Books › My place
My place
First published 1987 · 50 pages
A time-traveling exploration of a single patch of earth, seen through the eyes of the children who called it home across two centuries.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like peeling back the layers of time, standing in one spot and watching the world unspool in reverse. The pace is steady and rhythmic, anchored by the recurring motif of a single fig tree that watches generations of children play beneath its branches. It carries a deeply poignant, reflective mood, balancing the innocent, everyday concerns of childhood with the profound weight of history, colonization, and the enduring spirit of the land. The prose is conversational and direct, shifting subtly to capture the authentic voice of a child from each passing decade. It will deeply resonate with readers who appreciate gentle, grounded storytelling that connects the intimate concept of home to the vast, sweeping changes of history.
- Mood
- grounded
- poignant
- evocative
- historical
- Tone
- earnest
- observant
- nostalgic
- reflective
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- connection to land · passage of time · meaning of home · childhood across generations · impact of colonization
- The writing
- Simple, direct, and conversational, shifting subtly to capture the authentic, everyday voices of children from different historical eras.
- The arc
- Moves from the familiar rhythms of modern childhood backward through layers of history, culminating in a quiet, profound reverence for the land's original custodians.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love history told through personal, everyday lenses and those seeking a gentle but profound exploration of how places change over time.
Content notes
- colonialism
- displacement of Indigenous peoples
- historical racism
- brief mentions of war
About the book
Depicts life in Australia at different times in its development by viewing one place in different years while moving backwards from 1988 to 1788.
"Originally published in Australia in 1988 by Collins Dove"--P. facing t.p.
Description from Open Library.
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