Contillo; then a book by Dr Goldsworthy

I finished reading Tangara about Wednesday and am now well over half way through Contillo, another of my Leura book bargains. Contillo is a lovely gentle, understated read; so compelling though, as the characters are wonderful. Not outrageous, but ordinary and perfectly brought to life by Aitchison's writing. The book begins in an impoverished rural village in Italy just before the onset of WW2. Stefano Contillo is a farm labourer with an ever-increasing family. He emigrates to Australia so he can send money back to support his family. He misses the war in Italy but is interred in Australia. The book says little about that but says so much about other aspects of social and political life in Australia at that time. From the unionised steelworks and slums of Sydney to the rough, empty and rutted-roaded Queensland where Contillo goes cane-cutting. It's wonderful.

Dr Peter Goldsworthy (father of Anna, of Piano Lessons fame) featured recently in an article in a local rag; I think he's taking part in a Noosa Long Weekend culture fest. So I thought I'd see what he's written and there are at least a couple, from memory, maybe three, of his books on my list. Three Dog Night was available in the library so I will start with that once I have finished (and I will be sad) Contillo.