Malcolm by Leni Shilton

Malcolm by Leni Shilton'A dark verse novel full of the humanity of its author who also works in violence prevention programs and has a keen ear for the complexities of living without safety nets and certainty. Set in Melbournes underbelly, Shilton uses her expert grasp on the verse novel format to tell the story of Malcolm a seventeen year old boy whose mother is killed at the hand of his father. His childhood has been marred by this violence. After his mothers death,

and the offerings of another culture

The harder they pull away

Set in Melbourne’s underbelly

she creates a vivid picture of a truly Australian childhood in which country - ngurra is life itself

Eye-opening and compassionate

All the recipes are vegetarian

and connected lives

Ophelia again finds herself implicated in an investigation that will lead her to see beyond Pole's many illusions to the heart of a formidable truth

nourishing food with big flavours that I actually want to make

First published in 1968 and never out of print

There was no sense he was getting anywhere

When he thought of being the best