Book cover for Under the Equator by John James

Under the Equator

2026 Released
92 Pages
1-2 Hours
Ebook Unavailable
Audiobook Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
Ark House PressISBN 9781764281300

Across more than a century of change, Under the Equator follows the lives of four couples whose stories trace the shaping of an Australian identity.

From the hard edges of Victoria's last frontier in the Mallee, through shifting decades of war, settlement, prosperity and movement toward the coast, each generation navigates love, hardship, faith and belonging. Their experiences reveal changing social values while also uncovering something constant - the quiet, steady presence of God in the midst of ordinary lives.

Carefully drawn from people and events the author has been able to verify, these accounts are not bound to a single family line. They are stories that echo far beyond surnames, speaking to the deep interconnectedness of communities across this land.

Honest, respectful and richly human, Under the Equator honours those who came before us and invites readers to recognise their own story within the greater story of living an Australian life.

John James

John James is the author of The Milk Hours, selected by Henri Cole for the Max Ritvo Poetry Prizeand published in the United States by Milkweed Editions. His poems appear in Boston Review, KenyonReview, Gulf Coast, PEN Poetry Series, Best American Poetry, and elsewhere. He is pursuing a PhD inEnglish at the University of California, Berkeley.

More by John James

Why Readwise Books?

Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →