AustLit

'As someone who grew up in England, I have vivid memories of the ­annual seaside holiday with my parents and the inevitable Punch and Judy puppet show on the beach. Punch originated in Italy (Puncinello) and by the time I encountered him, in post-war Britain, his “act” was pretty much set in stone. Armed with his “slapstick”, he would lash out at anyone, including the long-suffering Judy. Other characters routinely included the baby, the dog who steals Punch’s sausages, a policeman and, rather mysteriously, a ­crocodile. Audiences watched with a mixture of awe (at the artistry of the puppetry) and horror (at the violence and brutality). A typical audience of children watching a show, most of them clearly terrified, is seen at the conclusion of Australian writer-director Mirrah Foulkes’s ambitious first feature, Judy & Punch.' (Introduction)

'Carmel Bird has been almost impossibly productive. As well as 11 novels and nine collections of short stories, she has edited seven anthologies, written children’s books and racked up a stack of nonfiction works, including the writing-class ­favourite, Dear Writer. She is fleet of foot and can turn her hand to different styles with ease. It is difficult to find another Australian writer working today who has written so diversely and so constantly. Her work often has a breezy humour that disguises darker issues, and this lightness of touch is particularly refreshing right now.' (Introduction)

'Florence Saint Claire is a bit disgruntled about her name. She’d rather be called something like Ruth: dependable, denoting serious intent. Florences, though, are more suitable to “winsome creatures, like that girl Miranda who vanquished into thin air in ­Picnic at Hanging Rock … with those irritating panpipes playing in the background”.' (Introduction)