Over the sliprails Book

This classic of Australian humour is a bit of a problem for modern readers on quite a few bases. If one was to adopt the more nuanced and culturally complex approaches taken by current literary criticism 'On Our Selection' is rather unsatisfactory. It certainly represents a paternalistic, white Anglo-Saxon narrative where women and more significantly Aboriginal Australians are pushed to the margins. The inordinate amount of cruelty to animals displayed by the leading characters can be very hard to stomach, and the naive colonialist approach taken by Rudd when depicting the land must surely be an issue for more 'cosmopolitan' critics of today. If it wasn't for the obvious political and economic disadvantage held by Dad, Dave and the rest of the family, I would imagine 'On Our Selection' would infuriate many who would read it through early 21st century glasses.

For me I had some issues along these lines, with the animal cruelty the most objectionable aspect of the book. However I can understand and appreciate its then contemporary cultural context and would frame it thus. It is not so much a collection of stories that will bring new insight into the Australian condition or Australian humour. No; instead it is like an oil lamp illuminating our past, describing in its fictional setting the sheer bloody hard work that was an historical truth of the 19th century for men (and women) on the land. It also harkens back to some of the most traditional tropes of literature; the beauty and terror of the rustic world and the (at times) comedic simplicity of those working in it.

For all the talk about how comedy 'On Our Selection' is I would suggest that much of the laconic, black humour that is written into Rudd's work is either not so funny according to today's sensibilities, or are just overstated. Yes, there are some scenes, some wry descriptions or passages of conversation between the characters where one will giggle or smile. However when compared to work produced by others Australian writers at the time (such as Lawson and CJ Dennis) Rudd isn't as laugh out loud as we've been told to expect over the years.

It may also be observed that because this book has such an important part in the received canon of classic Australian books, what it signifies thereof is arguably more important than what is between the covers. It is undoubtedly important in projecting a nascent Australian voice at a time when the colonial settlers of this country were articulating our differences from the rest of the world. Therefore one major reason why one should read this book is to come to grips with the emerging maturity of the Australian identity in the 'golden era' of the 1890s-1910s, before WW1 and our nation's military achievements took control of this narrative.

Regarding the stylistic aspects of this book, it is written in a prose which is mostly clear to read and simple in its naturalism. There are times when Rudd's accounting of his characters' speech are a little confusing due to punctuation or archaisms, but most people should readily surmount these hurdles. It is blatantly obvious that Dad is the key character and he is mostly an engaging one, without too much complexity in his depiction. Dave, Joe and other male personae often serve as either the fulcrum or support for a comedic scene where Dad is the real agent of humour, whereas the women (including Mum, Kate and Sally) are presented (in their more peripheral depictions) as figures of stability, anchoring their menfolk to sober realities.

It must also be said that Rudd does an excellent job of bringing the bush alive, without either presenting it as a barren, sullen world of terror and disaster nor as some pale shadow of a European Eden. This is unforgiving country with beauties and hardships; sometimes it repels its inhabitants, other times it is good. If there is one thing that will always identify an Australian author as one who is worth reading it is how they interpret and present their environment. Rudd does this no worries.

In summary, would I recommend 'On Our Selection'? Yes I would, but not to everyone and especially not to anyone who may find animal cruelty far too offensive, and seek 'pale, male and stale' issues with any book they read. Yes, Steele Rudd has written a classic Australian book, and if you are to delve into its pages be cognisant of its limitations as well as its historical and cultural legacy.