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David Whish-Wilson’s Perth is a place of surprising beauty, of sand-swept peace and brilliant light, yet a place where the deeper historical currents are never too far beneath the surface. Like the Swan River that flows in two directions at once at certain times, with the fresh water flowing seawards above the salty water flowing in beneath it, Perth strikes perfect harmony with the city’s contradictions and eccentricities.
We look beyond shiny glass facades and boosterish talk of mining booms to the richness of the natural world and the trailblazers, the rebels, the occasional ghost and the ordinary people that bring Australia’s remotest city to life.
We look beyond shiny glass facades and boosterish talk of mining booms to the richness of the natural world and the trailblazers, the rebels, the occasional ghost and the ordinary people that bring Australia’s remotest city to life.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2013
12 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
David Whish-Wilson
23 books92 followersDavid Whish-Wilson is the author of eleven novels and three creative non-fiction books. He was born in Newcastle, NSW but raised in Singapore, Victoria and WA. He left Australia aged eighteen to live for a decade in Europe, Africa and Asia, where he worked as a barman, actor, streetseller, petty criminal, labourer, exterminator, factory worker, gardener, clerk, travel agent, teacher and drug trial guinea pig.
David is the author of four novels in the Frank Swann crime series and two in the Lee Southern series, two of which have been shortlisted for Ned Kelly Awards. David wrote the Perth book in the NewSouth Books city series, which was shortlisted for a WA Premier’s Book Award. His latest novel, Cutler, was shortlisted for a WA Premier's Book Award and the BAD Sydney Danger Award.
He currently lives in Fremantle, WA, with his partner and three kids, and teaches creative writing at Curtin University
David is the author of four novels in the Frank Swann crime series and two in the Lee Southern series, two of which have been shortlisted for Ned Kelly Awards. David wrote the Perth book in the NewSouth Books city series, which was shortlisted for a WA Premier’s Book Award. His latest novel, Cutler, was shortlisted for a WA Premier's Book Award and the BAD Sydney Danger Award.
He currently lives in Fremantle, WA, with his partner and three kids, and teaches creative writing at Curtin University
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 6, 2014
"Nothing happens here, nothing gets done, but you get to like it, you get to like the beating of the sun, the washing of the sun" - The Triffids
David Whish-Wilson takes a break from writing his locally set period noir and teaching creative writing at a local university to guide us through Perth as he sees it. This series of books from NewSouth Publishing is part history of a chosen city, part memoir, part travelogue, or at least that's how Perth turned out and I don't have any inclination to discover other peoples cities right now.
Are you from another city or another country and have an interest in what makes the most remote capital city in the world tick or the prevailing attitude of its residents? Perth just might be the book for you. Were you born here but find yourself overseas? Perth could well make you homesick enough to quit your job and fly home.
Whish-Wilson wasn't the first choice for covering my adopted home town but he does a better job than I could have expected, for the most part avoiding the trivialities and banal minutiae of being a local person writing about local people for local people whilst writing with a very obvious affection for his subject in an informative and engaging way. He's no Peter Ackroyd but very few are.
I consider myself a true Perthian in the same way David does and hundreds of thousands of others have done through the history of the city, I'm an outsider who has chosen to make his life in this massive urban sprawl/paradise on Earth. Through his words I share David's sense of privilege for knowing something of this place, feeling this place and for the quiet gravitational pull of this force called belonging and the pride he managed to evoke within me for our remote little outpost was fully unexpected. To put it another way, I now feel less of an outsider.
This book very briefly covers some fascinating local history that hadn't yet been explained to me in my six years in Perth, not just those Aussie Larrikins beloved of all popular histories either but features the local aboriginals, politicians and artists too and on the whole works so well as a primer for Perth history and lifestyle that copies should be provided to all new residents.
“more real depravity, more shocking wickedness, more undisguised vice and immorality is to be witnessed at midday in the most public thoroughfares of Perth, with its population of 1500, than in any other city of fifty times its population, either in Europe or America.” And in many ways this is still true today.
This is one of those times that finding a bibliography at the end was a welcome relief as my eyes were opened to some fascinating artists, writers and musicians that had not previously crossed my path or been dismissed as just another local writer for local people.
I would question the validity of the title of this work however as David, again like me, is a resident of Fremantle and his passion for Freo overshadows the rest of the work. This is where writing by local people for local people falls down, I may have enjoyed reading about David and his family fishing at my favourite beach but what of those local to the other 120000km sprawl of this city? Will the residents of northern modern harbour town Hillarys feel like they are reading about the place they inhabit? I agree that choices should be made for this sort of brief overview but allowing the work to become so Fremantle-centric is of detriment to the overall effect of the piece.
As is the fact that approximately half of the quotes used by the author were from local author done good Tim Winton, and not just because it demonstrates a lack of resources used, for me at least this kind of obvious authorial crush on such a widely feted fellow writer could just as easily have been offered by a high schooler who had just discovered literature. Perhaps my lack of affection for Timmy really does make me an outsider though? These are small criticisms of a book I took a great deal of pleasure from however.
David Whish-Wilson takes a break from writing his locally set period noir and teaching creative writing at a local university to guide us through Perth as he sees it. This series of books from NewSouth Publishing is part history of a chosen city, part memoir, part travelogue, or at least that's how Perth turned out and I don't have any inclination to discover other peoples cities right now.
Are you from another city or another country and have an interest in what makes the most remote capital city in the world tick or the prevailing attitude of its residents? Perth just might be the book for you. Were you born here but find yourself overseas? Perth could well make you homesick enough to quit your job and fly home.
Whish-Wilson wasn't the first choice for covering my adopted home town but he does a better job than I could have expected, for the most part avoiding the trivialities and banal minutiae of being a local person writing about local people for local people whilst writing with a very obvious affection for his subject in an informative and engaging way. He's no Peter Ackroyd but very few are.
I consider myself a true Perthian in the same way David does and hundreds of thousands of others have done through the history of the city, I'm an outsider who has chosen to make his life in this massive urban sprawl/paradise on Earth. Through his words I share David's sense of privilege for knowing something of this place, feeling this place and for the quiet gravitational pull of this force called belonging and the pride he managed to evoke within me for our remote little outpost was fully unexpected. To put it another way, I now feel less of an outsider.
This book very briefly covers some fascinating local history that hadn't yet been explained to me in my six years in Perth, not just those Aussie Larrikins beloved of all popular histories either but features the local aboriginals, politicians and artists too and on the whole works so well as a primer for Perth history and lifestyle that copies should be provided to all new residents.
“more real depravity, more shocking wickedness, more undisguised vice and immorality is to be witnessed at midday in the most public thoroughfares of Perth, with its population of 1500, than in any other city of fifty times its population, either in Europe or America.” And in many ways this is still true today.
This is one of those times that finding a bibliography at the end was a welcome relief as my eyes were opened to some fascinating artists, writers and musicians that had not previously crossed my path or been dismissed as just another local writer for local people.
I would question the validity of the title of this work however as David, again like me, is a resident of Fremantle and his passion for Freo overshadows the rest of the work. This is where writing by local people for local people falls down, I may have enjoyed reading about David and his family fishing at my favourite beach but what of those local to the other 120000km sprawl of this city? Will the residents of northern modern harbour town Hillarys feel like they are reading about the place they inhabit? I agree that choices should be made for this sort of brief overview but allowing the work to become so Fremantle-centric is of detriment to the overall effect of the piece.
As is the fact that approximately half of the quotes used by the author were from local author done good Tim Winton, and not just because it demonstrates a lack of resources used, for me at least this kind of obvious authorial crush on such a widely feted fellow writer could just as easily have been offered by a high schooler who had just discovered literature. Perhaps my lack of affection for Timmy really does make me an outsider though? These are small criticisms of a book I took a great deal of pleasure from however.
July 15, 2015
I love Perth, and found many interesting tidbits of history in this book. There are moments of beautiful prose, and moments that made me miss Perth deeply. There were several moments of "huh, that's interesting'. But there were many more moments of a) bafflement because the book is all over the place, b) irritation because the author's own perspectives of Perth are presented as fact, and c) confusion because I can't really figure out who the book is for, other than people who already love Perth. I bought this book for my sister before her visit to Perth, and I am very happy she read it whilst there and after visiting, as I don't think the book would have meant much otherwise. This is not a book for people who do not know this city.
As for the writing, Whish-Wilson is clearly a good writer, but the book lacks a coherent narrative arc. The attempt to organise it by the river, the coast, and the suburbs offers some logic, I suppose, but the book is really a mishmash of thoughts and musings of the author. Part memoir and part history book, for me the book just sat uncomfortably between genres. While many of the musings are interesting and some gave me new perspectives to ponder, there were just as many that were presented as features of Perth that I just plain don't agree with. Which would be fine if this book were pure memoir, but it isn't.
One minor point of annoyance related to the lack of a coherent narrative is the organisation of the book itself. As a reader, I would have preferred more consistent breaks in the text and more than three chapters. That could have helped with the book overall and made it more enjoyable as a reader. The author also spends ages describing works of art and works of fiction by others. In the case of the former, the book would have greatly benefited from including these works of art as pictures. For example, at one point I counted about 10 pages of text discussing a single painting. The intention was, I gathered, to use it to explain about Perth's history, but it was poorly executed.
I would recommend this book to people who are already familiar with Perth, and suggest they approach it more as a memoir than as a book about Perth.
As for the writing, Whish-Wilson is clearly a good writer, but the book lacks a coherent narrative arc. The attempt to organise it by the river, the coast, and the suburbs offers some logic, I suppose, but the book is really a mishmash of thoughts and musings of the author. Part memoir and part history book, for me the book just sat uncomfortably between genres. While many of the musings are interesting and some gave me new perspectives to ponder, there were just as many that were presented as features of Perth that I just plain don't agree with. Which would be fine if this book were pure memoir, but it isn't.
One minor point of annoyance related to the lack of a coherent narrative is the organisation of the book itself. As a reader, I would have preferred more consistent breaks in the text and more than three chapters. That could have helped with the book overall and made it more enjoyable as a reader. The author also spends ages describing works of art and works of fiction by others. In the case of the former, the book would have greatly benefited from including these works of art as pictures. For example, at one point I counted about 10 pages of text discussing a single painting. The intention was, I gathered, to use it to explain about Perth's history, but it was poorly executed.
I would recommend this book to people who are already familiar with Perth, and suggest they approach it more as a memoir than as a book about Perth.
February 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Not only because I've lived in Perth since I was born, but also because David uses such an ambulatory style to his book as if he was literally walking about the city and its environment.
I learned so much about what makes my home town what it is - from the rocks beneath to the people to the sky above.
I learned so much about what makes my home town what it is - from the rocks beneath to the people to the sky above.
April 17, 2016
The New South cities books are turning out to be a great little series. Quirky and well-written, you never quite know how each city is going to be presented, as one author's passions and eye for detail will be different from another's.
I particularly enjoyed Perth, as it was full of my favourite things - music, history, the river and Fremantle. To me, these sum up Perth's uniqueness. I try not to think about how beautiful the CBD would be with streets and architecture that would rival Melbourne if they hadn't been so wilfully and callously destroyed over the last seventy years - it's still happening and it makes me furious. Reading Perth is part balm to the sting; there's lots to learn, even if you've lived here for a long time and David Whish-Wilson writes well. I haven't read any of his fiction, but would do so happily if it's as entertaining as this.
I particularly enjoyed Perth, as it was full of my favourite things - music, history, the river and Fremantle. To me, these sum up Perth's uniqueness. I try not to think about how beautiful the CBD would be with streets and architecture that would rival Melbourne if they hadn't been so wilfully and callously destroyed over the last seventy years - it's still happening and it makes me furious. Reading Perth is part balm to the sting; there's lots to learn, even if you've lived here for a long time and David Whish-Wilson writes well. I haven't read any of his fiction, but would do so happily if it's as entertaining as this.
August 15, 2021
Read slowly, dip in and out, savour this book. A mixture of history, autobiography/memoir, and a love letter to a city that is as flawed as it is intriguing. A great way to get to know the city on the west.
July 19, 2019
One of the interesting aspects of the New South City Series is that the authors vary in their approach to the task. David Whish-Wilson has surveyed Perth by using the landscape as a catalyst for his observations and memories from the landscape, covered in four long chapters:
The River
The Limestone Coast
The Plain, and
The City of Light.
The book is also influenced by the author's current preoccupation with his family:
That expansiveness is in part due to Perth being 'one of the most sprawled (120km long) cities on earth.' It's a city very dependent on cars, and it's a bit startling to read that
It's disconcerting to read about their rates of homelessness too, not that Melbourne has anything to be proud of on that issue either...
Another issue that would be interesting to contrast with Melbourne has to do with the obsession with sport:
I wonder if that's true of Melbourne too? The area where I live has countless sporting grounds, and our local council (like most others, probably) spends a vast amount of ratepayers' money maintaining them and building infrastructure like stadiums, changing rooms, watering-systems and carparks, and as far as I can tell, there are never any complaints about this expenditure. Indeed, when it comes to voting for community grants, sporting projects win every time over anything else. As in Perth (with the exception of the golf courses because the wealthy play golf whenever they like) the majority of these sportsgrounds are play places for dogs during the week. But they are certainly used at weekends. Woe betide any pooch that strays onto a match in progress!
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/07/19/p...
The River
The Limestone Coast
The Plain, and
The City of Light.
The book is also influenced by the author's current preoccupation with his family:
Because my three children are relatively young, and because I spend so much time with them, it's natural that my experience of the city often revisits my experiences as a child. Down on the beach after sunset, I watch them settle as the colours on the horizon fade and they begin to sense the night's quiet ghosting, inhabiting the darkness in a way that's really only possible in a city like Perth, It's a city with presence, but balanced with an expansiveness that is perfectly suited to dreamers... (p.121)
That expansiveness is in part due to Perth being 'one of the most sprawled (120km long) cities on earth.' It's a city very dependent on cars, and it's a bit startling to read that
... to sustain an individual in Perth's current housing stock 'tales 14.5 hectares of land, seven times the world average. Western Australians, Saudi Arabians and Singaporeans share the increasingly dishonourable status of being the most unsustainable people on the planet. (p. 213)
It's disconcerting to read about their rates of homelessness too, not that Melbourne has anything to be proud of on that issue either...
Another issue that would be interesting to contrast with Melbourne has to do with the obsession with sport:
Perth's obsession with sport has literally shaped the character of the city. Some eighty percent of all open spaces within the city limits are sporting grounds, which are in turn used by only five percent of the population on very rare occasions. (p.250)
I wonder if that's true of Melbourne too? The area where I live has countless sporting grounds, and our local council (like most others, probably) spends a vast amount of ratepayers' money maintaining them and building infrastructure like stadiums, changing rooms, watering-systems and carparks, and as far as I can tell, there are never any complaints about this expenditure. Indeed, when it comes to voting for community grants, sporting projects win every time over anything else. As in Perth (with the exception of the golf courses because the wealthy play golf whenever they like) the majority of these sportsgrounds are play places for dogs during the week. But they are certainly used at weekends. Woe betide any pooch that strays onto a match in progress!
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/07/19/p...
March 15, 2021
Comfy reading for homesick expats. Poetic, nostalgic and often meandering, 'Perth' paints a pretty picture of a place I love. It helps me develop a deeper appreciation for a city built on land so deeply layered in histories that have left only the faintest of traces. A fine balance between memoir, historical event and personal observation, and examined through the lens of geology that forms the unique and beautiful landscape. It makes me want to learn how to gidgee on South Beach and feel the burning sand on my feet. Great read.
February 6, 2017
I loved this little book. Apart from being beautiful to hold, it is well written and a joy to read. I am a local and I learnt so much about the city, not only from a historical perspective but from the author's own perceptions of Perth, the experience of his youth, and bringing up his children while showing them his childhood haunts. I loved the reminiscent feeling that pervaded the book and helped me remember my own experiences in certain locations, type of weather or myself at a certain age. The author gives us a meticulously researched tome, factual as well as literary, and generously quotes impressions from other writers who have been influenced by the city in some way. I liked the way it was divided into chapters called river, limestone coast, plain and city of light - the author has an affinity to nature and shows the reader the fundamental bones of Perth's spirit.
December 29, 2022
An enjoyable story of some Perth history. A good book for some summer time reading for someone who is now starting to feel like a Perth local.
There are multiple instances in this book where the author describes an artwork in a great detail. On the one hand I wish the book included images of these artworks for me to enjoy, but on the other hand the description and impact of the artwork comes through in the story telling.
There are multiple instances in this book where the author describes an artwork in a great detail. On the one hand I wish the book included images of these artworks for me to enjoy, but on the other hand the description and impact of the artwork comes through in the story telling.
May 21, 2014
I loved this book. Perth is an amazing place to live, but David Whish-Wilson reignited my sense of awe in Perth's layers of geology, pre-colonial history, post-colonial history, cultures, banalities, humour and whimsy. His stories have enhanced my sense of belonging to this place as much as reminded me that I am insignificant to its endurance. Fabulous.
September 14, 2024
Evocative, atmospheric, and immersive, this meanderingly eclectic yet skilfully cohesive love letter to the city of Perth is thoroughly enjoyable from cover to cover. Quietly passionate without being sentimental, Whish-Wilson manages to showcase his beloved city from the perspective of the keen eye of a discerning artist. Deeply well read, he also gives us copious quotes from literary works that make his already mesmerising prose even more colourful and verisimilitudinous. It is by no means a romanticised account. Rather, it is multifaceted and nuanced. It poetically demonstrates not just the beauty but the warts and all of the city. A subversive undertone is never impalpable. A leisurely collection of acute observations by a master wordsmith, I recommend it to those who in any way know the city. Five stars.
November 18, 2023
Having moved to Perth from Melbourne in January this book was a fascinating introduction to the history of my new home. Read in almost one sitting.
January 25, 2016
Not only a perfect mix of memoir, history, anecdote and current affairs concerning the city of Perth, but beautifully written as well. I started reading this on the plane from Sydney to Perth for a ten day tour of southwest Western Australia, my first visit to the region. Now I want to go back to visit all the places mentioned in the book that I didn't get around to properly seeing and appreciating!
The author is a Freemantle local who is very generous to the reader in sharing his childhood memories of Freemantle / Perth and through these recollections it is obvious that he has not only a genuine passionate curiosity for the area, but great affection as well, an affection that does not prevent him from voicing concerns about the issues that confront this region.
If you are travelling to Perth and Freemantle, this is a great book to pack in your suitcase next to your Lonely Planet guide. Even if you have no plans to go there, start reading this book and your interest will surely be piqued.
One point of annoyance - as with all of the books on Australian capital cities in this series published by NewSouth - photos / reproductions of all the paintings, sculptures and landmarks discussed would be most useful (I imagine this was an across-the-board editorial decision to keep costs in check).
The author is a Freemantle local who is very generous to the reader in sharing his childhood memories of Freemantle / Perth and through these recollections it is obvious that he has not only a genuine passionate curiosity for the area, but great affection as well, an affection that does not prevent him from voicing concerns about the issues that confront this region.
If you are travelling to Perth and Freemantle, this is a great book to pack in your suitcase next to your Lonely Planet guide. Even if you have no plans to go there, start reading this book and your interest will surely be piqued.
One point of annoyance - as with all of the books on Australian capital cities in this series published by NewSouth - photos / reproductions of all the paintings, sculptures and landmarks discussed would be most useful (I imagine this was an across-the-board editorial decision to keep costs in check).
January 2, 2015
Meet Perth. Not as a geographical spot on a map, a destination in a travel guide, or a byline in a band's biography, but as a character. Both entertaining and informative, "Perth" gives you a wonderful look into the personality of this oft-maligned city at the edge of the world.
I had honestly never heard of David Whish-Wilson before this book was suggested to me by a well-known online book seller, but I'm glad I finally decided to jump into the cold water (clearly not the Indian Ocean) and get it. Perth and its harbour sibling Fremantle are often represented as two points in the same gelatinous mass. The cast of luminaries includes many familiar names and places, adding another layer of enjoyment to the reading of this book. The only drawback, if you want to call it that, is that now I am left with an even longer books to read in the future!
I had honestly never heard of David Whish-Wilson before this book was suggested to me by a well-known online book seller, but I'm glad I finally decided to jump into the cold water (clearly not the Indian Ocean) and get it. Perth and its harbour sibling Fremantle are often represented as two points in the same gelatinous mass. The cast of luminaries includes many familiar names and places, adding another layer of enjoyment to the reading of this book. The only drawback, if you want to call it that, is that now I am left with an even longer books to read in the future!
December 27, 2013
A great history of Perth written from through the authors own experience setting a real feel for the place then darting back and forth in time linking his own and family experiences to history. Because I guess the author is in his 50s it will be more relevant to that age group never the less a boo k that should be read I. Every high school classroom in Perth. I'm not sure how the book would come across to people who have never been here but his use of Perth art culture to expand points( art, literature, music and poetry.) is worth the read.
July 24, 2015
this is one in a series of books about the capital cities of Australia, plus Alice Springs. I've read several. The premise is a local author writes about his current home town from his own perspective. I found this book a bit more dry than the others. Still finding out a bit of the back story of Perth, especially his insight into how the cultural landscape was formed by earlier writers, painters and sculptors was fascinating. However, I didn't get a sense of what it was truly like to live in the city of Perth today, compared to the other books.
March 22, 2016
There were some good bits of historical facts, some nice prose and some reflections by the author of his experiences as a resident of Perth. Lots of references to other authors, painters and musicians who have referenced Perth in their works.
But it was a bit disjointed with many diversions from the promised structure of the book. If you love Perth you will enjoy this book, if you are trying to understand what it feels to live in the most isolated capital city in the world, you might be disappointed.
But it was a bit disjointed with many diversions from the promised structure of the book. If you love Perth you will enjoy this book, if you are trying to understand what it feels to live in the most isolated capital city in the world, you might be disappointed.
December 16, 2013
I loved this book. This will appeal to lovers of Perth, history, sociology, the built environment, Nyungar history and culture and all of the above. It is beautifully written and researched (I have a long reading list that has come out of this book!). Highly recommended.
P.S. Have you ever wanted to know why when Perth people talk about sand boondies no body else knows what they are talking about?! Well, the answer is in this book!
P.S. Have you ever wanted to know why when Perth people talk about sand boondies no body else knows what they are talking about?! Well, the answer is in this book!
January 7, 2015
This was quite good but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the Melbourne one, and I think that was in large part because I'm not very familiar with Perth - I've never been there and I haven't read/watched enough about it to have my bearings as well as was necessary.
I like this series and I plan to keep reading them, but only after I've at least visited the city in question.
I like this series and I plan to keep reading them, but only after I've at least visited the city in question.
July 2, 2019
David Whish-Wilson manages to nail so much of what makes Perth unique. His descriptions of the light, the landscape and the social ambience are superb. Reading his apparently rambling but actually well-structured stroll through Perth, past and present, I found myself alternating between "Oh yes, I remember that" and "How come I've never heard about that before". A most enjoyable read.
December 29, 2021
This book meanders a bit, like the river Perth is built on, but it's beautifully written and packed with interesting snippets. Perth residents will find reminders of things they know and love interspersed with things you never knew. Excellent reading for anyone missing their home town and sure to be of interest to anyone visiting or expecting to act as a tour guide.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews