A Big Life

by Susan Johnson

Provides a subtle picture of an Australian artist coming to terms with his place, not only in the world, but also in the austere but still imperial Britain of the 1930s and 40s. Billy Hayes is an acrobat who wants a big life, to cast his own shape, if only he could work out how to do it.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1993

About the author

Susan Johnson was shortlisted for the 1991 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for her novel Flying Lessons, shortlisted for the 1994 National Book Council's Banjo Award for the novel A Big Life and shortlisted for the National Biography Award 2000 for her memoir A Better Woman. Her other books include Hungry Ghosts, Messages from Chaos, Women Love Sex (editor and contributor) and Life in Seven Mistakes. The Broken Book was shortlisted for the 2005 Nita B Kibble Award; the Best Fiction Book section of the Queensland Premier's Literary Award; the Westfield/Waverley Library Literary Award, and the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal Award for an Outstanding Australian Literary Work. Her last novel, My Hundred Lovers, was published in 2012 to critical acclaim.

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Reviews

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been many years since I read this but I loved how it rolled along, as befits a tale about a tumbler. A happy, rollicking ride of a book.