Two literary lives defined by storytelling and secrets. As her mother Joan lies dying, Gabrielle Carey writes a letter to Joan's childhood friend, the reclusive novelist Randolph Stow. This letter sets in motion a literary pilgrimage that reveals long-buried family secrets. Like her mother, Stow had grown up in Western Australia. After early literary success and a Miles Franklin Award win in 1958 for his novel To the Islands, he left for England and a life of self-imposed exile. Living most of her life on the east coast, Gabrielle was also estranged from her family's west Australian roots, but never questioned why. A devoted fan of Stow's writing, she becomes fascinated by his connection with her extended family, but before she can meet him he dies. With only a few pieces of correspondence to guide her, Gabrielle embarks on a journey from the red-dirt landscape of Western Australia to the English seaside town of Harwich in a quest to understand her family's past and Stow's place in it.
By:
Gabrielle Carey Imprint: Queensland Univ. Press Country of Publication: Australia Dimensions:
Height: 207mm,
Width: 133mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 384g ISBN:9780702249921 ISBN 10: 0702249920 Publication Date:23 October 2013 Audience:
General/trade
,
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
