Rick Morton – författare

Violence, treachery and cruelty run through the generational veins of Rick Morton's family. A horrific accident thrusts his mother and siblings into a world impossible for them to navigate, a life of poverty and drug addictionOne Hundred Years of Dirt is an unflinching memoir in which the mother is a hero who is never rewarded. It is a meditation on the anger, fear of others and an obsession with real and imagined borders. Yet it is also a testimony to the strength of familial love and endurance.

Money makes the world go round, but does it make us happy?Money is one of the most fraught subjects; it raises powerful emotions in all of us. Too much money often corrupts people - too little can make people feel desperate. Growing up in rural Queensland, journalist Rick Morton has known poverty from the inside. Now he isn't poor, but his spending habits and attitude to money are still informed by growing up without it. In On Money, Morton examines the meaning of money and exposes the lie behind the government's mantra: have a go, get a go.

‘You will find in these pages a colourful and gripping pastiche that updates the experience outside Australia''s cities and large regional centres. You will find, despite the absolute variety in these essays, that there is still something ineffable about life in the country.’ -Rick MortonGrowing Up in Country Australia is a fresh, modern look at country Australia. There are stories of joy, adventure, nostalgia, connection to nature and freedom, but also grimmer tales - of drought, fires, mouse plagues and isolation. From the politics of the country school bus to the class divides between locals, from shooting foxes with Dad to giving up meat as an adult, from working on the family farm to selling up and moving to the city, the picture painted is diverse and unexpected. This is country Australia as you''ve never seen it before.With nearly forty stories by established and emerging authors from a wide range of backgrounds - including First Nations and new migrants - Growing Up in Country Australia is a unique and revealing snapshot of rural life.Contributors include Holden Sheppard, Laura Jean McKay,Annabel Crabb, Sami Shah, Lech Blaine, Tony Armstrong, Bridie Jabour, Jes Layton, Lily Chan, Jay Carmichael and many others.