A First Place

Random House Australia, 2014. Hardback. Very Good/Very Good. A collection of personal essays and writing from David Malouf to celebrate his 80th birthday. Topography, geography, history. Multiculturalism, refere ndums, the constitution and national occasions. Parental and grandparental romances, the sensual and bountiful beauty of Brisbane, the mysterious offe rings of Queenslander houses, and leaving home. The idea of a nation and th e heart of its people. Being Australian and Australia's relationship to the world. Putting ourselves on the map. All these subjects, and more, are exp lored from the generous, questioning and original perspective of David Malo uf. At the heart of these pieces is the idea of home, where and what it is. What they illustrate is the formation of a man, an Australian and one of t he best writers this country has produced.