Books of the Month September 2023 An Australian Trilogy

Australian Trilogy

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Girt by David Hunt

Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe

Australiana by Yumna Kassab

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Well, my Australian friends are giving me a hard time since I posted the New Zealand Trilogy first! So, to keep things even, here goes!

Coming off a trip down under to New Zealand and Australia, I did some reading to immerse my self in the history and culture of the country while I was visiting.? I highly recommend doing this when visiting a foreign land- it really makes everything you see and do have so much more context, more meaning and pretty sure that I will retain a whole lot more- and besides- it impressed the locals!

Girt was one of the best history books I have ever read, and David Hunt is a sharp penned iconoclast who is not afraid to call it like he sees it.? A history of about the first 80 years of the formation of the European based country arriving in Australia, I can honestly say that it has been a while since I have laughed so hard reading any book.? He conveys the facts and people that any history book would but in a way that cuts to the chase on what was actually going on and attacks head on the things that polished over in most historic accounts-he really focuses on the figures of the time period - and what they are really about. His sense of irony is off the charts. This style may not work for all, but if you want a down to earth, realistic view of what happened when the Europeans- largely Brits- arrived in Australia, this is the book for you. The book does a nice job of explaining the impact of Britain trying to set up a penal colony in a new country that it knew very little about- and what the impact was on the local population, local ecology and the people that made the incredibly long boat trip from Great Britain.?? I am looking forward to the sequel which I think connects from this period to through the 20th century.

Conversely if you want to dive deeply into the culture and community skills of the Aboriginals, then Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe is the book is for you.? Arriving an estimated 60,000 years prior to the Europeans, this book digs deep into the history to convey all they knew about farming, fishing, hunting, building and just plain surviving in the harsh Australian climate.? Using a research technique of using the observations of the original European explores, he unearths a very sophisticated set of interrelated societies with great organization build on top of relentless innovation. This is an outstanding piece of research.? What is striking- is just how close ancient man was to nature in all of its elements over time- their connection to the land informed how they thought, how they felt and what they did.? One can’t help but feel the distance between modern man and the Aboriginals portrayed in this book.

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Finally, Australiana is a novel set in the Outback of Australia in very recent times.? Written by award winning author, Yumna Kassab, this is an outstanding piece of literature.? At a thematic level, it is designed to convey an understanding of what life is like in rural Australia.? However, what is distinctive about this book, is the style in which it is written.? It is a series of 4–5-page vignettes strung together- at first it is hard to see how they are connected- but as the book proceeds, you get a sense of how they are connected- but it is never really literally spelled out.? The writing style is wonderful- it is indirect, quirky and poignant.? You get a visceral feel for each scene- without sometimes even knowing what it going on.? Ms. Kassab is a very talented novelist with a style that will strike home with those who enjoy indirect writing that focuses more on feelings and flows than on facts and detailed action description – it had the effect of making me feel like I was living in the town he was portraying- and it really did a nice job of helping us city slickers gain some insight into the differences of rural vs city life.? For those of you who enjoy great writing- this is a must read- Ms. Kassab is a talent- described in one article as being able write fragmented elements in a quite cohesive manner- how cool is that.? IF you love great writing- read Australiana!

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