AustLit logo
Arcadia Arcadia i(A78832 works by) (Organisation) assertion
Born: Established: Melbourne, Victoria, ;
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

Works By

Preview all
1 y separately published work icon Carol Raye : Funny Business John Senczuk , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2023 27217532 2023 single work biography 'Born Kathleen Mary Corkrey at Rotherhithe, in the London docklands, in 1923, her first stage role, at age 15, was the lead in the Portsmouth Players production of No, No, Nanette in 1938. She came into the orbit of Australian choreographer Freddie Carpenter who launched her War-time stage career, changing her name to Carol Raye. Her breakout opportunity came soon after war was declared, when she made her triumphant London debut at His Majesty's Theatre in Stanley Lupino's Funny Side Up. In 1945 Raye made her screen debut, starring opposite Billy Hartnell in Strawberry Roan. But it was as the Empress Maria, opposite Peter Graves, in the musical romance Waltz Time which launched her as an international star on its release. She met her husband, Yorkshireman Robert Ayre-Smith, a student at the Royal Veterinary College (London), in 1948. They were married 3 years later in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1951. Within weeks of the birth of their first daughter in 1952, Ayre-Smith took up a position to run a 1,000-acre experimental farm in Kenya. Raye was by his side for the next 12 years, but while in Nairobi from 1962, Raye was contracted as producer/director (and on-screen talent) for the fledgling multilingual Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. Raye's was one of the first faces on television in British East Africa. Following Kenya's independence in October 1963, Ayre-Smith accepted an offer to join the CSIRO in Australia, and the family emigrated to Australia in 1964. Her career since has been stella as both performer and producer, and following the phenomenal success of The Mavis Bramston Show in 1964 she was regarded as one of the most influential women on Australian Television. Over the following three decades she made a return to the stage, appearing at the Ensemble, Hunter Valley, Marian Street and Sydney Theatre Companies, as well as starring roles in the commercial theatre. Raye officially retired in 2000, following a guest appearance in SeaChange. Carol Raye died peacefully on 18 June 2022. She was posthumously awarded the AM in the Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours.' (Publication summary) 
1 y separately published work icon Looking Over the Fence : Reflections and Reminiscences of an Historian’s Journey from the Australian Bush to a Wider World John A. Moses , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2023 26663754 2023 single work autobiography 'An academic's journey is often a mixture of determination and serendipity where the ambitions of a young mind and a chance meeting of an influential scholar open opportunities that may not have been foreseen. For John Moses, "a boy from the Bush" of Queensland with mixed religious and ethnic heritage, an education for the Anglican priesthood at St Francis Theological College in Brisbane unexpectedly set him down of learning German history, when is Latin teacher, a German Jew converted to Christianity, bequeathed him his books and memoirs of his life in Wilhelmine Germany during the Weimer Republic and up to the Nazi seizure of power. As both mentor and friend, Canon Dr Wilhelm Lorenz Rechnitz (1899-1979) offered the young man a uniquely personal insight into the most shattering spiritual and political catastrophe to envelop the Western world.' (Publication summary)
1 y separately published work icon Ron Edwards and the Fight For Australian Tradition Keith McKenry , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2023 25845192 2023 single work biography

'Ron Edwards (1930—2008) had a passion for recording and safeguarding for future generations Australia’s unique folk heritage. In 1950, at a time when popular wisdom had it that Australia had few folk songs, Edwards and poet John Manifold produced the Bandicoot Ballads, trailblazing broadsheets which marked the beginning of Australia’s folk music revival. He also published the first book of Australian folk songs with music. Moving to far North Queensland he made his living painting nudes, horses and bush landscapes. Discovering tradition-bearers all around him he became an irrepressible field collector making Cairns the folk song, yarnspinning and bush craft capital of Australia. He also documented meticulously a wealth of ancient Aboriginal rock art.

'A passionately independent free spirit and sole proprietor of his Rams Skull Press for over fifty years, Edwards published over three hundred titles, mostly on Australian folklore and traditional craft, the overwhelming majority of which he wrote and illustrated himself. Over forty years on, his pivotal publications The Big Book of Australian Folk Song, The Australian Yarn and Traditional Australian Bush Crafts remain standard references. His monumental twelve volume Index of Australian Folk Song warrants recognition as a national treasure.

'Ron Edwards is a towering figure in the field of Australian folklore.'(Publication summary)

1 y separately published work icon Cover Story Michael Wilding , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25779598 2022 single work novel

'‘Someone’s trying to burn me down,’ Paige Turner publisher tells Plant. Or are they just setting fire to a stack of Illiberal Liberals? And how do Turner’s regular trips to India, Asia and the Middle East fit in, if at all?' (Publication summary)

1 y separately published work icon Find Me My Enemies Michael Wilding , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25779503 2022 single work novel

'Is James Slater really a target of a security service operation against old radicals, or is he just paranoid? Or both? Is his performance artist partner part of the plot? Or his Valley of the Weed girlfriend?' (Publication summary)

1 1 y separately published work icon Find Me My Enemies [and] Cover Story Michael Wilding , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25779436 2022 selected work novel
1 1 y separately published work icon Che's Last Embrace Nicholas Hasluck , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25779347 2022 single work novel

'A contemporary artist is out to win a portrait prize by sketching a Che Guevara rebel from the old Australian colony in Paraguay. The artist’s brother is troubled by doubts about the rebel’s heroic identity and feels obliged to investigate.

'Set largely in South America, the novel explores divergent approaches to the truth in the wilds of Bolivia where Che sought to ignite a widespread revolution. The investigation ends in Sydney where Che’s ambitious dreams are still revered and the prize will soon be awarded. The counter-factual mysteries to be unravelled mirror South America’s own ingenious literary form, magic realism, a form reflecting the post-modern world’s richly-imagined but often bizarre perceptions.' (Publication summary)

1 y separately published work icon Flee Quick, Go Far Rob Wills , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25725728 2022 single work novel historical fiction

'The first months of London’s Great Plague of 1665 give no hope of any improvement, only an ominous warning of worse to come. Those who can are fleeing the city. Those who can’t – the poor, the old, and a dedicated few – must stay to face the growing danger. The ancient women of the parish of St Cyneswide and St Tibba, the Searchers, Viewers and Keepers, who have weathered the disappearance of one of their own, face further calls on their courage and resilience. The plot against the King simmers, supported by folk of fire and faith, dismissed by others as the work of fanatics. There are those who will stop at nothing and threaten the whole city. But … the parish still finds solace in singing; small children play their joyous, sometimes fractious, street games; and young people find each other. Volume 2 of Plague Searchers – Flee quick, go far – continues this gripping tale with its friendships and feuds, songs and psalms, plots and betrayals.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 y separately published work icon Red Wands Rob Wills , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25725664 2022 single work novel historical fiction

'It is 1665 and London faces two deadly threats – the devastating plague, and dangerous rumblings of a rebellion against the King, Charles II. In the frontline of the plague, the ‘first responders’, are the ancient women of the parish: the Viewers, Keepers and Searchers, who must deal with the sick, the dying and the dead. Political and religious differences split the city. Some yearn for the days of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan Commonwealth, others rejoice in the pleasure loving King’s return. A tale of friendships and feuds, songs and psalms, plots and betrayals, this exciting and original novel paints a rich picture of life – and death – in the perilous streets of plague-struck London.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 1 y separately published work icon Plague Searchers Rob Wills , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 25725635 2022 series - author novel
1 y separately published work icon Heritage and Other Stories Dorothy Simmons , Seddon : Arcadia , 2022 24872942 2022 selected work short story

'Dorothy Simmons has published two novels, Living Like a Kelly and Of Breath and Blood, and her poetry and short fiction have appeared in various literary magazines, including The GreenhouseSoutherly4WBest Australian Stories 2010, and more recently in Hecate and the Newcastle Short Story Anthology. Her short story ‘Countdown’ won the Fellowship of Australian Writers Short Story award.

'Heritage and Other Stories is her second short story collection.' (Publication summary)

1 y separately published work icon The Worlds and Work of Clarice Beckett Edith M. Ziegler , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 24872894 2022 single work biography

'Clarice Beckett was one of Australia’s most important early Modernist painters, excelling in portraiture, still-life and landscape. The discovery of a trove of her artworks has led to her remarkable talent and evocative art being recognised afresh and greatly admired.

'Clarice Beckett was self-effacing; she left no diaries or letters and was only occasionally mentioned in the diaries of her friends. For an insight into her enigmatic genius, Edith Ziegler focuses on Clarice’s family background, childhood; art education; philosophical, spiritual and psychological enquiries and influences; friendships and contacts. The reader is drawn into the world in which Clarice’s vision was formed and her talent developed.'(Publication summary)

1 1 y separately published work icon Eggs for Keeps : Poetry Reviews and Other Praise Barry Hill , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2022 24456302 2022 selected work poetry essay criticism

'Eggs For Keeps picks up where the selected essays left off. It features short reviews, of poetry mainly, collected over thirty years, including the decade Hill was Poetry Editor for the Australian – responses to books by Paul Kane, Ian Wedde, Les Murray, Judith Beveridge, Robert Adamson, Seamus Heaney, Carol Anne Duffy, Gary Snyder, DH Lawrence, Kim Mahood, Martin Harrison, Tracy Ryan, Paul Muldoon, Ezra Pound … It contains prize-winning citations for David Malouf, Helen Garner and Paul Carter; and it attends to the monumental translation work of Burton Watson, Ian Johnston, Meredith McKinney and David Hinton. The book closes with Hill’s diary in Chamonix, where he was writing in the presence of Mont Blanc, the mountain which held Shelley in thrall.

'Eggs For Keeps has gifts all round for mind-heart on the poetry path.'  (Publication summary)

1 2 y separately published work icon Cold Mountain and the Sea Barry Hill , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 23618785 2021 selected work poetry

'Cold Mountain and The Sea arises from two summers of swimming with the Zen Poet Han Shan.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 1 y separately published work icon Young Love and Other Stories Félix Calviño , Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 23499604 2021 selected work short story

'Set in a remote village in the northwest coast of Spain, Young Love is a deeply moving collection of six interconnected stories that call up the ghosts of the past half-century for the three survivors of a lively, colourful world that had no notion of how soon it was to disappear. Closely observant, and always aware of the plural realities that define individual lives, Félix Calvino has once again created a world that readers can immediately enter and make their own.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 1 y separately published work icon A Winter Sowing Adrian Caesar , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 22948837 2021 single work novel

'David Young is a divorced Vietnam veteran, an artist and a gardener. He is trying to come to terms with the trauma of war through his painting. With every brush-stroke he seeks to transform the moments of brutality, the memories of violence that plague his nights and haunt his days. At the same time, he is trying to manage a fractious relationship with his feisty sixteen-year-old daughter, Josie. When a single mum and her son move into the flat next door, further complications enter David’s life. As he tries to find a way forward, Josie enters a downward spiral. David believes his trauma is somehow becoming hers. When his daughter’s life threatens to spin out of control, he must do everything he can to save her …

'A Winter Sowing is a moving exploration of the unspeakable and a compelling story of one man’s quest for redemption through art and love.'

Source : publisher's blurb

1 y separately published work icon Alkira Antonio Buti , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 22948727 2021 single work autobiography

'When Alkira Buti was born in 1993 her parents knew little about cri du chat syndrome other than it was a chromosomal abnormality that would render their daughter ‘disabled’. As they searched to understand more about the syndrome and the likely future for their daughter, they learned more about the social treatment of, and attitudes towards, children with disabilities.

'In Alkira, Antonio Buti tells the story of his daughter’s struggle to reach developmental milestones and ‘fit in’; with care and compassion he describes what makes Alkira so unique. It is a story of resilience, determination, heartache and triumph for Alkira and her parents. It is also a love story between mother and daughter, and father and daughter.

'Alkira combines memoir and intellectual inquiry to debate those who query the value of a life lived with disabilities. This book challenges all of us to rethink how we approach disability to move toward a more just and inclusive society for all.'

Source : publisher's blurb

1 2 y separately published work icon Bench and Book Nicholas Hasluck , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 22948297 2021 single work autobiography

'In both law and literature, Nicholas Hasluck has been a player and a commentator. In this fascinating memoir he uses diaries of his time as a Judge and as Chair of the Literature Board to explore intriguing issues at the start of the new century, from culture wars in Australia to al-Qaeda’s terrorist attack in New York.

'He turns an astute gaze on battles in the courts and everyday struggles and delusions. He watches self-styled intellectual leaders nail their colours to the mast with an air of heroic virtue, though nearly everyone in the room agrees with them.

'In times when history is often misinterpreted, how can we pass on what has been learnt? How can Australians come together to build a better future, rather than denigrating our institutions and shared past? His views are those of a writer with a principled mind and a ready sense of humour.'

Source : publisher's blurb

1 1 y separately published work icon Isolation Tom Petsinis , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 22948204 2021 selected work poetry

'COVID-19 has fractured society and dislocated lives, forcing us to work differently, question ingrained assumptions, and appreciate relationships precisely because we’ve been masked and socially distanced. In his new book of poems, Tom Petsinis focuses on the day-to-day experiences of lockdown and isolation to produce a collection of vivid snapshots that draw on memory, home, religion, mathematics, football and funerals. He has crafted poems that are sometimes whimsical, often elegiac, but always immediate and palpable, expressed in a language that speaks to all.

'One of the more disturbing effects of COVID-19’s prolonged lockdown has been the sense of becoming a stranger to one’s own life. The poems in Tom Petsinis’ Isolation overcome this feeling of estrangement by offering, with consoling precision, a rich (sometimes deeply moving and sometimes very funny) collection of observations of this new life of ours – from the new meaning of work, to face masks crafted by a mother/maker, to the poem ‘Wars’ in which the poet’s parents found ‘solace through closeness’ when their country was invaded, while the present invader distances us from family and friends.'

Source : publisher's blurb

1 y separately published work icon Beyond Short Street : A Memoir Owen Rye , North Melbourne : Arcadia , 2021 22944519 2021 single work autobiography

'Stories from the life journey of one of Australia’s leading artists in ceramics, beginning in a small isolated town in the Snowy Mountains. At university an unexpected inspiration leads to a PhD, followed by travel and adventure; from driving trucks, and flying gliders, to the Smithsonian in Washington, onwards to the deserts and high mountains of Pakistan and immersion in politics, archaeology, and assassination in Israel.

'The emotional ups and downs of teaching in art schools, insights into the practice of the art of ceramics, and the subtleties of isolated rural living complete the storytelling.'

Source : publisher's blurb

X