Bibliograph

The books that made us, Carl Reinecke ; foreword by Claudia Karvan

Type

Label

The books that made us, Carl Reinecke ; foreword by Claudia Karvan

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Illustrations

illustrationsportraits

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The books that made us

Nature of contents

bibliography

Responsibility statement

Carl Reinecke ; foreword by Claudia Karvan

Summary

Australia's novels lie at the heart of the country. Capturing everyday lives and exceptional dreams, novels have held up a mirror to the nation, reflecting the good and the bad. In this companion book to the ABC TV series, Carl Reinecke looks at the history of Australian culture through the books we have read and the stories we have told. Touching on colonial invasion, the bush myth, world wars, mass migration, the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty and the emergence of a modern, global, multicultural nation, Carl examines how these pivotal events and persuasive ideas have shaped some of Australia's most influential novels, and how these books, in turn, made us. In a panoramic account of Australian fiction stretching from Marcus Clarke to Melissa Lucashenko, Patrick White to Peter Carey, and Henry Handel Richardson to Michelle de Kretser, this is a new history of key authors and compelling books that have kept us reading and made a difference for over 200 years. If you long to discover new stories or reacquaint with old favourites, this book is your guide

Table Of Contents

Foreword by Claudia Karvan -- Introduction -- 1. The experiment -- 2. An Australian Australia -- 3. Modernity in the emptiest of lands -- 4. Outrage and dissent -- 5. How to be an Australian -- 6. The vital decade -- 7. Something sinister -- 8. Australia II -- 9. Success in an endless race -- 10. Brighter future -- 11. Withering on the vine -- Acknowledgements -- Notes and references -- Index of names

Target audience

adult

Classification