'Now in its 37th year, The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award has become an institution. Awarded to an unpublished manuscript by a writer under 35, it has helped launch the careers of authors such as Tim Winton, Kate Grenville, Andrew McGahan and Gillian Mears. It has delivered a literary scandal in the shape of Helen Darville/Demidenko. And it has offered a fascinating window to the transformation of Australian culture and society across the past four decades.' (Introduction)