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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'Elizabeth Jolley is one of Australia's most significant and best-loved writers, delighting readers with her acute observation of the world, her wicked humour, her compassion and her honesty. Learning to Dance brings together some of her most poignant short stories, essays and poems, and includes two formerly unpublished pieces. The recurring themes of her life and work are evident here: the complex relationships within families; homesickness and exile; intense love between women; the healing power of the land; the inevitability of loneliness; and the fragile nature of happiness.
'Together, these writings form something close to an autobiography. Above all, they are a celebration of Elizabeth's rich life and work.' (Publication summary)
Notes
-
Epigraph: True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
As those move easiest who have learned to dance.
(An Essay on Criticism, Alexander Pope) -
Publisher's note: Learning to Dance brings together some of [Jolley's] most poignant short stories, essays and poems, and includes two formerly unpublished pieces.'
Contents
- A Scattered Catalogue of Consolation, single work autobiography (p. 17-53)
-
Sisters
My Sister Dancing,
single work
autobiography
(p. 55-71)
Note: With title: Sisters
-
A Summer to Remember
Outlines and Shadings,
single work
prose
biography
(p. 73-77)
Note: With title: A Summer to Remember
- The Silent Night of Snowfall : Tales of Christmas Past, single work biography (p. 79-86)
- One Christmas Knitting, single work short story (p. 87-99)
- Paper Children, single work short story (p. 101-121)
- The Bathroom Dance, single work short story (p. 123-138)
- Black Country Farm, single work autobiography (p. 139-147)
- Motherhood, single work prose (p. 149-156)
-
Fairfields
Frederick the Great Returns to Fairfields,
single work
short story
(p. 157-176)
Note: With title: Fairfields
-
A Small Fragment of the Earth
Life's Colors Shimmer in Western Heat,
single work
autobiography
(p. 177-184)
Note: With title: A Small Fragment of the Earth.
- Orchard : The Landi"Sun stroked slopes", single work poetry (p. 185)
- The Pelican, single work short story (p. 187-190)
- At the River, single work short story (p. 191-206)
- A Tender Worshipi"When you came here", single work poetry (p. 207)
- Pear Tree Dance, single work short story (p. 209-218)
- Orchard : Pear Tree Dancei"All day the sun wrapped colour", single work poetry (p. 219)
- Only Connect!, single work prose (p. 221-224)
- Good Seasoni"It's like a quartet, the four seasons", single work poetry (p. 225)
- Bad Seasoni"My feckless neighbour fired", single work poetry (p. 227)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
-
A Jolley Good Show
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sun-Herald , 17 August 2008; (p. 11)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
No Place to Hide from the All-Seeing Eye
2008
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 5-6 July 2008; (p. 37)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
Promise of a Secret Life
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 22 - 23 April 2006; (p. 25)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
At the End of the Day
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , June-July no. 282 2006; (p. 8-9)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
Dancing Through Delights
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 13 May 2006; (p. 14-15)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose
-
Fine Farewell for a Great Leading Lady
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 8-9 April 2006; (p. 10)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
In Praise of Older Women
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 14-15 April 2006; (p. 23)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
In Short : Non-Fiction
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 22-23 April 2006; (p. 35)
— Review of A Man of Intelligence : The Life of Captain Theodore Eric Nave, Australian Codebreaker Extraordinary 2006 single work biography ; Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
In the Detail of the Telling
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 6 May 2006; (p. 9)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose -
Dancing Through Delights
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 13 May 2006; (p. 14-15)
— Review of Learning to Dance : Elizabeth Jolley : Her Life and Work 2006 selected work short story essay poetry autobiography extract prose