Cirrus@Austlit

'From pioneer tales to urban myths, folklore expert Graham Seal has gathered some of the best Australian stories from around the country. Tall tales and true, these are the stories we tell ourselves over and over again. Australia has a rich tradition of story telling that reflects our unique history and experience. Great Australian Stories gathers some of the best of our stories from colonial times to the present, with bush yarns, tall stories, urban myths, and tales of the mysterious and downright weird. This is an Australia of down-to-earth realism, tragedy, and heroism, dry humor, an unexpectedly wide supernatural streak, and a strong sense of place. Stories feature cocky farmers, numbskulls like the drongo, bunyips, famous tricksters like Jacky Bindi-I and the world's greatest whinger, as well as larger than life real characters like the sad Eliza Donnithorne. With favorite yarns from around the country, Great Australian Stories is the most representative collection available of the stories we tell about ourselves. Graham Seal explains where the stories come from, and why even the outright lies reveal a truth of sorts.' (Publication summary)