The Mind of a Thief

Description

For 40,000 years the Central NSW area of Wellington was Aboriginal - Wiradjuri - land. Following the arrival of white men, it became a penal settlement, mission station, gold-mining town and farming centre with a history of white comfort and black marginalisation. In the late 20th century, it was also the subject of the first post-Mabo Native Title claim, bringing new hope - and new controversy - to the area and its people. Wiradjuri land is also where author Patti Miller was born and, mid-life, it begins to exert a compelling emotional pull, demanding her return. Post-children, having lived a dream life in Paris, it is hard for her to understand, or ignore, and so she is drawn into the story at the heart of Australian identity - who are we in relation to our beloved but stolen country? Wellington and the Wiradjuri people are the main characters - and in revealing their complex narratives, Patti uncovers her own. Are her connections to this place through her convict forefathers, or through another, secret history? She sets out on a journey of exploration and takes us with her. Black and white politics, the processes of colonisation, family mythologies, generational conflict and the power of place are evoked as Patti weaves a story that is very personal and, at the same time, a universal story of country and belonging. The Mind of a Thief is about identity, history, place and belonging and, perhaps most of all, about how we create ourselves through our stories.

Authors Bio, not available

"A seamless narrative. [Miller's] powers of observation give her stories a colourful cohesion. She has produced a remarkably fluid, virtuoso piece of writing." --"Saturday Age" "Deals with the big issues. Given patience, the book unfolds into one of the best descriptions I've seen of the native title mediation process. This is complex stuff, but Miller sets it all out calmly and clearly, using the craft of storytelling." --"Weekend Australian" "Native title is a complex and vexing issue. This thoughtful, well-researched, and beautifully written personal story helps us to understand why it is so important to indigenous people." --"Herald Sun"