North-West By South

by Nancy Cato

Genres: Fiction

448 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1979

About the author

Nancy Fotheringham Cato AM (11 March 1917 – 3 July 2000) was an Australian writer who published more than twenty historical novels, biographies and volumes of poetry. Cato is also known for her work campaigning on environmental and conservation issues.

Cato was born in Glen Osmond in South Australia, and was a fifth-generation Australian. She studied English Literature and Italian at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1939, then completed a two-year course at the South Australian School of Arts. She was a cadet journalist on The News from 1935 to 1941, and as an art critic from 1957 to 1958.[2]
Cato married Eldred De Bracton Norman, and travelled extensively overseas with him. They had one daughter and two sons.[1] Dr Nancy Cato Norman died at Noosa Heads on 3 July 2000.
Cato's cousin was also named Nancy Cato and was host of children's TV show the Magic Circle Club in the mid 1960s.

Reviews

[Ash]

Nah man couldn't do it. This book didn't age well at all. There's no social commentary of any worth in the first 100 pages just a whole bunch of intended racism. It's too bad I wanted to read about an adventure across the Arctic like the blurb promised and instead got the tedious rites of historical fiction with no plot. Not even a hint at the inciting incident.

[Lisa]

Ah....no.
I suspect that this was weak commercial fiction when it was first published, and it hasn't aged well. Ponderous prose, heavy handed use of historical sources, and racism that grates.
I don't rate books I don't finish.

[Jack Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not finished this yet, but as I am quite interested in Tasmanian History, I really loved Nancy Cato bringing life to Lady Jane and Sir John Franklin. I must investigate her sources to know whether her quoted conversations come from factual sources.

[Velvetink · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 of 25 books bought today for $10 (the lot).