This collection investigates the evolution of Australian literary identity and the role of the writer within the nation's cultural framework from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. The editors compile a diverse array of essays, manifestos, and critical documents authored by prominent figures such as A.A. Phillips and Judith Wright. By presenting these primary sources chronologically, the volume argues that Australian literature developed through a distinct tension between colonial inheritance and the search for an authentic local voice.

Scholars and historians of Australian literature frequently cite this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the intellectual history of the region. Readers note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a comprehensive archive for those studying the evolution of national literary identity.