Cirrus@Austlit

'Cartwarra or what? Selected poems and stories is a compendium of Alf’s works that span several literary genres, and is representative of an older generation of Blak writers who were survivors of the Stolen Generations. His poetry and short stories have been anthologised and published in various collections, spanning a career of over 30 years. This collection delicately weaves together his past works for a new generation, in which not much has changed.

'This collection of stories and poems is, at best, raw, intermittently melodramatic, but always full of colourful, engaging characters imbued with playful humour and ironic storytelling. Alf seamlessly captures human frailty, in all its contradictions, and seizes upon ironies that coexist, merge and jostle for light and space in everyday Nyoongar life. Alf’s storytelling exposes the uncomfortable truths of alcoholism, separation from family, community and land, grief and the profound loss of identity on the everyday life of his Aboriginal characters.

'Alf’s stories and poems offer a vivid picture of the care, kindness and gentleness of Aboriginal families and communities and their enduring strength, resourcefulness and power.'  (Publication summary)

'In this unique and highly entertaining autobiography, Alf Taylor chronicles his life growing up in the infamous New Norcia Mission, north of Perth in the fifties and sixties. 

'At once darkly humorous and achingly tragic, God, The Devil and Me tells of the life and desperation of the young children forced into the care of the Spanish Nuns and Brothers who ran the Mission. Their lives made up of varying degrees of cruelty and punishments, these children were the 'little black devils' that God and religion forgot. Written with an acerbic and brutal wit, Alf intersperses dark childhood memories with a Monty Pythonesque retelling of the Bible, in which Peter is an alcoholic and Judas is a good guy.

'As a child, underfed, poorly clothed and missing his family, Alf sought refuge in the library in the company of Shakespeare and Michelangelo. He writes with joy about the camaraderie of the boys, their love of sport and their own company, but also notes that many descended into despair upon leaving. Most died early. Alf Taylor is one of the 'lucky ones'.

Source : publisher's blurb