Cirrus@Austlit

'This engrossing collection presents the letters between six Australian writers in the years 1930–1957. The women discuss their work as writers, their political views and activities and the turmoils and banalities of their personal lives, in letters that are funny, serious, often beautifully written and at times breathtakingly honest and moving. From the early notes of mutual support to the rich correspondence of long-held friendships, these letters offer a unique and intimate perspective on these extraordinary women. At the same time, the collection forms a narrative and commentary on the literary, social and political events of these turbulent years that witnessed the Depression, the Second World War and the beginnings of the Cold War. Annotated and complemented by Carole Ferrier's background information and careful editing, this collection will be fascinating to anyone with an interest in Australia's cultural history.' (Publication summary)

'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.