'When Mulanyin meets the beautiful Nita in Edenglassie, their saltwater people still outnumber the British. As colonial unrest peaks, Mulanyin dreams of taking his bride home to Yugambeh Country, but his plans for independence collide with white justice.
'Two centuries later, fiery activist Winona meets Dr Johnny. Together they care for obstinate centenarian Grannie Eddie, and sparks fly, but not always in the right direction. What nobody knows is how far the legacies of the past will reach into their modern lives.
'In this brilliant epic, Melissa Lucashenko torches Queensland’s colonial myths, while reimagining an Australian future.' (Publication summary)
Epigraph: 'You fool', she said, 'this is England.'
'I don't believe it,' I said, 'and I will never believe it.' - Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea
For Cec
'Melissa Lucashenko didn't want to write a book about First Contact.'
'This epic book traces the lives of two characters over two different timelines.'
'The latest novel from the author of Too Much Lip splits its time between the 1800s and 2024 and provides a masterclass in humour, flair and generosity'
'Edenglassie is the seventh novel by acclaimed Bunjalung novelist Melissa Lucashenko. Set in a brief historical window – a little-known interim of time and place after transportation of convicts had ended but before Queensland became an independent colony in 1859 – this narrative moves seamlessly between what whitefellas might call past, present, and near future. In this interface, Lucashenko creates characters that cause the reader to not only ask – what if? but also where to now?' (Introduction)
'A new novel by the Miles Franklin winner is always an event and her latest arrives at a tumultuous time in history'
Melissa Lucashenko Is the Poet Laureate of Ratbags
Michael Williams
(interviewer),
2023
26988655
2023
single work
podcast
interview
'Melissa Lucashenko writes about big ideas and brutal experiences, but she does so with grace, with generosity and – maybe above all else – a rich sense of humour. This week, Michael sits down with Melissa for a conversation about her new book, Edenglassie, and they discuss history, eccentric characters, and why writing a love story is a revolutionary act.' (Introduction)
Melissa Lucashenko on the Past, Present and Edenglassie
Astrid Edwards
(interviewer),
2023
27124038
2023
single work
podcast
interview
'Melissa Lucashenko is a Goorie author of Bundjalung and European heritage. She writes about ordinary Australians and the extraordinary lives they lead, and her latest novel is Edenglassie.
'Her first novel was published in 1997 and since then her work has received acclaim in many literary awards. Killing Darcy won the Royal Blind Society Award and was shortlisted for an Aurealis award. Her sixth novel, Too Much Lip, won the 2019 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance. It was also shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Stella Prize, two Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, two Queensland Literary Awards and two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
'Melissa is a Walkley Award winner for her non-fiction, and a founding member of human rights organisation Sisters Inside.'' (Production summary)
'Melissa Lucashenko didn't want to write a book about First Contact.'
