The Songlines
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Published:3rd Dec '98
£10.99
Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.
'Extraordinary - a remarkable and satisfying book' Observer
Bruce Chatwin provides a fascinating background to indigenous Australian life.
The songlines are the invisible pathways that criss-cross Australia, tracks connecting communities and following ancient boundaries.
Bruce Chatwin provides a fascinating background to indigenous Australian life.
The songlines are the invisible pathways that criss-cross Australia, tracks connecting communities and following ancient boundaries. Along these lines, Aboriginals passed the songs which revealed the creation of the land and the secrets of its past. In this magical account, Chatwin recalls his travels across the length and breadth of Australia seeking to find the truth about the songs and unravel the mysteries of their stories.
That Chatwin is one of the most distinct and original writers we have is confirmed by the publication of another quite remarkable book -- Nicholas Shakespeare
The songlines emerge as invisible pathways connecting up all over Australia: ancient tracks made of songs which tell of the creation of the land. The Aboriginals' religious duty is ritually to travel the land, singing the Ancestors' songs: singing the world into being afresh. The Songlines is one man's impassioned song -- David Sexton * Sunday Telegraph *
Chatwin is not simply describing another culture; he is also making cautious assertions about human nature. Towards the end of his life Sartre wondered why people still write novels; had he read Chatwin's he might have found new excitement in the genre -- Edmund White * Sunday Times *
Chatwin delves into aspects of landscape that are beyond road signs and highways, and into a way of living that is entirely alien to the average European… those who are open to a bit of a wander will adore it * Evening Herald *
ISBN: 9780099769910
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 18mm
Weight: 213g
304 pages