AustLit

Approaches to the history of Australian literary production have focused principally on London as the epicentre of Australian literary aspiration - the Mecca for colonial writers and the hub of their publishing world. London is the 'Crowned ogress' of Victor Daley's poem 'When London Calls', first published in the Bulletin in 1900, luring the innocent colonial writer with a siren-song of promises, only to corrupt, distort and ultimately discard. This London is seen as providing the necessary environment for the civilised and creative spirit as well as being the essential conferrer of literary success, indeed legitimacy. The phenomenon has been well documented, from Lawson's savage criticisms of the 'Paternoster Row Machine' through more recent accounts such as Stephen Alomes's book (using Daley's title) detailing the history of Australian expatriate writers. Also well documented has been the revival and expansion of Australian publishing in the 1970s. However, the emphasis on colonial fight-back has obscured a shift in literary engagement exemplified by the 1955 publication of White's The Tree of Man but which may have started many years before - a conversation with America that began almost unnoticed and whose roots and origins need exploration. This article demonstrates how pursuing a bibliographic paper-trail, following places of publication of Australian literary works, casts new light on the extent and nature of the publishing and reception of Australian works overseas and the reasons for that interest in and encouragement of Australian literature.