Downunder Authors
 

Any help in finding authors who write, wrote about the early days downunder? Someone like Wilbur Smith, who has written about Africa. I read some years ago and don't have a clue as to who wrote them.
Tnxs BB

I read Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore in high school, about the founding of Australia with colonies of convicts. Nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. It was good enough to keep; I still have it on the bookshelf.

The only Australian novel I can recall reading is Nevil Shute's "A Town Like Alice," which is realy about what happened to a group of English Women and Children who were taken prisoner by the Japanese. I saw the Masterpiece Theater teleplay and wanted to read the original story.

Judy Nunn has written a few.... KAL for example.

Also, Bryce Courtenay

Thanks BB

There are a couple Aussie sci-fi authors I like, but sounds like that's not what you're looking for!

Thanks. I picked it up at library today.

You could try Leviathan by John Birmingham. It's mostly about Sydney and its origins right up to modern times. An interesting read in my opinion and as it is a referenced biographical account, it falls under the genre of creative non-fiction which is what gives it the flavour of the city more than anything else.

'creative non-fiction' ....... that's gotta rank with a 'terminalogical in-exactitude'

creative non-fiction is pretty much the genre for most biographical novels. The events in the story are fact, but the story is created by the authors imagination. Even Auto-biographies are creative non-fiction because when you write the story of your life, no one could possibly expect anyone to remember every conversation word for word etc. Hence, 'creative' non-fiction.

Trust me, it's an actual genre and very popular in this post modern era.

mmmmm.....ok... I grudgingly accept the concept.... but, like TV 'drama-documetaries' I have reservations about not only the versimiltude of such creations, but also of the long-term affect upon an increasingly less-literate society... we are in grave danger of creating a whole new set of 'urban legends'...

'it must be right - it was in this book i red - i saw it in that docuentary i seed on the box ...'

Well that has to do with teaching people critical and independant thought. There are sections of society which have always had difficulty with that concept. ;)

mmmm...... which concept? crictical & independent thought? or the teaching of it......

Jay...I think the lack of teaching students this basic skill is a problem in the education system.

:) Read my lips. Downunder authors!