This landmark collection brings together the best Australian short stories written in the 20th century. From early bush life, through the Depression and the World War II, to the fast lane of urban contemporary existence, Australian shorty-story writers have explored and reflected our national identity and experience. The Penguin Century of Australian Stories represents, in one handsome volume, our finest writers in all their modes - Henry Lawson, Steele Rudd, Christina Stead, Patrick White, Peter Carey, Brenda Walker, James Bradley, Olga Masters, Amy Witting, Robert Dessaix and many, many more. The themes in theses stories, selected by Carmel Bird, mirror the concerns of our past and our present, creating a map of the short story in Australia. Celebrating 100 of our most gifted authors, this book will enlighten and entertain for many years to come, providing readers of the 21st century with a distinctive, inspiring treasury of Australian fiction.
