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y separately published work icon Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature anthology   correspondence   diary   drama   essay   extract   poetry   prose   short story  
Note: General editor, Nicholas Jose.
Issue Details: First known date: 2009... 2009 Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'Some of the best, most significant writing produced in Australia over more than two centuries is gathered in this landmark anthology. Covering all genres - from fiction, poetry and drama to diaries, letters, essays and speeches - the anthology maps the development of one of the great literatures in English in all its energy and variety.

'The writing reflects the diverse experiences of Australians in their encounter with their extraordinary environment and with themselves. This is literature of struggle, conflict and creative survival. It is literature of lives lived at the extremes, of frontiers between cultures, of new dimensions of experience, where imagination expands.

'This rich, informative and entertaining collection charts the formation of an Australian voice that draws inventively on Indigenous words, migrant speech and slang, with a cheeky, subversive humour always to the fore. For the first time, Aboriginal writings are interleaved with other English-language writings throughout - from Bennelong's 1796 letter to the contemporary flowering of Indigenous fiction and poetry - setting up an exchange that reveals Australian history in stark new ways.

'From vivid settler accounts to haunting gothic tales, from raw protest to feisty urban satire and playful literary experiment, from passionate love poetry to moving memoir, the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature reflects the creative eloquence of a society.

'Chosen by a team of expert editors, who have provided illuminating essays about their selections, and with more than 500 works from over 300 authors, it is an authoritative survey and a rich world of reading to be enjoyed.' (Publisher's blurb)

Allen and Unwin have a YouTube channel with a number of useful videos on the Anthology.

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

This work has teaching resources.

Teachers' notes via publisher's website.

Notes

  • Launched in Sydney, New South Wales by Quentin Bryce, 30 July 2009. Followed by a celebratory event at Gleebooks, Glebe, New South Wales, 31 July 2009 and a one-day symposium, 'Australian Literary Futures', Dixson Room, State Library of NSW, 1 August 2009.

  • Launched by Clive James at Australia House, London, on 22 September 2009 and by Deputy Prime Ministher Julia Gillard at the Australian Embassy, Washington DC, United States of America, 7 October 2009.
  • Each entry is preceded by a short biographical introduction.

Contents

* Contents derived from the Crows Nest, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,:Allen and Unwin , 2009 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature : General Introduction, Nicholas Jose , single work essay (p. 1-6)
Aboriginal Literature, Anita Heiss , Peter Minter , single work criticism (p. 7-13)
Literature to 1900, Elizabeth Webby , single work criticism (p. 15-21)
Literature 1900-1950, Nicole Moore , single work criticism (p. 23-30)
Fiction and Drama from 1950, Kerryn Goldsworthy , single work criticism (p. 31-40)
Poetry and Non-Fiction from 1950, David McCooey , single work criticism (p. 41-48)
From : Journal of a First Fleet Surgeon, George B. Worgan , extract diary travel (p. 51-56)
From : A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson, Watkin Tench , extract prose travel (p. 56-60)
Letter to Mr Philips, Lord Sydney's Steward, Bennelong , single work correspondence

A letter written by Bennelong in 1796.

 (p. 60-61)
Letter to Brigid Kingdon, Elizabeth Macarthur , single work correspondence (p. 61-63)
From : A Voyage to Terra Australis, Matthew Flinders , extract prose (p. 63-65)
The Kangaroo Kangarooi"Kangaroo! Kangaroo!", Barron Field , single work poetry (p. 66-67)
Note: With title: The Kangaroo
The Native's Lamenti"Oh! Where are the wilds I once sported among,", Anonymous (fl. 1826) , single work poetry (p. 68-69)
From : The Hermit in Van Diemen's Land, Simon Stukeley , extract essay (p. 69-72)
A Swan River Ecloguei"Though the classical bards, to cajole us,", Anonymous (fl. 1830) , single work poetry (p. 73-75)
Jim Jones Jim Jones at Botany Bayi"O listen for a moment, lads, and hear me tell my tale,", single work poetry (p. 75-76)
From : Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia, Charles Sturt , extract diary (p. 76-80)
The Aboriginal Mother (from Myall's Creek) The Aboriginal Motheri"Oh! hush thee - hush my baby,", Eliza Hamilton Dunlop , single work poetry (p. 81-83)
Note: With title: The Aboriginal Mother (from Myall's Creek)
A Convict's Tour to Helli"You prisoners of New South Wales,", Francis MacNamara , single work poetry satire
For discussion of the various versions of this poem and the history of its compilation see Frank the Poet by Meredith and Whalen (1979). Several manuscript versions exist in the Mitchell library - ML MSS 7266, A 649, A 807 and C 967 (digitised copy: of this available)
 (p. 83-89)
The Convict's Arrivali"I am a native of the land of Erin, and lately banished from that lovely shore;", Francis MacNamara , single work poetry (p. 89-91)
Note: With title: Moreton Bay. Attributed to 'Anonymous'.
VIEW ENTIRE CONTENTS ( works)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Crows Nest, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,: Allen and Unwin , 2009 .
      Extent: 1504p.
      ISBN: 9781741754391 (pbk.), 9781741758115 (special ed. with slipcase), 9781741754407 (hbk.)
    • New York (City), New York (State),
      c
      United States of America (USA),
      c
      Americas,      :       W. W. Norton ,       2009 .
      Alternative title: The Literature of Australia
      Extent: 1v.p.
      Note/s:
      • Introduction by Tom Keneally.
      ISBN: 9780393072617 (clothbound), 9780393934663 (pbk.)
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Related Works

y separately published work icon Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature Anita Heiss (editor), Peter Minter (editor), Nicholas Jose (editor), Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2008 Z1483175 2008 anthology poetry drama prose correspondence criticism extract (taught in 19 units)

'An authoritative survey of Australian Aboriginal writing over two centuries, across a wide range of fiction and non-fiction genres. Including some of the most distinctive writing produced in Australia, it offers rich insights into Aboriginal culture and experience...

'The anthology includes journalism, petitions and political letters from both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as major works that reflect the blossoming of Aboriginal poetry, prose and drama from the mid-twentieth century onwards. Literature has been used as a powerful political tool by Aboriginal people in a political system which renders them largely voiceless. These works chronicle the ongoing suffering of dispossession, but also the resilience of Aboriginal people across the country, and the hope and joy in their lives.' (Publisher's blurb)
y separately published work icon Macquarie Pen Anthology of Australian Literature Teaching Guide Anita Heiss , Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2009 15483667 2009 anthology website criticism

'The Teaching Guide is designed to accompany the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature. It comprises ten units framed around concepts that focus on a range of themes, ideas and issues, for lower, middle and upper secondary English students. It is supplemented by a range of film clips and other resources.

'While the Teaching Guide is designed specifically for secondary teachers and students, tertiary teachers will find useful questions and ideas within these units that could be used with their classes. The focus statements for each of the ten units along with the list of suggested texts provide ideas that could be adapted for discussion or assignment work at tertiary level.'  (Publication summary)
VIEW ALL RELATED WORKS (2)

Works about this Work

Positioning Asian Australian Writing : A Study of Three Australian Literary Anthologies Wan Nur Madiha Ramlan , Maimunah Abdul Kadir , 2021 single work criticism
— Appears in: Asiatic , June vol. 15 no. 1 2021; (p. 183–201)

'This paper examines three anthologies of Australian literature: The Oxford Anthology of Australian Literature (1985), The Macmillan Anthology of Australian Literature (1990), and Macquarie PEN The Anthology of Australian Literature (2010). It focusses on the politics of inclusion in anthology-making and the mechanics surrounding theme, perception, and ideology about literature as a reflection of a nation’s culture and identity. The increasing popularity of Asian Australian writing in recent years has raised concerns about how it is perceived as part of the national literary tradition that is a relatively white space. Not much is discussed about how Asian Australian writing appears in anthologies despite increasing critical attention given to them as a literary genre. Informed by Asian Australian studies and anthology criticism, this study charts the trends in the inclusion of Asian Australian writing and how it is posited within the larger national canon.' (Publication abstract)
The Power and Purpose of Literature : Boisbouvier Oration 2018 Alexis Wright , 2018 single work essay
— Appears in: Meanjin , Summer vol. 77 no. 4 2018; (p. 209-218)

'I thought I would begin this talk about the power and purpose of literature by talking about my 1998 book Take Power. The title came from a Gurindji Elder while telling the story of the ten-year battle his people fought against Vestey’s, a British pastoral company that owned the Wave Hill pastoral property in the north-west of the Northern Territory, when in 1966, 200 Gurindji, the traditional landowners, walked off the cattle station where they worked on their stolen lands because of the harsh treatment they were receiving from the management of the pastoral property. Vincent Lingiari, who led his people off Wave Hill, said: ‘We can’t go back to that Vestey’s. Vestey’s been treating me like a walagu (dog). Make mefella worry.’ The Gurindji kept telling their story straight, and eventually they achieved land rights over part of their traditional lands.' (Introduction)
New Cultural Landscapes : Australian Narratives in Literature and Film Eduardo Marks de Marques , Anelise R. Corseuil , 2016 single work criticism
— Appears in: Ilha Do Desterro : A Journal of English Language , vol. 69 no. 2 2016; 'Australia. Terra Australis Incognita. Even before its official finding by Captain James Cook in 1770, the “land down under” already circulated in the European imagination. The giant mass of land necessary to balance a flat Earth (as antipodal to Europe) could only be home to a great many monstrous fauna and flora, as it was also the cultural counterpart to Europe. However, giant one-eyed monsters and sea serpents were not found by Captain Cook upon his arrival on Botany Bay, now part of Sydney. By declaring the land terra nullius, Cook ignored the many Aboriginal communities that had lived in Australia for over 75,000 years and such act has given way to one of the core elements in the development of Australian culture and history: the relationship between whites and Aborigines in the development of the nation.' (Introduction)
Respecting Protocols for Representing Aboriginal Cultures Jared Thomas , 2014 single work criticism
— Appears in: JASAL , vol. 14 no. 3 2014; 'This essay undertakes a detailed discussion of how respecting protocols for representing Indigenous cultures supports the interests of Indigenous communities and producers of stories with Indigenous content. To highlight the importance of Indigenous protocols I review the prominence and reception of Aboriginal stories in Australian film and literature and discuss how protocol guidelines can prevent problematic representations. I demonstrate how protocols influenced writing Calypso Summer (2014), a novel exploring issues relating to my cultural group, the Nukunu, to illustrate the challenges encountered and benefits gained from employing Indigenous representation protocols. ' (Author's introduction)
An “Infinitely Flexible” Space : Reading Michael Dransfield’s “Courland Penders” Poems through the Neobaroque and Dobrez’s Theory of “The Pouch” Michael Farrell , 2013 single work criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 73 no. 1 2013; (p. 138-154)

This essay 'seeks to find new ways to address Australian poetry, through the example of Michael Dransfield, a controversially significant poet.' (139)
A Guide to Discovering Texts for Our Times Bruce Bennett , 2009 single work review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 1 August 2009; (p. 13)
— Review of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature 2009 anthology correspondence diary drama essay extract poetry prose short story
There's Life in the Corpus Yet Ivor Indyk , 2009 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian Literary Review , August vol. 4 no. 7 2009; (p. 6-7)
— Review of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature 2009 anthology correspondence diary drama essay extract poetry prose short story
Timely Cure for an Identity Crisis Peter Pierce , 2009 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 8-9 August 2009; (p. 28-29) The Age , 15 August 2009; (p. 21)
— Review of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature 2009 anthology correspondence diary drama essay extract poetry prose short story
Obscuring the Heritage: Regrettable Omissions in the New National Anthology Peter Craven , 2009 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , September no. 314 2009; (p. 7-8)
— Review of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature 2009 anthology correspondence diary drama essay extract poetry prose short story
Dream Time Fiona Gruber , 2010 single work review
— Appears in: The Times Literary Supplement , 5 February no. 5575 2010; (p. 12-13)
— Review of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature 2009 anthology correspondence diary drama essay extract poetry prose short story
Undercover Susan Wyndham , 2009 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 4-5 July 2009; (p. 26)
Australian Literature and the Missing Body Nicholas Jose , 2009 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , July-August no. 313 2009; (p. 22-24) 'The general editor of a major new anthology describes its genesis and scope.' (Editor's abstract)
All Our Own Work Nicholas Jose , 2009 single work column
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 25-26 July 2009; (p. 10-11)
Undercover Susan Wyndham , 2009 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 25-26 July 2009; (p. 30) A column canvassing current literary news including some brief comments about the launch of Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature and the results of the 2008 Prime Minister's Prize for History.
Anthology Honours WA Writers William Yeoman , 2009 single work column
— Appears in: The West Australian , 31 July 2009; (p. 9)
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Awards

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