This is the Grass
By (Author) Alan Marshall
Allen & Unwin
A & U House of Books
1st November 2012
Australia
Paperback
206
Width 111mm, Height 181mm
194g
This is the Grass is Alan Marshall's moving sequel to the much-loved Australian classic I Can Jump Puddles. First published in 1962, it tells the story of Marshall's adolescence, as he searches for work amid the rough and tumble of 1920s Melbourne. From Wallaby Creek in Donvale Shire where he boards with hard-drinking bushmen, to the slums of East Melbourne, his recollections bring to life a cast of colourful characters, each with his private tragedy. His narrative, encompassing the lived experience of ordinary men and women, is infused with Marshall's deep sense of humanity. Like its famous prequel, This is the Grass is a novel of immense courage, conveying rich insights into little-known aspects of Australia's past.
Alan Marshall is best remembered for the first book of his autobiography, I Can Jump Puddles (1955).