'Masculinist mythologies of the Anzac “digger” – the larrikin abroad, the soldier hero – have been crucial to the formation of Australian identity throughout the twentieth century. But the wartime experiences of Australian women, and their creative responses to military conflict, have often been excluded from the popular record. This has changed somewhat in the past two decades, with Australian women edging their way into the histories and public commemorations of war. In this context, the publication of Jan Bassett’s splendid and meticulously researched anthology of Australian women’s war writing is welcome.' (Introduction)
'Masculinist mythologies of the Anzac “digger” – the larrikin abroad, the soldier hero – have been crucial to the formation of Australian identity throughout the twentieth century. But the wartime experiences of Australian women, and their creative responses to military conflict, have often been excluded from the popular record. This has changed somewhat in the past two decades, with Australian women edging their way into the histories and public commemorations of war. In this context, the publication of Jan Bassett’s splendid and meticulously researched anthology of Australian women’s war writing is welcome.' (Introduction)
