Red Dirt Talking

Somewhere in the back of my head, as I've read more and more books set in Australia, there's always been a little question in the back of my head. Which RED DIRT TALKING has answered. Why can't we have more books written from the Aboriginal perspective? And what better way to look at that perspective from the point of view of an incomer to a remote outback community.

Set within community RED DIRT TALKING is having a red hot go at a heap of issues, and because of that, if you're looking for something that's a formulaic, straight-forward mystery, then that's not what's going on here. Although it could be argued that why it's taken so long for something this good, this direct, this clever to emerge... is a whole other sort of mystery.

Up show more front, I loved this book, so keep that in the back of your mind as you're wading through this review. There was something profoundly real about the way that Annie arrived in town with her agenda, her timeframes, her pressures and her ways. And in the way that her priorities were politely, gently, consistently... ignored. There's something about the way that outback communities work, their timeframes that oh so rang true and clear as a bell. Nothing overt, nothing cruel or vicious, but the message is clear - come to our land, our world then it's our rules, our timeframes, our priorities, and most importantly, our ways of respect and operating which prevail. A subtle reminder, but a reminder nonetheless.

Deliver those reminders and that pitch perfect observation of community and outsiders with some very dry, witty asides, but set it in the gloriously slow languid pace and you've got a perfect view of community life - warts and all. Add to that some excellent characters - from the crashing, frequently annoying Annie to the laconic Mick and the hilarious Maggot the garbo and the community and its inhabitants were so clearly drawn you could see them. There were also laugh out loud moments what with the games played with new arrivals (Toyota anyone), and the been there, done that nature of many encounters. There were also moments of great sadness and the stark reality of life, camp dwelling not being a particularly easy way of life.

The message from the mystery element of a missing little girl is there, buried in the overall story of the book and it's worth looking for. A couple of hundred years past, and still new in town, it strikes me there's a bit of Annie in a lot of us. Perhaps it's time to stop and listen, maybe watch and learn a few things from the old hands.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/red-dirt-talking-jacqueline-wright show less

This is a really interesting book. It's full of action, and yet nothing happens for ages. The languid pace captures perfectly the tempo of indigenous life in Outback Australia. Really, this is a literary achievement in its own right and the book is worth reading for that alone. The accuracy of the language and the authenticity of the many characters is another of Wright's achievements. The book is not without its minor problems, and they are minor. The plot goes in one direction and for hundreds of pages (in fairness, maybe that's intentional technique). And there are few small glitches that betray perhaps hasty editing ("breaking" for "braking" for example). Not that these are big issues. Truly, quite an achievement from a writer who show more clearly knows language is more than English. show less

A complex and entertaining Australian novel about a white woman who comes to an Indigenous community looking for information, only to find herself changed and involved in the concerns of the community.

Annie is a 40-year-old anthropology grad student seeking to conduct oral histories about a massacre that occurred in an isolated region of West Australia. Her plan is to gather the evidence for a paper to present at an academic conference. Her goal is to promote her own career and, she believes,to get UN recognition of the needs of Indigenous people. Initially she has no interest in gaining the community's respect or in listening to what they want to tell. Gradually she adapts to how the community functions and is drawn into their show more problems. Their search for for a young girl who is missing adds an element of mystery to the plot.

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Jenny chose this book from three books published by Fremantle Arts Press.
She found it on the website.
Jenny thought it had a beautiful cover, was cleverly written as it switched between first person and third person but had difficulty keeping track of the characters.
Lorita liked the idea of the book and also liked the cover. She found it difficult to read but had a good sense of place.
Jenny M loved everything about the book.
Wendy also loved it.
Sheena had not had the time to read it.
Enid thought it was a good read but confusing, not sure who was the most important character.
Nikki had not finished reading it. Confused re tense. Thought Mick was a good character.
Norriel thought it was a good mainstream book but not convincing. Author trying show more too hard.
Lynn had not had time to read it. show less