Trap (novel)
.jpg) First edition | |
| Author | Peter Mathers |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Cassell, Australia |
Publication date | 1966 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Preceded by | – |
| Followed by | The Wort Papers |
Trap (1966) is the first novel by Australian author Peter Mathers.[1] It won the Miles Franklin Award for 1966.[2]
Story outline[edit]
The novel follows the life of Jack Trap, a man living on the outskirts of Melbourne in the 1960s. Trap is of mixed Irish, English and Aboriginal background, in his forties and fat. He joins with a small group of outsiders and travels to a mining lease on Cape York to form a co-operative community.
Critical reception[edit]
In The Canberra Times Maurice Dunlevy found that the attempted satire fell well short of its target: "Trap is a first novel and reads like one. It attempts to be satirical, shocking and avant garde — succeeds only in being naive...His irony is too heavy, his targets are too obvious and he never cuts deeper than satirical revue."[3]
Roger Milliss in the Tribune (Sydney), found "The style is often reminiscent of that of Patrick White's admittedly not-very-edifying satires of suburbia. And, dealing as it does with the aboriginal question (if Mr. Mathers' complex theme can be summed up so inadequately), it possesses some generic connections with a whole stream of our writing, from Coonardoo on."[4]
Publication history[edit]
Following the novel's initial publication by Cassell in 1966,[5] the book was published as follows:
- 1970 Sphere, UK[1]
- 1978 Nelson, Australia[6]
- 2003 Sydney University Press, Australia[7]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Austlit - Trap by Peter Mathers". Austlit. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Franklin award to brilliant novel", The Canberra Times, 19 April 1967, p1
- ^ ""Naive attempt at satire" by Maurice Dunlevy". The Canberra Times, 18 June 1966, p10. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ ""Trapped in the Lucky Country"". Tribune, 7 September 1966, p6. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Trap (Cassell)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Trap (Nelson)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Trap (SUP)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
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