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Young Father / Ranald Allan -- Eclipsed / Nene Gare -- Reunion In Gunyah Creek / Maurice Corlett -- A Lovers' Museum / Philip Neilsen -- The Courts Of The Lord / Fay Zwicky -- Games My Parents Played / Ken Leask -- Sunday Session / Kenneth Gaunt -- Uncle Games / Morris Lurie -- I Told Mama Not To Come / Angelo Loukakis -- Did He Pay? / Helen Garner -- Reading The Signs / Michael Wilding -- Graffito Spy / C.c. Catt -- Speedie Lady / Susie Malouf -- The Prince Philip Blues / Gary Dunne -- Parting / Penelope White -- The Sex Part / Inez Baranay -- Hospital / Ania Walwicz -- Having A Wonderful Time / Kate Grenville -- Movements Before Falling / S.f. Melrose -- Dreaming Of Glory / John Bryson -- Chicken Street / Geoffrey Bewley -- The House On Lafayette Street / Michele Nayman -- Young Man With Paddy Pallin Walking Boots / Damien White -- The Line / David Brooks -- Three Into Four / Wendy Jenkins -- The Bay Of Islands / Brian Cole -- Life And Death In The South Side Pavilion / Peter Carey -- Pieces On Prostitution / Dorothy Johnston -- Working Hot / Mary Fallon -- And She Gave One Twirl / Joanna Murray-smith -- Oh I Do Love To Be Beside The Seaside / J.m.s. Foster -- Healing / Murray Bail --untitled / Rob Duffy -- Skinning Peaches / Helen Lewis -- The Incomparable / Nicholas Jose -- From A Bush Log Book: Going Into The Heartlands With The Wrong Person At Christmas / Frank Moorhouse -- The Swallows Returning / Ian Kennedy Williams -- Arrival / Andrew Lansdown -- Virgins, Widows And Penitents / Gerard Windsor -- The Last Paddock / V.m.h. Angus -- You'll Like It There / Olga Masters. Edited By Frank Moorhouse.
This anthology captures the shifting social and cultural landscape of late 20th-century Australia through a diverse collection of short fiction. The narrative framework functions as a mosaic, with each story acting as a discrete observation of individual lives navigating urban, suburban, and rural environments. The protagonists face the constraints of societal expectations, personal isolation, and the rapid modernization of their surroundings, forcing them to reconcile private desires with public realities.
Readers and critics often identify this collection as a significant snapshot of the Australian literary scene during the period of its publication. Discussion frequently centers on the stylistic diversity present, as the editor includes both established authors and emerging voices to provide a broad spectrum of experiences. Many highlight the effectiveness of the anthology in capturing the specific mood of the country, noting that the stories balance intimate character development with broader societal commentary. The pacing varies significantly between entries, which allows for a comprehensive look at different facets of life without becoming repetitive. This work remains a reference point for those interested in the evolution of the Australian short story format.
Page Count:
282
Publication Date:
1983-12-31
Publisher:
Penguin Books Australia Ltd
ISBN-10:
0140065989
ISBN-13:
9780140065985
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