Jay Carmichael, Marlo.

- It might be subtle, underplayed and measured in tone, but this small novel from Jay Carmichael is a damning critique of mid-twentieth century Australian society. 

- It's set in the early 1950s in Melbourne. A young man Christopher arrives by train to Melbourne from his small regional town of Marlo. He's escaping provincialism, or so he presumes.  

- He's offered a job at a garage in Melbourne, to assist the mechanic.

- He meets a range of people, including Morgan, of Indigenous heritage. They feel an attraction towards each other. Morgan and I were both that way. They walk an isolated pathway during a visit to the zoo and are approached by a policeman demanding to see Morgan's ID. He has a Certificate of Exemption under the Aborigines Protection Act, part of the White Australia policy. 'If I see youse again in 'ere', the hoarse voice called, 'even if youse step inside the zoo, I'll string yer up myself.' 

- Christopher rents a house and Morgan stays overnight frequently. Frictions develop however and they separate.  

- Christopher visits the Botanical Gardens and its public toilet and is assaulted by two men. At work the following day, with his face cut and bruised, his garage colleagues tease and humiliate him. He becomes depressed and even suicidal. Morgan thankfully returns to him, and they find comfort in one another. Their conversation, which ends the book, is worth quoting in full: 

He lent his shoulder against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest. I lent my back against the opposite wall, my hands dug into my pockets. 

'Everything we do is by the cover of darkness', he said.

'Or in out-of-the-way side streets.'

'Or godforsaken garden beds.' He paused. 'I'm sick of it.' He stared, soft eyes, at me.' I'm not yours and I'm not asking you to be mine.'

'Neither am I, Morgan. I'm just asking you to stick around.'

- What a dismal time the 1950’s were. A post-war, post-depression generation, with their own secrets buried deep within them, wanted the comfort of security and growing middle class prosperity, and became riddled with a cruel, conservative ignorance and intolerance. 'Perverts' were not tolerated. 

- Carmichael exhibits a soft touch. Nothing is spoken too loudly. Even arguments, if they can be called that, are restrained. But what it depicts in essence is ugly.

- There's a long Author’s Note at the end, where Carmichael provides a history of homosexuality in Australia. How refreshing it is that as a society we're now living in a radically different, far more civilised, world. Despite still having a way to go.