Book Review: "The Channels," by Merv Lilley
I've just now finished reading Merv Lilley's "The Channels" from cover to cover. Its Merv's semi-autobiographical novel, a story of a working man in the 1950s. The Title of it is a reference both to Channel Country, where Merv's character starts off working variously as a Wool Presser, Cane Cutter, and Miner. It is also reference to the emotional state seafarers used to get into as they approached port. The story is set with the backdrop of the political situation of the time (specifically Menzies Communist Party Dissolution Bill, and his alliance with Bob Santamaria's Catholic Social Studies Movement). The protagonist goes by various names; Jack Long, Longfellow John Long, and embraces the name Jack Lang briefly when someone misheard his name (this is indeed a reference to the NSW Premier of the early 1930s). He is always in the rank of second class: a woolpresser not a shearer, and cane cutter, and a first time seafarer. He sees himself as an equal of ...