Backbencher

For my book review I chose "We of the Never Never" primarily because it was short (144 pages) and I could get it online for free (Project Gutenburg). The first thing I'd like to say is how difficult it was reading this book because I was not familiar with the dialog or writing of this person. I wonder if had I chosen a different book whether I would be feeling the same way.

The book begins with an introduction of characters with names I don't think I would be able to pronounce correctly even if I tried. There is the Maluka, or the boss, his wife, Jeanie Gunn (the author), and their trek across the bush land (the Never Never) of Australia. At first where ever they went, Jeanie would be ridiculed and criticized for going across the bush because she was a woman.

Essentially what happened is in the beginning the men of the station, where Maluka became the new boss, were very insecure about having a woman around them all the time. However over time and by working together, they managed to accept her and they each taught each other various things along the way.

There were many racist things written throughout the book, which reminded me of the difficult times our own country endured throughout slavery and the civil rights movement. The context the people are regarded in also made this a difficult read.

There were also a number of words I had never seen or even heard of before and I was wondering if a lot of it was slang or just part of the local dialect. If someone were to ask me if I recommend this book I would tell them it is hard to understand some of what is being said, but overall it is a very good and important to the understanding of people who lived in the Australian outback.