In the shade of the shady tree : stories of wheatbelt Australia / John Kinsella.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kinsella, John, 1963-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Western Australia--Fiction.

Western Australia.

Genre:

Fiction.

Short stories.

Physical Description:

xxi, 190 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Athens : Swallow Press / Ohio University Press, [2012]

Summary:

In the Shade of the Shady Tree is a collection of stories set in the Western Australian wheatbelt, a vast grain-growing area that ranges across the southwestern end of the immense Australian interior. The stories offer glimpses into the lives of the people who call this area home, as we journey from just north of the town of Geraldton to the far eastern and southern shires of the region. Cast against a backdrop of indigenous dispossession, settler migration, and the destructive impact of land-clearing and monocultural farming methods, the stories offer moments of connection with the inhabitants, ranging from the matter-of-fact to the bizarre and inexplicable. Something about the nature of the place itself wrestles with all human interactions and affects their outcomes. The land itself is a dominant character, with dust, gnarled scrubland, and the need for rain underpinning human endeavor. Inflected with both contemporary ideas of short fiction and the "everyman" tradition of Australian storytelling, this collection will introduce many readers to a new landscape and unforgettable characters.

Contents:

Rain (Mullewa) 1

Purchase (Northampton) 6

The Fireball (Geraldton/Greenough) 15

Carcass (Mingenew) 20

Mange (Dalwalinu) 26

The Cartesian Diver (Westonia) 32

Memorial (Beacon) 36

A Load of Bricks (Koorda) 44

The Pact (Southern Cross) 51

The Porch (Wongan Hills) 57

Embarrassed (Dowerin region) 61

Baby (Goomalling) 69

The Garden (Goomalling) 75

The vacant Block (Merridan) 80

The House near the Cemetery (Meckering / Cunderdin) 87

The Appointment (Kelleberrin area) 95

The Fable of the Gravel Pit (Toodyay) 100

The Donation (Toodyay) 104

Dozer (Wundowie) 109

The Graduation (Northam) 114

Bad Credit (Northam) 120

Rule in Favor (Northam) 125

Cave Visit (Northam toYanchep) 129

Bats (York) 134

In the Shade of the Shady Tree (York) 140

Drive (York) 148

Eyewitness (York) 153

The Purple Suit (York) 158

Parade (York) 164

Sissy (Westdale) 168

The Life History of a Wheatbelt Music Teacher (Quairading) 174

The Offering (Wagin) 180

The Legend of the Boat (Perth/Canning River) 184.

ISBN:

9780804011372

0804011370

OCLC:

724662798