Joan London: Runaway Girls

Joan London is one of Australia's most celebrated writers; her work has been compared to the great stylists Shirley Hazzard, Alice Munro and Katherine Mansfield.

Like Hazzard, London writes about personal relationships during significant historical moments. Like Mansfield and Munro she has a flawless ear for human intimacies. Her first collection of stories, 'Sister Ships', won the 1986 Age Book of the Year Award, and was followed by a second award-winning collection, 'Letter to Constantine'.

London's version of 'Gilgamesh' tells the story of a young Australian girl who makes her way to Europe on the verge of the First World War in search of the father of her child. Echoing Gilgamesh's epic journey, London's story is concerned not with those who make history, but those who are left in its wake.

London's most recent novel, 'The Good Parents', begins with the disappearance of an 18-year-old girl on the eve of a visit from her parents. The subsequent story considers the parents' inner lives, beautifully illuminating the poignancy of escape.

Join this gifted storyteller in conversation with Elizabeth Alley.

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