In the library where I work there is a very small selection of Australian literature volumes, all grouped within a specific alpha-numeric classification number.  No more than two shelves worth in a larger range of English language works, these volumes have provided me with more than a few hours of interesting reading, some of which I have shared on this site.  Patrick White, Thomas Keneally, and David Malouf are the three authors most heavily represented, but there are a few from more obscure writers.  Henry Handel Richardson is the author of only one book in the minuscule group, Ultima Thule, which I picked up last week for a read.  At first I was discouraged when I noted it was the third volume of a trilogy (and of course our library does not have the first two) but once I began it I was fascinated.  This is a sad and poignant ending to the story of Dr. Richard Mahony, a proud, private man who is not very likeable to someone who just meets him in the beginning of this particular book.  Without reference to the first two installments of Mahony’s story, I found his downward spiral from a once prosperous physician to a  penniless lunatic interesting primarily from the author’s use of varying points of view.  The narrative is in the third person throughout, but sometimes from the point of view of Mahony, sometimes from the point of view of his long suffering wife Mary, and sometimes from the point of view of his young son Cuffy.  It is interesting to read an early twentieth century work that deals so frankly with mental illness, but especially when considering the description of the father’s decline as it affects his young son.  The emotions that Cuffy feels from affection, to horror, to loathing, and finally to profound loss for his father ring as true as any story I have ever read.  This is a sad book, and I would not recommend it to anyone who desires a light read and an escape, but its obvious it deserves high placement in the catalog of Australian literature, even in a library with such a pitifully small selection as my own!

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Great to see a relatively unknown Australian author on the shelves of an American library! Alas Mosman does not hold any of his works! A great shame as I'm interested to read this. Shall put it on the never ending 'to read' list.

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