A Companion to Australian Literature Since 1900

Front Cover
Nicholas Birns, Rebecca McNeer
Camden House, 2007 - Literary Collections - 477 pages
Australian literature is one of the world's richest, dealing not only with "local" Australian themes and issues but with those at the forefront of global literary discussion. This book offers a fresh look at Australian literature, taking a broad view of what literature is and viewing it with Australian cultural and societal concerns in mind. Especially relevant is the heightened role of indigenous people and issues following the landmark 1992 Mabo decision on Aboriginal land rights. But attention to other multicultural connections and the competing pull of Australia's continued connection to Great Britain are also enlightening. Chapters are devoted to internationally prominent writers such as Patrick White, Peter Carey, David Malouf, and Christina Stead, fast-rising authors such as Gerald Murnane and Tim Winton, and less-publicized yet crucially important writers such as Xavier Herbert and Dorothy Hewett. There are chapters on prose fiction, poetry, and drama, women's and gay and lesbian writing, children's literature, and science fiction. The Companion goes beyond Eurocentric ideas of national literary history to reveal the full, resplendent variety of Australian writing. Nicholas Birns teaches literature at the New School in New York City and is the editor of Antipodes. Rebecca McNeer is Associate Dean at Ohio Southern University.
 

Contents

Aboriginality since Mabo Writing Politics and Art
17
Writing Aboriginality Authors on Being Aboriginal
41
From Empire to Nation The Shifting Sands of
61
Multicultural Writing in Australia
73
Jewish Writers in Australia
87
AsianAustralian Literature
105
The Demidenko Affair and Australian Hoaxes
127
Australian Womens Writing from 1970 to 2005
139
Les Murray
269
Peter Carey
281
Gerald Murnane
293
Tim Winton and West Australian Writing
307
Dorothy Hewett
321
Xavier Herbert
335
Michael Wilding Murray Bail Rodney Hall
345
TransTasman Literary Expatriates
359

Writing the Nation 19001940
157
Australian Poetry from Kenneth Slessor to Jennifer Strauss
173
Australian Poetry 19702005
191
Australian Drama 19001970
207
Australian Drama since 1970
219
Christina Stead
235
Patrick White
247
David Malouf
257
Australian Science Fiction
375
Popular Australian Writing
387
Australian Film
403
Australian Childrens Literature
417
Environmental Themes in Australian Literature
429
Australian Gay and Lesbian Writing
445
Notes on the Contributors
459
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