Ashley Hay – författare

No matter where you look in Australia, you're more than likely to see a eucalyptus tree. Scrawny or majestic, smooth as pearl or rough as a pub brawl, they have defined a continent for thousands of years, and they continue to shape our imagination.First Nations Australians have long known the abilities of the eucalyptus. And as part of the raft of changes wrought by the arrival of colonial Australia, botanists have battled in a race to count, classify and own the species – a battle that has lasted more than two hundred years.Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions is the story of that battle and of so many other eucalyptographers – explorers, poets, painters, foresters, conservationists, scientists (and engine drivers) – who have also been obsessed by these trees and who have championed their powers. Gum trees have been feted as a cure for malaria, as a solution for the drainage problems that defeated the Roman emperors, as the tree that could forest the Sahara, the tree that could divine gold.This new edition of Gum, from award-winning author Ashley Hay, is a powerful and lyrical exploration of these magical, mythical, medicinal trees, and the story of new worlds, curious people and big ideas.

'So poised and beautiful ... She can't write a bad sentence' Guardian'Melancholic, but in the best possible way' Lady'Exquisitely written and deeply felt ... a true book of wonders' Geraldine Brooks 'A lovely, absorbing, and uplifting read.' M.L. Stedman'Overflows with gratitude for the hard, beautiful things of this world' Helen GarnerIn 1948 in a small town on the land's edge, in the strange space at a war's end, a widow, a poet and a doctor each try to find their own peace, and their own new story.Anikka Lachlan has all she ever wanted--until a random act transforms her into another post-war widow, destined to raise her daughter on her own. Awash in grief, she looks for answers in the pages of her favourite books and tries to learn the most difficult lesson of all: how to go on living.A local poet, Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. His childhood friend Dr. Frank Draper also seeks to reclaim his pre-war life but is haunted by his failure to help those who needed him most--the survivors of the Nazi concentration camps.Then one day, on the mantle of her sitting room, Ani finds a poem. She knows neither where it came from, nor who its author is. But she has her suspicions. An unexpected and poignant love triangle emerges, between Ani, the poem, and the poet--whoever he may be.Written in clear, shining prose, The Railwayman's Wife explores the power of beginnings and endings - and how difficult it can be to tell them apart. It is an exploration of life, tragedy, and joy, of connection and separation, longing and acceptance, and an unadulterated celebration of love.

'I love Ashley Hay's writing . . . it's so poised and beautiful.' Guardian'A moving and lyrical story of marriage, motherhood and age. Highly recommend.' Cari Rosen, author of The Secret Diary of a New Mum (Aged 43 1/4)When Elsie Gormley leaves the Brisbane house in which she has lived for more than sixty years, Lucy Kiss and her family move in, eager to establish their new life. As they settle in, Lucy and her husband Ben struggle to navigate their transformation from adventurous lovers to new parents, taking comfort in memories of their vibrant past as they begin to unearth who their future selves might be. But the house has secrets of its own, and the rooms seem to share recollections of Elsie's life with Lucy.In her nearby nursing home, Elsie traces the span of her life-the moments she can't bear to let go and the places to which she dreams of returning. Her beloved former house is at the heart of her memories of marriage, motherhood, love, and death, and the boundary between present and past becomes increasingly porous for both her and Lucy.Over the course of one hot Brisbane summer, two families' stories intersect in sudden and unexpected ways. Through the richly intertwined narratives of two ordinary, extraordinary women, Ashley Hay uses her lyrical prose, poetic dialogue, and stunning imagery to weave an intricate, bighearted story of what it is to be human.

The annual collection celebrating the finest Australian science writing of the year.Why are Sydney’s golden orb weaver spiders getting fatter and fitter? Could sociology explain the recent upsurge in prostate cancer diagnoses? Why were Darwinites craving a good storm during ‘The Angry Summer’? Is it true that tuberculosis has become deadlier over time? And are jellyfish really taking over the world?Now in its fourth year, this popular and acclaimed anthology steps inside the nation’s laboratories and its finest scientific and literary minds. Featuring prominent authors such as Tim Flannery, Jo Chandler, Frank Bowden and Iain McCalman, as well as many new voices, it covers topics as diverse and wondrous as our ‘lumpy’ universe, the creation of dragons and the frontiers of climate science.