 First edition | |
| Author | Thea Astley |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Angus and Robertson |
Publication date | 1968 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 218pp |
| Preceded by | The Slow Natives |
| Followed by | The Acolyte |
A Boat Load of Home Folk (1968) is a novel by Australian author Thea Astley. [1]
The novel follows a group of passengers on a cruise ship docked at a Pacific Island as a hurricane approaches.
In The Canberra Times Liam Mason noted that the reader was able to sympathise with the novel's characters: "There is also an almost depressing realism in Miss Astley's resolutions of her characters' crises: the failure of a friend, the failure of a marriage, the failure of a priest, the failure (at the most trivial level) of a womaniser in a would-be seduction. For there is not necessarily any solution. Nor need there be a new start after the ritual of death and disaster." [2]
Michael Wilding, writing in Southerly found a lot to like about the book, but also had some reservations: "The precision of the writing, the spareness and clarity, are immediately appealing. But as the novel progresses the lack of any substantial content lets the writing drift towards the somewhat consciously fine, and the religious references—the recurrent calvaries, crucifixions and expiations, become obtrusive." [3]
Thea Beatrice May Astley was an Australian novelist and short story writer. She was a prolific writer who was published for over 40 years from 1958. At the time of her death, she had won more Miles Franklin Awards, Australia's major literary award, than any other writer. As well as being a writer, she taught at all levels of education – primary, secondary and tertiary.
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This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1960.
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This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1968.
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