Dimensions
131 x 198 x 28mm
The story of two Italian men, Salvatore and Fabio, who migrate to Australia in 1951. From the canals of Venice and a walled medieval town in the south of Italy to a migrant demonstration in the streets of Sydney and the dangerous world of the Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme, this novel explores the hopes and fears of people at a crucial period of Australia's history.
It is a hymn to work and workers: a glassblower with the exquisite skill of the old masters; an apprentice chef learning his trade; the strange uses of a stolen bell; the courage of drillers as they blast through rock. And it is also a novel about love - frantic kisses in a church confessional, a clandestine romance in conservative Cooma, a secret plan to elope.
This powerful and moving novel redefines the Australian dream - a dream of land, work and love that still drives the lives of contemporary Australians.
