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Dancing Home

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( 75 ratings, 15 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
Dancing Home by Paul Collis is a poignant exploration of identity, community, and belonging set against the backdrop of an Indigenous Australian community. The narrative follows a man's journey home after a long absence, as he attempts to reconnect with his past and navigate through cultural and familial tensions. The story delves deeply into themes of reconciliation, resilience, and the enduring strength of cultural ties.
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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 enjoy this book if you appreciate stories that blend personal journeys with cultural exploration, offering a profound look into the complexities of identity and belonging. It features richly drawn characters navigating life's challenges, set against a backdrop that highlights the beauty and resilience of Indigenous cultures. If you're drawn to narratives infused with emotional depth and cultural insights, this might be a captivating read for you.

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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

'When he was in jail, he'd begun to prepare himself for the fight of his life, a showdown with the policeman, McWilliamsa. In Dubbo, he reckoned, he'd face life with death, and see who blinked first.'

Blackie and Rips are fresh out of prison when they set off on a road trip back to Wiradjuri country with their mate Carlos. Blackie is out for revenge against the cop who put him in prison on false grounds. He is also craving to reconnect with his grandmother's country.

Driven by his hunger for drugs and revenge, Blackie reaches dark places of both mystery and beauty as he searches for peace. He is willing to pay for that peace with his own life.

Part road-movie, part 'Koori-noir', Dancing Home announces an original and darkly funny new voice in Indigenous 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?

Dancing Home by Paul Collis is praised for its emotional depth, blending heartbreak, mysticism, and humorous elements. The book has been compared to an exhilarating road movie, with reviewers highlighting Collis as a vital and fresh voice in Australian literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780702259753

Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 October 2017

Country: Australia

Imprint: University of Queensland Press

Edition: None ed.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 225.0mm

Weight: 290g

Pages: 240

About the Author

Paul Collis is a Barkindji man, born in Bourke in far western NSW on the Darling River. Paul worked in Newcastle for much of his young adult life in the areas of teaching and in Aboriginal community development positions. He has taught Aboriginal Studies to Indigenous inmates at the Woromi and Mount Penang Juvenile Detention Centres and in Cessnock and Maitland prisons. Paul has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a doctorate in Creative Writing. He lives in Canberra and works as a Creative Writing academic at the University of Canberra. Dancing Home is his first novel and won the national 2016 David Unaipon Award for a previously unpublished Indigenous writer.

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    Now included in UQP's First Nations Classics series with an introduction from Samuel Wagan Watson, Dancing Home is part road-movie, part 'Koori-noir' from an original and darkly funny new voice. 'When he was in gaol, he'd begun to prepare himself for the fight of his life, a showdown with the policeman, McWilliams ... he'd face life with death, and see...
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