Alice's dreaming
An astonishing work of history about a girl and the Indigenous world she encountered
$38.03
- Paperback
384 pages
- Release Date
11 August 2026
Summary
Early last century, Alice Duncan-Kemp grew up on a remote Queensland cattle station. Later she would write down her childhood memories of learning from Aboriginal women and men at home on their own Country. In her books, she evoked a rich parallel universe of storytelling and lore, which she felt privileged to witness. She also spoke of an informal local treaty that curbed the violence of the frontier.
What are we to make of ‘Alice’s dreaming’ today? Master historian and writer Tom Gr…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781760646240 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1760646245 |
| Author: | Tom Griffiths |
| Publisher: | Black Inc. |
| Imprint: | Black Inc. |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 384 |
| Release Date: | 11 August 2026 |
| Weight: | 514g |
| Dimensions: | 28mm x 153mm x 234mm |
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Critics Review
‘In this wonderful book Tom Griffiths reveals how 60,000 years of First Nations history is intricately woven into the fabric of contemporary Australian values. Alice’s dreaming is a work of the greatest importance to our understanding of who we are. It is also great literature, an epic story told with imaginative distinction.’ -Alex Miller
‘History that carries the emotional force and creative imagination of the greatest fiction … Alice’s dreaming is at once biography, literary thriller and stunning evocation of Country and place.’ -Mark McKenna
‘When I read Alice’s stories they take me back to what we learned as kids. Her work is so important to us as a people, and to me personally. Everyone needs to know who this woman was and the legacy she left for us. That’s what Alice’s dreaming is about. I just love the way this book is written.’ -Mithaka woman Rainy McKellar
‘Alice’s dreaming is a vitally important contribution to Australia’s ongoing pursuit of more truthful and inclusive narratives about the country’s history. This elegantly written and deeply researched book offers a respectful yet searching examination of Alice Duncan-Kemp’s extraordinary life and work, while also honouring the Mithaka people among whom she lived.’ -Amitav Ghosh
‘A work of absolute wonder, every page radiant with insight and the enchantment of Mithaka Country’ -Grace Karskens
‘Alice’s dreaming is an engaging read right from the start … A must for readers interested in history told by voices often excluded from the past, the book is a celebration of a connection that remains relevant today’ -Books+Publishing
Tom Griffiths
Tom Griffiths is Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University. His books include The Art of Time Travel: Historians and Their Craft and Slicing the Silence: Voyaging to Antarctica. His writing has won prizes in literature, history, science, politics and journalism, including the Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History, the Alfred Deakin Prize for an Essay Advancing Public Debate and the Douglas Stewart and Nettie Palmer Prizes for Non-Fiction. His latest book is Alice’s Dreaming.
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