AustLit

'We are an arrogant species. But in “Island Home,” we find Tim Winton humbled by wild places, especially in his own territory of Western Australia. Here this prizewinning novelist has written what he calls a “landscape memoir,” one that considers our place on the planet and calls it into question. He has written a book about brokenness at the beginning of the 21st century: “At our end of history we’ve come to believe we have power over nature. We like to think matter, creatures, weather and organic processes have no power over us. But if you walk deep into a wild Australian landscape, the glossy armor of your self-possession may begin to show a few cracks.”' (Introduction)