GERALD MURNANE was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1939. He spent part of his childhood in country districts in the State of Victoria but returned to Melbourne in 1949 and has never since left. During his working life he was at various times an editor and a teacher, and at his retirement he was senior lecturer in fiction writing at Deakin University. He is the author of seven highly praised books of fiction, and in 1999 he received the prestigious Patrick White Literary Award.
"Murnane's Australianness comes through most clearly in The Plains
-- considered his masterpiece by many -- which follows an artist
seeking patronage from wealthy landowners in a mysterious frontier
town, hoping to film the unfilmable secrets of the titular
landscape."--Debra Adelaide "New York Times"
"The Plains are a vast place inhabited by wealthy landowners whose
prime obsession seems to be preserving history by 'shaping from
uneventful days in a flat landscape the substance of myth.' A
film-maker arrives to record aspects of their heritage, discovering
symbols, stories and parables that transcend spiritual, political
or cultural purposes; even the rugged patriarchy of their world is
somehow illusory. Deeply mysterious yet grounded in familiar,
everyday detail, this novel is an alchemical miracle, converting
vision into pure narrative. A stunning achievement . . ."--Debra
Adelaide "Sydney Morning Herald"
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