Road-writing with Writing and Cultural Studies lecturer, Delia Falconer
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Delia Falconer
The anthology features 29 stories. "I aimed to include as broad a set of experiences of being on the road as possible, concentrating on a diversity of travellers," Falconer said.
The stories included range from the classics, such as D'Arcy Niland's The Shiralee and Kylie Tennant's The Battlers to the contemporary, Robert Bropho's Great Journey of the Aboriginal Teenagers, which recounts a car-stealing spree across back roads and desert.
When compiling the anthology Falconer didn't encounter many bumps along the road. "It came together very smoothly. I've been interested in Australian writing and Australian space for years; in fact, one of the chapters in my PhD thesis (in English Literature and Cultural Studies) was on the Australian road - so in a sense I'd been putting in the groundwork for this collection years."
"I've written a long introduction to the anthology, which is a kind of survey of the road in our history and literature - that was an enjoyable challenge."
"I'm very proud of it. I really hope it introduces a new generation of readers to some of the gems of Australian writing - but also that it strikes a new chord with enthusiastic readers. I want them to think "Of course!" when they see our road writing gathered together," Falconer said.
Perhaps now Falconer can spend more time on the road. "My definition of perfect happiness is a hire car, my own company and the backroads of New Mexico or Wyoming. I spent a couple of weeks on the road in Wyoming and Montana researching my second novel The Lost Thoughts of Soldiers. I'm also in the middle of a passionate love affair with Japan - Kyoto is my favourite city."
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