A wonderful collection of twenty-four short stories that celebrate the history, culture and creativity of Tasmania.
Tasmania is another country—a lush, sometimes foreboding island with a people fiercely protective of its history, culture and creativity.
This handsome collection, the first to bring together the finest stories about Tasmania, includes works by notable early Australian writers, such as Marcus Clarke and Tasma; internationally renowned practitioners, like Hal Porter, Carmel Bird and Nicholas Shakespeare; and a range of newer voices, from Danielle Wood and Rohan Wilson to Rachael Treasure. These twenty-four superb stories showcase the island’s colonial past, its darkness and humour, the unique beauty and savagery of its landscape.
Both a must-read for enthusiasts of Australian literature and a perfect gift for lovers of Tasmania, Deep South comes with a critical introduction from the editors and biographical sketches of the contributors:
A. J. O.
Carmel Bird
Roy Bridges
Marcus Clarke
Geoffrey Dean
Adrienne Eberhard
Henry J. Goldsmith
James Leakey
Tahune Linah
James McQueen
Hal Porter
Philomena van Rijswijk
Barney Roberts
Margaret Scott
Nicholas Shakespeare
H. W. Stewart
Tasma
Theresa Tasmania
Rachael Treasure
Price Warung
A. Werner
Rohan Wilson
Joan Wise
Danielle Wood
‘[A] beautifully presented short-story collection….Co-editor Danielle Wood does have a wonderful contemporary story in the book, portraying a sleep-deprived new mother coming to terms with the changes in her world. Wood manages to merge the contours and endlessness of Tasmania with the mother’s sense of being lost to herself.’
‘Offers readers a glimpse into the imagery and symbolism that has come to shape how outsiders perceive the island.’
‘[A] beautiful anthology.’
‘A strong, spirited collection…Quality is high and range wide.’
‘A vivid and sometimes sobering picture of the relations among free settlers, convicts and indigenous Australians. There’s real treasure, too, among the more recent stories exploring the quieter domestic dramas of modern life.’