Solid Bluestone Foundations (Paperback)

Kathleen Fitzpatrick

ISBN 10: 0522848230 / ISBN 13: 9780522848236

Published by Melbourne University Press, Carlton, 1994

About this Item

Paperback. New edition of a classic memoir with new Introduction, bibliography, biographical index and four new previously unpublished photographs.'Hughenden', the seaside mansion of Kathleen's grandparents, provided the 'solid bluestone foundations' of her somewhat peripatetic youth, offering her a haven of emotional security and material abundance. The puzzled observations and alert curiosity of a highly intelligent child are vividly recreated in these beautifully written recollections, which paint an evocative picture of middle-class life in Melbourne in the early years of the twentieth century.The divisions between her Catholic and Protestant grandparents, and the contrast between the dedicated civil servants on one side of the family and the energetic entrepreneurs on the other, are depicted with the sharp-eyed acuity of youth.Kathleen's mediocre schooling, the awakening of her feminist consciousness, her discovery at the University of Melbourne of her true vocation as a historian and her unhappy experiences at Oxford are major themes of her memoir.The book is greatly enhanced by Susan Davies' Introduction, family tree and other materials, offering valuable new insights and information for historians, those interested in women's lives, and scholars of Australian autobiography.First-time readers, as well as those already familiar with Solid Bluestone Foundations, will welcome this elegant new edition of Kathleen Fitzpatrick's charming recollection of an Australian childhood. These beautifully written recollections paint an evocative picture of middle-class life in Melbourne in the eary years of the twentieth century. The awakening of Fitzpatrick's feminist consciousness, her discovery at the University of Melbourne of her true vocation as a historian, and her unhappy years at Oxford are the major themes. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780522848236

Bibliographic Details

Title: Solid Bluestone Foundations (Paperback)

Publisher: Melbourne University Press, Carlton

Publication Date: 1994

Binding: Paperback

Condition: new

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

Kathleen Fitzpatrick's 'magnificent book of memories', as Manning Clark described it, is a classic work among Australian memoirs. 'Hughenden', the seaside mansion of her grandparents, provided the 'solid bluestone foundations' of Kathleen's somewhat unsettled childhood. The puzzled observations and alert curiosity of a highly intelligent child are vividly recreated in these beautifully written recollections. They paint an evocative picture of middle-class life in Melbourne in the early years of the twentieth century.

Major themes include the awakening of Kathleen's feminist consciousness, her discovery at the University of Melbourne of her true vocation as a historian, and her unhappy experiences as a 'colonial' at Oxford University.

About the Author:

The late Kathleen Fitzpatrick (1908-1990) was born at Omeo, Victoria, and was Associate Professor of History at the University of Melbourne. She was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, and in 1983 was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by her alma mater. Her forty-year correspondence with the late Manning Clark was published by MUP in 1996 as Dear Kathleen, Dear Manning.