Swallow the Air

By Tara June Winch

In 2006, Tara June Winch’s startling debut Swallow the Air was published to acclaim. Its poetic yet visceral style announced the arrival a fresh and exciting new talent. This 10th anniversary edition celebrates its important contribution to Australian literature. When May’s mother dies suddenly, she and her brother Billy are taken in by Aunty. However, their loss leaves them both searching for their place in a world that doesn’t seem to want them. While Billy takes his own destructive path, May sets out to find her father and her Aboriginal identity. Her journey leads her from the Australian east coast to the far north, but it is the people she meets, not the destinations, that teach her what it is to belong.   Swallow the Air is an unforgettable story of living in a torn world and finding the thread to help sew it back together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: University of Queensland Press
• Release date: Aug 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780702250552

Tara June Winch

Tara June Winch is the Wiradjuri author of two novels and a short story collection. For her first novel, Swallow the Air, she was named a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist and received mentorship from Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka as part of the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Her second novel, The Yield, won Australia's highest accolade, the Miles Franklin Literary Award. She was born in Australia in 1983 and currently lives in France with her family.

Reviews for Swallow the Air

[daptolibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After such a big read last month, I think we all found Tara June Winch's Swallow the Air more like a breath of fresh air!After the loss of her mother, May begins a search for herself and her Aboriginal identity. With her head full of family stories,she seeks relatives in the city and country, trying to piece together what it means - this culture of hers, in today's Australia.Swallow the Air is a first novel from a young local writer that has won praise around the country. Our club was both moved and disturbed by what, at times, seemed a futile existence for Aboriginals. Domestic violence, alcohol, drugs and financial struggle dogs the family. But we found humour too, and some beautiful poetic prose from what is obviously a developing, yet talented young writer.Our discussion centred around our personal experiences with Aboriginals and whether this story rang true and how typical was May's family in today's society?Denise liked the fact that the author did not idolize aboriginals or their culture, but simply made them human. Joan commented that in her experiences with our first people, she has found them courageous, especially the women. Heads nodded around the table and we all found this thread in the book. It is always exciting finding a novel set in your local area. Tara grew up in the Northern suburbs of the Illawarra and as you read, you can watch May scamper through her childhood on the beach at Bellambi or climb through the rainforest of the escarpment.What I liked most about this book is the beautiful, simple heart May sees her world with. Before the hurt, the anger and the deliverance, she has something only young children possess ... an innocence that knows unconditional love.Tell Me This ... "What does the title Swallow the Air mean?"This is a great title that could mean any number of things. Not only is it poetic, it encompasses a vast portrait of what it means to be human. But Viti had a wonderful thought that impressed everyone and, on the whole, we agreed with. On the beach May comes across a struggling stingray that is swallowing air. The sight moves her, becoming etched in her mind along with many other memories. Viti feels that stingrays's struggle out of water could be a metaphor for Aboriginal Australia struggling without their culture. They are a fish out of water, fighting to survive in a world that does not want them. We suggest you read the book and see what you think.

[jody_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My book club has devoured some pretty large reads in the last few years, with John Irving and Peter Carey leaving their indelible mark among our ranks. So Tara June Winch’s trim novel, Swallow the Air was like a breath of fresh air for all of us.After the loss of her mother, young May and her brother Billy are taken in by Aunty. As Billy takes his own path of destruction, May begins a search for herself, and her Aboriginal identity. With her head full of family stories, she seeks relatives in the city and country, trying to piece together what it means - this culture of hers - in today’s Australia. Swallow the Air is a first novel from a young local (NSW South Coast) writer that has won praise around the country. My club was both moved and disturbed by what, at times, seemed a futile existence for aboriginals. Domestic violence, alcohol, drugs and financial struggle dogs the family. But we found humour too, and some beautiful poetic prose from what is obviously a developing, yet talented young writer. Our discussion centred around our personal experience with Aboriginals and whether this story rang true and how typical was May’s family in today’s society. We liked the fact that the author did not idolize aboriginals or their culture, but simply made them human. Others commented that in their experiences with our first people, they found them courageous, especially the women. Heads nodded around the table as we all found this thread in the book. It is always exciting finding a book set in your local area. Tara grew up in the Northern suburbs of the Illawarra and as you read, you can watch May scamper through her childhood on the beach at Bellambi or climb through the rainforest of the escarpment.But what I liked most about this book is the beautiful, simple heart May sees her world with. Before the hurt, the anger and the deliverance, she has something only young children possess … an innocence that only knows unconditional love. Winch is a real talent worth watching … maybe a female Tim Winton? Who knows, but I for one, am willing to give her the time to develop into one of our best creative writers.

[mthomson_49 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tara June Winch is a talented young indigenous writer who won the David Unaipon Award with this story of a young girl on a journey of self discovery. May gradually works out where she really needs to go, only to discover different, harder truths than she had imagined. The triumph of this story is that May does make the journey and eventually comes home.Not a children’s story, nor suited to the fainthearted reader for its sometimes confronting content, this book is a poetic piece which demands something of the reader and displays the talent of this promising author.