The Penguin Book of Nineteenth Century Australian Literature

Initially their works were inspired by the new land itself, and later they had to grapple with issues raised by the convict past, changing gender roles, and upheavals caused by the undermining of Old World certainties. Their efforts produced a literature of astonishing breadth and interest, which has remained too long unknown, or at best only partly known, even in the land of its origin. The collection brings together familiar and recently rediscovered works, and provides contexts in which we can see them anew. The result is exciting and compelling reading.