Mallee Roots (Paperback)

Bill Hampel

ISBN 10: 1760416622 / ISBN 13: 9781760416621

Published by Ginninderra Press, Charnwood, ACT, 2018

About this Item

Paperback. No chemist no bank no library even in primary or secondary school and no mains electricity until the writer turned fifteen. Some might say he was disadvantaged. But from the perspective of some city children today he was far from being deprived.Mallee Roots is an account of the rich community culture of Walpeup a small remote Mallee town in the years 1942 to 1956. Isolated from bigger centres by gravel roads and distance life demanded a high degree of interdependence and sharing. Occasionally it was in grief but regularly in fun. Until he left the author encountered no apparent differences in status or wealth. He found plenty of things to do and boundless opportunity to get into trouble but later to work side by side with adults and become more responsible.As well as describing his relationships with townspeople and farmers the writer paints an affectionate picture of a father who was always on his childrens side. For the mother life brought fewer rewards in the town and before that during the Depression on a struggling farm with no domestic amenities.To compensate for the routines of school life the author caused more mischief than is reasonable but not enough to prevent completion of high school and his departure ultimately to train teachers like those he gave so much grief. Funny informative Mallee Roots gives a unique view of community strength something now not always attainable. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781760416621

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mallee Roots (Paperback)
• Publisher: Ginninderra Press, Charnwood, ACT
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1760416622
• ISBN 13: 9781760416621
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

No chemist, no bank, no library, even in primary or secondary school, and no mains electricity until the writer turned fifteen. Some might say he was disadvantaged. But from the perspective of some city children today he was far from being deprived.

Mallee Roots is an account of the rich community culture of Walpeup, a small, remote Mallee town in the years 1942 to 1956. Isolated from bigger centres by gravel roads and distance, life demanded a high degree of interdependence and sharing. Occasionally it was in grief but regularly in fun. Until he left, the author encountered no apparent differences in status or wealth. He found plenty of things to do and boundless opportunity to get into trouble, but later, to work side by side with adults and become more responsible.

As well as describing his relationships with townspeople and farmers, the writer paints an affectionate picture of a father who was always on his children's side. For the mother, life brought fewer rewards in the town and before that, during the Depression on a struggling farm with no domestic amenities.

To compensate for the routines of school life, the author caused more mischief than is reasonable but not enough to prevent completion of high school and his departure, ultimately to train teachers like those he gave so much grief.

Funny, informative, Mallee Roots gives a unique view of community strength, something now not always attainable.