Landscape of Farewell

First published 2007

Miles Franklin 2008 · Shortlist

‘Is it history that tells us who we are? Or is it the story we tell ourselves … that defines who we are?’ (The Australian) A profound and moving story about the land, the past, exile and acceptance from the award-winning author of Journey to the Stone Country.A hauntingly beautiful meditation on the land, the past, exile and friendship, Landscape of Farewell is the powerful new novel from acclaimed Australian author, Alex Miller.It is the story of Max Otto, an elderly German academic. After the death of his much-loved wife and his recognition that he will never write the great study of history that was to be his life’s crowning work, Max believes his life is all but over.

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Everything changes, though, when his valedictory lecture is challenged by Professor Vita McLelland, a feisty young Australian Aboriginal academic visiting Germany. Their meeting and growing friendship sets Max on a journey that would have seemed unthinkable just a few short weeks earlier.When, at Vita’s invitation, Max travels to Australia, he forms a deep friendship with her uncle, Aboriginal elder Dougald Gnapun.