Born Into This

The remarkable stories in Born Into This are eye-opening, razor-sharp and entertaining, often all at once. From an Aboriginal ranger trying to instil some pride in wayward urban teens on the harsh islands off the coast of Tasmania, to those scraping by on the margins of white society railroaded into complex and compromised decisions, Adam Thompson presents a powerful indictment of colonialism and racism. With humour, pathos and the occasional sly twist, Thompson's characters confront discrimination, untimely funerals, classroom politics, the ongoing legacy of cultural destruction and - overhanging all like a discomforting, burgeoning awareness for both black and white Australia - the inexorable disappearance of the remnant natural world.

A debut collection that leaps from the starter's gate.' CATE KENNEDY

'Born Into This provides an honest, humorous and occasionally raw insight into the experiences of living in a country, and on Country, both shared and in contest.' TONY BIRCH

'Adam Thompson's stories from Aboriginal Tasmania are as beautifully written as they are evocative.' BOB BROWN

'Drenched in swagger and originality, the blows are head-on, but the comfort is swiftly delivered in the wit and delicacy of Thompson's phrasing.' TARA JUNE WINCH

'A compelling new voice, tough yet tender, from the heart of Aboriginal Tasmania.' MELISSA LUCASHENKO

'Adam Thompson is a world-class writer whose stories strike like lightning.' ELLEN VAN NEERVEN