A Brief Take on the Australian Novel

From Jean-François Vernay, A Brief Take on the Australian Novel

offers a sweeping view of Australian writing since colonialism.

Written from an outsider’s perspective, this single-authored

overview will appeal to readers through its playful, jargon-free and

potentially contentious account of the Australian novel.

Vernay offers a unique and insightful perspective on Australian

literature. Like a film narrator, he speaks directly to the reader,

offering close-ups on particular works alongside panoramic views of

the literary landscape. One can imagine the reader as part of an

audience in a darkened cinema, absorbed in exciting action on the

silver screen.

Born to an Australian mother and a French father, Jean-François

Vernay grew up in New Caledonia’s multicultural community, which

shares some of Australia’s characteristics, including a convict

heritage and a complex history of settlement. Using Peter Carey

and Christopher Koch as a starting point, he has been researching

Australian fiction for 20 years and has published widely in the

field, both in French and in English. Dr Vernay is an energetic

critic, editor, creative writer and cultural commentator. His fiction

and non-fiction books have appeared in France, Australia and in the

United States.