Faces in the Street (novel)
Media release, December 1, 2006
<Head>What school didn't teach you about Louisa and Henry
Lawson
<Sub-head> Australian drought, terrorism, sedition, corruption,
insanity, love affairs
(For background to the unknown Lawson and his mother, read
http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/unknown_henry_lawson.html).
Faces in the Street, by Pip Wilson; 585pp,
paperback, perfect bound, 2nd edition 2006; ISBN 1430300213
'Faces in the Street' (http://www.boilingbilly.com), this summer's big novel by NSW
author Pip Wilson, will surprise and perhaps even upset many Australians. The
book reveals a well-researched Henry Lawson vastly different from the usual
portrayal of him as a bush character with a billy-can. This is fair dinkum city
Lawson.
'Faces in the Street' is a 585-page, eye-opening yarn about Henry Lawson, his
suffragette mother, Louisa Lawson, their struggles, loves and relationships with
famous Australians.
Henry Lawson's associations with the drought of the early 1890s, literature,
alcoholism, political corruption, racism, insanity and Australian terrorism are
all explored, with meticulous research behind the extraordinary tale, yet with
more than a swag of humour.
"Good stuff – experientially, politically, anecdotally, stylistically,
narratively, romantically, alcoholically. What more can one say?" So wrote
Douglas Houston, PhD, co-editor of the Oxford Good Fiction Guide, of this
book.
Who would have known till this book came out, for example, that Henry Lawson may
be found in the 1901 UK Census living with a much younger woman, while his wife
was in a London mental hospital? Author Pip Wilson discovered this in his year
of research and is the first to write about it.
Wilson contends that not only has Henry Lawson's mother ('Mother of Women's
Suffrage') been almost forgotten despite helping to win women the vote
worldwide, but also the true Henry Lawson has been neglected, turned into
something of a swagman, although he spent almost his entire adult life in Sydney
and London, mixing with radicals, bohemians and activists – even the occasional
terrorist, and a swag of anarchists.
" ... an examination of two humans who love one another, but are so different
that their life is a roller-coaster ride. An extraordinary story, by an
extraordinary man," wrote Anita L. Wynn, American poet and author.
The novel's cover announces: "She struggled to get women the vote. Her son was
Australia's most famous writer. They drove each other crazy." And crazy they
were, both serving their time in ‘mental asylums’ as they were then known, as
did Henry’s wife and two brothers, and at least two of his bosses, including
Bulletin publisher JF Archibald and the corrupt publisher, NSW Parliamentarian
and probable murderer, John Norton.
More than this, however, here are Henry Lawson's relationships with many other
famed Australians, such as his brother-in-law, Jack Lang, (later Premier of
NSW), his lovers (including poet Dame Mary Gilmore and the mysterious Hannah
Thornburn) and his mates (such as Banjo Paterson). Of course, the book has the
likes of Billy Hughes (later PM of Australia, who, like Jack Lang, was printing
an anarchist journal in Lawson’s Sydney) and Henry's many talented Australian
contemporaries, as well as visitors to Australia such as Mark Twain, Archduke
Franz Ferdinand and Robert Louis Stevenson.
When Wilson gave a lecture on the Lawsons at Coffs Harbour City Library
recently, the interest ran so high there was standing room only and people
unfortunately had to be turned away at the door. Enzo Accadia, a Team Leader at
the library, said that the talk was "enlightening and entertaining, giving an
insight into an Australia and famous Australians who people think they know
about, but are so different in the light of Pip Wilson's research. He opened up
another world."
More background to Faces in the Street is available online at
http://www.boilingbilly.com. Reviews –
and the entire novel – may be read for free online and the novel purchased at
the lowest price via that website.
<Ends>
Note to editor: It would be very much appreciated if the website
http://www.boilingbilly.com could be mentioned.
High-resolution:
Front cover:
http://www.boilingbilly.com/images/faces_front_new.jpg (1,083 kb)
Back cover:
http://www.boilingbilly.com/images/faces_back_new.jpg (1,886 kb)
Medium-res:
Author Pip Wilson:
http://www.boilingbilly.com/images/pip_wilson.jpg (197 kb)
Pip Wilson is available for interview on (02) 6656 1809 or 0407 249 335. His
resumé is at
http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/resume.html
What's it about?
Henry Lawson's love affairs with Mary Gilmore and others.
Henry and terrorists, revolutionists and anarchists.
What was Mary Gilmore doing with a future Prime Minister and a bomb?
Louisa Lawson's struggle for women's rights.
Henry and his brother-in-law, Jack Lang, dodging the police.
Drought, unemployment and poverty, and Henry's long, hot tramp through the
Outback desert to Hungerford.
Lawsons in an earthquake in New Zealand.
Henry and his wife in London. His wife Bertha in a mental asylum.
Who is Lizzie Humphrey?
Henry Lawson meets Mark Twain.
Henry's tragic love for Hannah Thornburn.
Henry's criminally insane brother.
Louisa's descent into pain, violence, insanity.
Foundations of the Australian Labor movement.
Miles Franklin, Banjo Paterson, Billy Hughes, William Lane and scores of others.
Unusual origins of songs such as ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Dog on the Tuckerbox’.
John Norton (murderer?) and friends – outrageous parliamentarians.
The struggle for Federation and a republic.
New Australia: Mary Gilmore & 100s of Aussies in South American commune.
Poverty, rejection, heartbreak; Henry's suicide attempt.
Henry's decline into alcoholism and death.
Much more, and plenty of humour.
<Ends>
ISBN 978-0-9803487-0-5
