PublishedHunter Pub., December 2015 |
ISBN9780994352828 |
FormatSoftcover, 112 pages |
Dimensions19.8cm × 13cm × 0.8cm |
Small Town Soundtrack continues Brendan Ryan's exploration of place and belonging that resonate in country towns. From the lives of farmers, abattoir workers, and dog walkers to the history of aboriginal dispossession; from a tour of the communities of the Mt Noorat Football League in Victoria's isolated Western District to moments of wonder on back country roads celebrated with gentle irony.
Here is a view of the country that is both contemporary and wry. Lyrical and rich in narrative power, Small Town Soundtrack is a collection that dismantles the idealised rural pastoral with an empathetic and incisive voice. 'In a tradition that includes Les Murray and Philip Hodgins, Ryan reminds us of the harshness of much country life . . . His poetry, with its unflinching portrayal of dairy farming and associated small-town life, is surely essential reading for inner-city cafe habitues.' Geoff Page, The Australian
