The Penguin Anthology of Australian Women's Writing

The Penguin Anthology of Australian Women's Writing - Dale Spender

This anthology is a representative collection of the rich tradition of writing by Australian women and spans the period from white invasion to the present. It includes writing from many genres: autobiography, drama, diaries letters, travel writing and fiction; works that have been out of print for many years such as Miles Franklin and Dymphna Cusack, as well as many works that are available only in newspapers and magazines. The book also documents the relationships between women writers, sometimes from previous generations, often amongst writers of the same generation. Mary Gilmore's letters and Nettie Palmer's journal give information about the 'community of women writers' in the 40's, as well as responses to works published by other writers in the collection. The anthology begins with letters from Margaret Catchpole, a convict, and Elizabeth Macarthur and goes through to Faith Bandler, Antigone Kefala and Germaine Greer.