AustLit
Latest Issues
Contents
- Introduction to The Penguin Century of Australian Stories, single work criticism (p. xv - xxvii)
- A Snake Down Under, single work short story (p. 1-3)
- Miss Aminta Wirraway and the Sin of Lust, single work short story humour (p. 4-11)
- Under the House, single work short story (p. 12-23)
- Petals from Blown Roses, single work short story (p. 24-34)
- A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z, single work short story (p. 35-41)
- The Powerful Owl, single work short story (p. 42-50)
- The Persimmon Tree, single work short story (p. 51-54)
- Squeaker's Mate, single work short story (p. 55-68)
- Country Girl Again, single work short story (p. 69-74)
-
The Golden Moment,
single work
short story
THE GOLDEN MOMENT The story of the golden moment is a story about suburban Australia in the nineteen fifties. The street in which the story takes place is often called ‘the golden mile’ because so many wealthy bankers and barristers and surgeons have for generations lived there in grandeur and comfort with their beautiful wives and happy families. Almost all of these families have very white skins indeed, and are by religion Christians (of the Protestant kind). The rare Jewish or Roman Catholic family is treated with superb tolerance and charity, but it is understood that such families are darkened by a blight too powerful and mysterious to name.
The houses themselves bear the names they were given by the original inhabitants and some of these names reflect a nostalgia for places far away, others expressing a hope in the youthful country of Australia. The style of architecture is labelled ‘Federation’ in recognition of the modern birth of the country itself. The trees and flowers are by and large European, and the branches of the oaks and elms that line the street on one side almost touch those on the other, so that in summer a magical green tunnel arches above the traffic, and people from less beautiful suburbs drive along here just to marvel at the trees along the golden mile. Even ordinary traffic seems to move sedately along the grandest section of the road.
A golden moment is that time of the afternoon photographers love, when the light of day bathes the world in one last glow of radiance, when Paradise is promised, when everything stands still at the instant between the darkness and the light, when fairies and goblins and other spirits good and bad may be revealed.
The golden moment on the golden mile is one of nature’s marvels.(Source: author's website)
Note:With title: The Golden Moment (1990)
Link to copy of story published on author's website.
- The Turtles' Graveyard, single work short story (p. 83-89)
- John Gilbert's Dog, single work short story (p. 90-93)
- Children Aren't Supposed To Be Here at All, single work short story (p. 94-104)
- The Cruelty of Mermaids, single work short story humour (p. 105-112)
- Sodasi, single work short story (p. 113-119)
- Arriving in Melbourne, extract autobiography (p. 120-124)
- The Last Days of a Famous Mime, single work short story (p. 125-128)
- Dust, single work short story (p. 129-132)
- Sonatina, single work short story (p. 133-140)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
[Review] The Penguin Century of Australian Stories
2001
single work
review
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Studies , no. 68 2001; (p. 182-183) JAS Review of Books , no. 1 2001;
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
[Review] The Penguin Century of Australian Stories
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: Fiction Focus : New Titles for Teenagers , vol. 14 no. 3 2000; (p. 32-33)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
Century of Story
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 15 April 2000; (p. 20)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
Tales You Win
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 18 April vol. 118 no. 6220 2000; (p. 118)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
Omnibus Had Room for More
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 25-26 March 2000; (p. 11)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story
-
[Review] The Penguin Century of Australian Stories
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: Fiction Focus : New Titles for Teenagers , vol. 14 no. 3 2000; (p. 32-33)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
CoverNotes
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sunday Age , 26 March 2000; (p. 11)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story ; Fetish 1999 single work novel -
Omnibus Had Room for More
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 25-26 March 2000; (p. 11)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
Tales You Win
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 18 April vol. 118 no. 6220 2000; (p. 118)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
Century of Story
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 15 April 2000; (p. 20)
— Review of The Penguin Century of Australian Stories 2000 anthology short story -
A Century of Australian Stories
2000
single work
criticism
biography
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 18 March 2000; (p. 22) -
[Review] The Penguin Century of Australian Stories
Sian Prior
(interviewer),
2000
single work
criticism
biography
interview
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , May no. 220 2000; (p. 42-44)