A new collection of essays entitled What have the French ever done for us? French contributions to Australia’s cultural life (Wakefield Press, edited by John West-Sooby) has just been published!
What have the French done for the cultural life of Australia, but also more globally? That is the question addressed by the essays in this volume, penned by eminent experts in their fields. The notion that France is synonymous with ‘culture’ seems deeply entrenched in our collective imaginary. But what does that really mean? By shining a light on a representative (but by no means exhaustive) range of French cultural phenomena and examining their legacy, in Australia and beyond, this volume seeks to foster a more nuanced understanding of France’s cultural impact. In so doing, it aims to go beyond the clichés – in short, to help separate the myth from the reality.
John West-Sooby is Professor of French Studies at the University of Adelaide. He is the co-editor of the books ‘Roaming Freely Throughout the Universe’: Nicolas Baudin’s voyage to Australia and the pursuit of science, The Art of Science: Nicolas Baudin’s voyagers 1800-1804 and Encountering Terra Australis: The Australian voyages of Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders.
Contents
On Language – Roly Sussex
On Diplomacy – Colin Nettelbeck
On Art – Christopher Allen
On Literature – Brian Castro, Françoise Grauby, Stephen Muecke
On Music – Emily Kilpatrick
On Cinema – Phil Powrie
On Books and Other Treasures – Véronique Duché
On Exploration – Jean Fornasiero & John West-Sooby
On Food – Catherine Kerry
On Wine – Jacqueline Dutton