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Heat and Light

First Nations Classics
3.79 goodreads logo

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( 1,257 ratings, 185 reviews)
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
Heat and Light by Ellen van Neerven and Alison Whittaker is a rich tapestry composed of interconnected stories exploring the experiences of Aboriginal Australians. These stories delve into themes of identity, connection to land, and the legacy of colonial history. Through compelling narratives and vivid imagery, the book offers a multifaceted perspective on contemporary Indigenous life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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 like this book if you enjoy a powerful blend of poetry and fiction that explores deeply personal and political themes. It offers a rich narrative with strong, evocative language and a unique perspective on identity and culture. If you're drawn to storytelling that challenges conventions and speaks to contemporary issues, this book may be a great fit for you.

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The ground-breaking work of fiction that launched the stellar career of award-winning author and poet Ellen van Neerven.

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

Ellen van Neerven's award-winning collection of stories was inspired by the elements and is exceptionally imaginative and varied.

In this award-winning work of fiction, Ellen van Neerven leads readers on a journey that is mythical, mystical, and still achingly real.

Over three parts, van Neerven takes traditional storytelling and gives it a unique, contemporary twist. In Heat, we meet several generations of the Kresinger family and the legacy left by the mysterious Pearl. In Water, a futuristic world is imagined and the fate of a people threatened. In Light, familial ties are challenged and characters are caught between a desire for freedom and a sense of belonging.

Heat and Light is an intriguing collection that heralded the arrival of a major new talent in Australian writing.

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?

Heat and Light is praised as a breathtaking work of art, with significant content and beautiful, clever writing, highlighting its appeal to readers. The book is also celebrated as a stunning debut from Ellen van Neerven, showcasing immense potential.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780702265990

Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 May 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: University of Queensland Press

Edition: 2nd ed.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 260

About the Author

Ellen van Neerven is an award-winning writer of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage. Ellen's first book, Heat and Light, was the recipient of the David Unaipon Award, the Dobbie Literary Award and the NSW Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize. They are the author of two poetry collections- Comfort Food, which was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards Kenneth Slessor Prize; and Throat, which won the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, the Multicultural NSW Award and Book of the Year in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. Ellen's first non-fiction book is Personal Score.

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  • Fire Front
    Curated and introduced by Alison Whittaker, Fire Front is a ground-breaking anthology of First Nations poetry showcasing some of the brightest new stars, as well as leading Aboriginal writers and poets including Bruce Pascoe, Ali Cobby Eckermann and Tony Birch. This important anthology, curated by Gomeroi poet and academic Alison Whittaker, showcases Australia's most-respected First Nations poets alongside some of...
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    Irreverent and courageous, Throat is a fierce cry that fights to be heard. This is van Neerven's most powerful work yet. not in Aus, mate bad things don't happen here our beaches are open they are not places where bloodied mattresses burn Throat is the explosive second poetry collection from award-winning Mununjali Yugambeh writer Ellen van Neerven. Exploring love, language...
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    Curated and introduced by award-winning author Ellen van Neerven, Flock features luminous storytelling from leading Aboriginal writers, such as Tony Birch, Melissa Lucashenko and Tara June Winch, as well as some of the brightest new stars. This wide-ranging and captivating anthology showcases both the power of First Nations writing and the satisfaction of a good short story. Curated by award-winning...
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    In this award-winning work of fiction, Ellen van Neerven takes her readers on a journey that is mythical, mystical and still achingly real. Over three parts, she takes traditional storytelling and gives it a unique, contemporary twist. In Heat, we meet several generations of the Kresinger family and the legacy left by the mysterious Pearl. In Water, van Neerven offers...
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  • Unlimited Futures
    Unlimited Futures is an anthology of speculative, visionary fiction from 21 emerging and established First Nations writers and Black writers, reflecting visionary pasts, hopeful futures and the invisible ties between First Nations people and Black people. With works by Tuesday Atzinger, Flora A. Chol, Claire G. Coleman, Zena Cumpston, Lisa Fuller, Meleika Gesa-Fatafehi, Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes, Chemutai Glasheen, Genevieve Grieves,...
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  • Comfort Food
    Following on from the success of her award-winning fiction debut, Heat and Light, Ellen van Neerven announces herself as a talented poet with this assured collection. Moving between places and cultures, Comfort Food explores identity, sovereignty, and the restless quest for love. Using food as her inspiration, van Neerven offers a cross-cultural vision of the exotic and the familiar. This...
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