In 1839 Robinson became the protector of Aborigines in the Port Philip settlement. The first mention of the bust’s existence in the Victorian state collection was in the 1870–71 Report of the Trustees of the Public Library, as an original (donated by Henry Downie), although it mostly likely entered the collection much earlier. Interestingly, the Report referred to the bust as the ‘Protector of the Aborigines’, and not as ‘pacificator’.

The bust is an historically important representation of Robinson at the height of his ‘pacificator’ powers; however, its existence will also provide needed contextualisation to Law’s production of the Truganini and Woureddy busts. An extended historical analysis of the bust will be included in the December 2010 edition of the La Trobe Journal.

Gareth Knapman, Melbourne, Vic.

Ellipsis

Dear Editor,

Don Anderson (May 2010) suggests that Helen Garner’s view of John Dale’s novel Leaving Suzie Pye is misrepresented by the presence of an ellipsis in the quote attributed to her on the front cover (‘What significant omissions are concealed behind those three periods in her remark?’). As the book’s publisher, I can confirm that the quote was edited only for reasons of space, and that Helen Garner saw the final version and approved it for use on the cover. However violently Don Anderson may disagree with it, it does reflect Helen Garner’s view of the novel.

Linda Funnell, Head of Fiction, HarperCollins Publishers

Defending the author

Dear Editor,

I usually counsel authors not to write letters in response to bad reviews. But I feel compelled to respond to Richard Harding’s review of Ross Fitzgerald’s My Name is Ross: An Alcoholic’s Journey in your June issue. That it is the first negative review this very widely reviewed book has attracted is neither here nor there; the critic is entitled to his opinion, although he doesn’t seem to be remotely familiar with the norms of autobiographical writing, let alone the now well-established genre of addiction memoir. But because he berated the author for writing the book and the publisher for publishing it, I must respond.

Harding comments disdainfully that Ross Fitzgerald wanted the book to succeed commercially in Australia, so he may find it galling to learn that sales of the book have indeed been strong. What has been particularly gratifying are the personal responses that Ross has received from colleagues, associates and strangers who have found his story moving and inspiring, often to the degree that they have started attending AA meetings or have encouraged friends or family to do so. If Ross had written an abstract, dispassionate book rather than this brutally honest – if unflattering – self-portrait, its impact would have been limited. Finally, I have to point out to Mr Harding that the Damon Runyonesque names that he accuses the author of making up are all real nicknames for real people. The organisation that is the hero of the book isn’t called Alcoholics Anonymous for nothing.

Phillipa McGuinness, Executive Publisher, UNSW Press/New South