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Absolutely Revolting

April 1982, no. 39

Welcome to the April 1982 issue of Australian Book Review!

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Contents Category: Fiction
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Article Title: 'China Men' by Maxine Hong Kingston, 'Mutuwhenua: The moon sleeps' by Patricia Grace, 'Fortress' by Gabrielle Lord, and 'Female Friends' by Fay Weldon
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I’m well overdue with this article, and I suspect John McLaren is never going to speak to me again. Trouble is, I’m on a frenetic reading jag and its mainly McLaren’s fault.
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I’m well overdue with this article, and I suspect John McLaren is never going to speak to me again. Trouble is, I’m on a frenetic reading jag and its mainly McLaren’s fault.

On the Thursday of Writers’ Week, he beguiled me into the bookshop near the Writers’ Tent and in no time at all I emerged buckling at the knees under the weight of a carton of books written by many of the writers I’d listened to and been impressed by during the week. I couldn’t get all the books I wanted because the book shop had sold out of some by then.

Read more: Mary Lord reviews 'China Men' by Maxine Hong Kingston, 'Mutuwhenua: The moon sleeps' by Patricia...

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Contents Category: Language
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Article Title: ‘Novelist’ a transcript from 'The Fred Dagg Tapes' by John Clarke
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Novelist Fred Dagg, the alter ego of New Zealand refugee John Clarke has quickly established an audience in Australia for his erratic political and social comments. In ‘Novelist’, transcribed here from his record of The Fred Dagg Tapes he offers advice to aspiring writers.
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Novelist Fred Dagg, the alter ego of New Zealand refugee John Clarke has quickly established an audience in Australia for his erratic political and social comments. In ‘Novelist’, transcribed here from his record of The Fred Dagg Tapes he offers advice to aspiring writers.

 

Read more: 'Novelist' a transcript from 'The Fred Dagg Tapes' by John Clarke

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Article Title: The Second World War
Article Subtitle: of heroes and blunders
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New Guinea 1942–44 is frankly disappointing, not only to me but to those veterans of the campaign who have told me that they have read it. I missed New Guinea, but even so I was shocked by Hall’s account of the cannibalism of the Japanese, and retaliatory brutality by Australians. The pity is that Hall had all the potential for a great history, but fluffed it.
Book 1 Title: New Guinea 1942–44
Book Author: Timothy Hall
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Book 2 Title: The Thirtyniners
Book 2 Author: Peter Charlton
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Book 3 Title: Australians at War 1939–45
Book 3 Author: John Robertson
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New Guinea 1942–44 is frankly disappointing, not only to me but to those veterans of the campaign who have told me that they have read it. I missed New Guinea, but even so I was shocked by Hall’s account of the cannibalism of the Japanese, and retaliatory brutality by Australians. The pity is that Hall had all the potential for a great history, but fluffed it.

Read more: Keith Hooper reviews three books on the Second World War

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Contents Category: Commentary
Custom Article Title: Impressions of Writers’ Week
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Article Title: Impressions of Writers’ Week
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Perhaps because of the coloured marquee with elm leaves pressed against the top like alien faces watching, Writers’ Week had a slightly theatrical air which added to the pleasure. All kinds of people were there, in all kinds of clothes, so that one was torn between wanting to watch the crowd and to listen to the speakers. The marquee seats three hundred people – it was always full, and the organisers estimated that on each day, another two hundred stood outside to listen.
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Perhaps because of the coloured marquee with elm leaves pressed against the top like alien faces watching, Writers’ Week had a slightly theatrical air which added to the pleasure. All kinds of people were there, in all kinds of clothes, so that one was torn between wanting to watch the crowd and to listen to the speakers. The marquee seats three hundred people – it was always full, and the organisers estimated that on each day, another two hundred stood outside to listen.

Certain threads ran through the speeches and discussions – the inevitability of the third world war, Aboriginal land rights, and on every side, I heard, quietly, the Voice of Women.

Read more: 'Impressions of Writers’ Week' by Georgia Savage

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