeared with some frequency in other collections, I'd recommend this book for those seeking an introduction, such as the audience for whom it seems to be primarily intended, North Americans.

Other anthologies include A Century of Australian Short Stories (1963), Best Australian Short Stories (1967), Classic Australian Short Stories (1974), The Penguin Book of Australian Short Stories (1976), The State of the Art (1983), Australian Short Stories (1983), Transgressions: Australian Writing Now (1986), The Faber Book of Contemporary Australian Short Stories (1988), The Penguin Best Australian Short Stories (1991), The Oxford Book of Australian Short Stories (1994), The Australian Short Story Collection: 1890s-1990s (1994 and earlier editions), Favorite Australian Short Stories (1995), Contemporary Classics 65-95: The Best Australian Short Fiction 1965-1995 (1996), The Penguin Century of Australian Stories (2000), and The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature (publication expected in 2009).

Fantastic collection of literature from that most neglected of literary worlds. Many of these authors will be unknown to American readers. This is in itself a crime, and a very poor reflection on our awful schools. Patrick White is a Nobel Prize winner and deserves attention, but Carey is perhaps the more interesting of the two due to his interest in the bizarre and the fantastic. He taps more easily into the postmodern psyche. He is weird and wonderful, reminding this reader of Paul Bowles. Christina Stead is of interest to feminists but deserves attention for her superior writing skills. I can't think of an American woman writer with her cosmopolitan sophistication. Just shows that the Empire was good for something, because the Australian authors have gained from their commuting lives between Sydney and London and South Africa. Malouf, a Lebanese Jew, is fascinating, with a flare for the bizarre, like Carey. And on and on. The Australians, too, have authors of native descent, such as Astley. She passed away recently, I believe, but was one of the more prolific authors of her time. Many of these authors are interested in the dynamics of cross-cultural contact, exploring the lives of whites and aborigines as they have lived, for better and for worse, both together and separately. This is a fabulous anthology. For the price, it is doubtful that a better anthology can be found.