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'At what point a foetus takes on the properties of a human individual is a knotty problem, but whether the answer be medical or metaphysical, it is unlikely to be precise. No such uncertainty affects the narrator of Thomas Keneally's novel. He springs into awareness at the instant a laser beam penetrates the womb to determine whether the configuation of his brain was all it should be: "It didn't happen violently and I suffered no shock. But the rose or weed of knowledge opened in my hand, and I, as it were, fingered all its petals." From then on the foetus has access to the reservoir of his mother's consciousness, sees through his mother's eyes, and yet cherishes his own quizzical and fiercely independent personality. With the detached resignation of an observer who recognizes he can do little to help, he watches as his parents' marriage founders, his mother is manoeuvred into a mental home, her rescue is secured by the enigmatic and gnome-like Warwick Jones and together mother, foetus and Jones flee to Australia. Until at last the foetus, not in utter nakedness, still less in entire forgetfulness, bursts upon the world it has surveyed for so long.' (Source: dustjacket, 1979 Collins edition)
Notes
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Dedication: To Trish Sheppard and Iain Findlay.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Irish Cultural Memory in Australian Writing since World War II
2000
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Irish-Australian Studies : Papers Delivered at the Ninth Irish-Australian Conference, Galway, April 1997 2000; (p. 224-232) -
'Our Dread of the Coming Society': Thomas Keneally's Fiction
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Country of Lost Children : An Australian Anxiety 1999; (p. 116-121) - y Australian Melodramas : Thomas Keneally's Fiction St Lucia : University of Queensland Press , 1995 Z565009 1995 single work criticism The first comprehensive critical study of Keneally's work. It concentrates on his novels, but also covers plays and non-fiction, and analyses the academic reception of Keneally's work.
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Untitled
1989
single work
review
— Appears in: The Good Reading Guide 1989; (p. 155-156)
— Review of Passenger 1979 single work novel -
The Passenger
i
"Little embryo, x-rayed,",
1983
single work
poetry
satire
— Appears in: Oz Shrink Lit. 1983; (p. 95)
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The Year of Writing Skilfully
1980
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , July no. 80 1980; (p. 51-54)
— Review of An Imaginary Life : A Novel 1978 single work novel ; Passenger 1979 single work novel ; The Year of Living Dangerously 1978 single work novel ; A Cry in the Jungle Bar 1979 single work novel ; 1915 : A Novel 1979 single work novel -
Audacious, Earnest and Instructive
1979
single work
review
— Appears in: The CRNLE Reviews Journal , October no. 2 1979; (p. 39-44)
— Review of Shalom : A Collection of Australian Jewish Stories 1978 anthology short story ; Passenger 1979 single work novel ; Bitter Bread 1978 single work novel -
The Resemblance of Things Past, Present and Future
1980
single work
review
— Appears in: Southerly , March vol. 40 no. 1 1980; (p. 120-124)
— Review of A Woman of the Future 1979 single work novel ; A Victim of the Aurora 1977 single work novel ; Passenger 1979 single work novel -
Untitled
1979
single work
review
— Appears in: National Times , 14 July 1979; (p. 36)
— Review of Passenger 1979 single work novel -
[Review] Passenger
1980
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 14 April 1980; (p. 17)
— Review of Passenger 1979 single work novel -
The Passenger
i
"Little embryo, x-rayed,",
1983
single work
poetry
satire
— Appears in: Oz Shrink Lit. 1983; (p. 95) -
'Our Dread of the Coming Society': Thomas Keneally's Fiction
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Country of Lost Children : An Australian Anxiety 1999; (p. 116-121) -
Making Connections : Art, Life and Some Recent Novels
1980
single work
criticism
review
— Appears in: Westerly , June vol. 25 no. 2 1980; (p. 61-75) -
Thomas Keneally's 'Innocent' Men
1981
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Literary Studies , May vol. 10 no. 1 1981; (p. 57-66) -
Thomas Keneally's Passenger and the Middle Voice
1980
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Literary Criterion , vol. 15 no. 3-4 1980; (p. 183-194)
Last amended 3 Jul 2012 14:29:37
Subjects:
- Asia,
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cVietnam,cSoutheast Asia, South and East Asia, Asia,
- Borneo, Southeast Asia, South and East Asia, Asia,
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