Shadowboxing

A collection of 10 interlinked stories in the life of a boy growing up in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy in the 1960s, this beautifully rendered time capsule depicts a period of decay, turmoil, and change through innocent, unblinking eyes. Michael's family, led by his long-suffering mother, lives as though under siege, surviving his father's drinking and rage as well as the forces of urban renewal. Their neighborhood is a world of both simple pleasures and random brutality, of family life and love as well as violence and tragedy. As Michael experiences all this with a combination of wonder and fear, he matures into a sensitive adult who can forgive but never forget. A riveting portrait of loss and permanence, power and weakness, stoicism and resistance, these stories, written in a spare, understated style that carries a surprisingly powerful emotional impact, capture the essence of working-class life in inner-city Australia