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A Woman Of The Future

By David Ireland
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Woman of the Future by David Ireland is a visionary exploration of identity and society through the life of its protagonist, Alethea Hunt. Set in a speculative future Australia, the narrative delves into themes of transformation and existential reflection as Alethea experiences the complexities of growth and self-discovery in a world that challenges convention. This thought-provoking novel combines surreal elements with deep philosophical insights, capturing the essence of human experience.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$1799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate thought-provoking narratives that explore the complexities of human identity and society through imaginative and futuristic lenses. This book may appeal to you if you're drawn to richly detailed storytelling that delves into themes of individuality and societal dynamics.

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Introduced by Favel Parrett 'Mother's stomach bellied out like a sail. Young, she was unable to say no to anyone who asked her to make love. Her reasons for her behaviour were all her own; never, after she'd had me did she allow another man to enter her; my birth was her real marriage.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Woman of the Future, first published in 1979, was David Ireland's best-selling sixth novel and his third to win the Miles Franklin Award.

An imaginative tour de force, it is the story of the young life of Anthea Hunt - from conception to sexual awakening. It is controversial and brilliant, and unlike anything else in Australian literature.

Now published as a Text Classic, it features a new introduction from Kate Jennings.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Woman Of The Future by David Ireland is highly praised for its originality and clever wit, with Patrick White recognising the author's exceptional achievement. Manning Clark notes the book's exceptional observational skills, deeming it a rewarding reading experience.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922079824

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 21 November 2012

Country: Australia

Imprint: Text Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 286g

Pages: 404

Collections

David Ireland Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

David Ireland is the author of The Chantic Bird, three Miles Franklin Award winners - The Unknown Industrial Prisoner, The Glass Canoe and A Woman of the Future - and Archimedes and the Seagull.

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  • The Chantic Bird
    The Chantic Bird is the confession of a teenage anarchist, who combines contempt for contemporary society with a great tenderness and warmth for his younger siblings and for Bee, the girl who looks after them. The first of David Ireland's masterful novels, The Chantic Bird contains the same characteristic indictment of the bovine mindlessness of collective humanity, and the home-owning...
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  • The Unknown Industrial Prisoner
    On the shores of Botany Bay lies an oil refinery where workers are free to come and go, but they are also part of an unrelenting, alienating economy from which there is no escape. In the first of his three Miles Franklin Award-winning novels, originally published in 1971, David Ireland offers a fiercely brilliant comic portrait of Australia in the...
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  • The Fifth Step
    Nominated for Best New Play at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2026 The point is to divest yourself of shame. Anything that'll make you pick up a drink in the future. It's about getting clean. After many years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James agrees to become the sponsor of newcomer Luka. On the journey to sobriety, the...
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  • The Glass Canoe
    The Glass Canoe The Glass Canoe by David Ireland is a classic work of Australian literature. It centres around the pub—a refuge where male workers aggressively shelter from their wives, their work, and their everyday lives. This 1976 novel offers a graphic illustration of the alienation of labour under modern industrial capitalism, providing insights into the suburbs surrounding Australian cities....
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  • David Ireland Plays 1
    David Ireland Plays 1
    'Playwright David Ireland challenges people to draw lines between what they find funny and what they find outrageous' (Sydney Morning Herald). This first collection of plays by David Ireland brings together three of his most successful hits that have enjoyed numerous productions around the world, alongside two previously unpublished plays: Half a Glass of Water: 'The dialogue is brutal and...
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  • The Glass Canoe
    On hot days we jumped fully clothed into our bottomless beer glasses and pushed off from shore without a backward look. Heading for the deep, where it was calm and cool. Meat Man is a regular at the Southern Cross pub in Sydney. With his tribe, he sits and drinks and watches as life spirals around him. David Ireland's novel...
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  • The Extraordinary Life of the Wildlife Man: Death-defying encounters with crocs, sharks and wild animals
    "In my line of work, knowing when to obey fear and when to ignore it is often the difference between life and death." David Ireland has handfed bull sharks, filmed inside the jaws of a saltwater crocodile, looked into the black eyes of a great white shark, and felt the breath of a lion devouring a wildebeest. In working with...
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