Exploring four generations of life in Australia, this intricate personal history shows the insularity of small towns, rigid class and caste divisions, and the effects of two world wars on Australian lives. Told with humor and a dry wit, these extraordinary stories of pioneering struggles, deep religious divisions, and conflict within the family help navigate the history of Australia--from the abundance of the eastern Byron Bay hinterland to the hardships of the northern soldier-settler farm Walker and her husband established in North Queensland. Fascinating and engaging, this familial recollection is a revealing study of Australia's past.

Accolades

Shortlisted for Westfield/Waverley Library Literary Award 2002.

Author Biography

Shirley Walker is an honorary research fellow at the University of New England, the former president of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature, and the founding director of the Centre for Australian Studies. She is the author of the book of literary criticism "Vanishing Edens."