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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
It's the summer of 1970, not far from the stone fruit capital of New South Wales, where Mr Wigg lives alone on what is left of his family farm. Mrs Wigg has been gone a few years now but he thinks of her every day. He thinks of his daughter, too.
Mr Wigg spends his days tending his magnificent orchard, harvesting the fruits of his labours and, when it's on, listening to the cricket. Things are changing though, with Australia and England playing a one-day match, and his new neighbours, the Hazletts, planting grapes for wine.
His son is on at him to move into town - it's true a few little things are starting to go wrong every now and then - but Mr Wigg has his fruit trees, chooks, and garden to care for. His grandchildren visit often: to cook, eat, and hear his old stories. And there's a special project he has to finish.' (Publisher's blurb)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Ironbark and Stone: Place and Belonging in the Nature Novels of Inga Simpson
2017
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Queensland Review , December vol. 24 no. 2 2017; (p. 229-241)'This article discusses Sunshine Coast writer Inga Simpson's nature writing in three recent novels, Mr Wigg (2013), Nest(2014b) and Where the Trees Were (2016c). It addresses Simpson's self-categorisation as a nature writer, and shows how the recurrent motif of sacred trees allows three introspective protagonists to reach new understandings of universal themes: loss of love and innocence, ageing, inheritance, childlessness, sexuality, death, ancient cultures, cultural integrity and preservation of the environment. The article considers Simpson's ‘anti-Gothic’ approach to landscape in her novels, yet also shows how her ‘realist’ depictions of place evoke unease surrounding the issue of white belonging in Australia. Simpson's metaphoric self-identification with trees, particularly the Australian ironbark, is pivotal to the quiet power of her fiction's exploration of belonging in the Australian landscape.' (Abstract)
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Costa Georgiadis
2013
single work
interview
— Appears in: Good Reading , September 2013; (p. 9-11) -
Review : Mr Wigg
2013
single work
review
— Appears in: Good Reading , July 2013; (p. 25)
— Review of Mr Wigg 2013 single work novel -
Small Publishers Make Big Deal of Books That Slipped Under the Radar
Top Books You've Probably Never Read
2013
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 14-15 December 2013; (p. 13) The Age , 14 December 2013; (p. 3) -
An Authentic Destination
2013
single work
column
— Appears in: Writing Queensland , 13 October no. 234 2013; (p. 6-7)
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A Sense of Place
2013
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 22-23 June 2013; (p. 19)
— Review of Mr Wigg 2013 single work novel -
Review : Mr Wigg
2013
single work
review
— Appears in: Good Reading , July 2013; (p. 25)
— Review of Mr Wigg 2013 single work novel -
An Authentic Destination
2013
single work
column
— Appears in: Writing Queensland , 13 October no. 234 2013; (p. 6-7) -
Small Publishers Make Big Deal of Books That Slipped Under the Radar
Top Books You've Probably Never Read
2013
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 14-15 December 2013; (p. 13) The Age , 14 December 2013; (p. 3) -
Costa Georgiadis
2013
single work
interview
— Appears in: Good Reading , September 2013; (p. 9-11) -
Ironbark and Stone: Place and Belonging in the Nature Novels of Inga Simpson
2017
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Queensland Review , December vol. 24 no. 2 2017; (p. 229-241)'This article discusses Sunshine Coast writer Inga Simpson's nature writing in three recent novels, Mr Wigg (2013), Nest(2014b) and Where the Trees Were (2016c). It addresses Simpson's self-categorisation as a nature writer, and shows how the recurrent motif of sacred trees allows three introspective protagonists to reach new understandings of universal themes: loss of love and innocence, ageing, inheritance, childlessness, sexuality, death, ancient cultures, cultural integrity and preservation of the environment. The article considers Simpson's ‘anti-Gothic’ approach to landscape in her novels, yet also shows how her ‘realist’ depictions of place evoke unease surrounding the issue of white belonging in Australia. Simpson's metaphoric self-identification with trees, particularly the Australian ironbark, is pivotal to the quiet power of her fiction's exploration of belonging in the Australian landscape.' (Abstract)
Awards
- 2014 longlisted Kibble Literary Awards — Nita May Dobbie Award
- 2014 shortlisted Indie Awards — Debut Fiction
- New South Wales,
- 1970