Such is Life (1903) is a novel by Joseph Furphy. Written under his
pseudonym "Tom Collins," Such is Life is a unique and challenging
story that took decades to achieve a proper audience. Earning
comparisons to the works of Melville and Twain, Furphy's novel is
considered a landmark of Australian literature. "The fore part of the
day was altogether devoid of interest or event. Overhead, the sun
blazing wastefully and thanklessly through a rarefied atmosphere;
underfoot the hot, black clay, thirsting for spring rain, and bare
except for inedible roley-poleys, coarse tussocks, and the woody stubble
of close-eaten salt-bush; between sky and earth, a solitary wayfarer,
wisely lapt in philosophic torpor." Setting out on a trek through the
outback, Tom Collins begins his seemingly endless torrent of words, a
journey through language to match his journey over land. Accompanied by
a dog and two horses, he meets a vibrant array of characters from all
nations and walks of life; from drovers to criminals, Collins can talk
with them all. Described by Furphy himself as "offensively Australian,"
Such is Life is part travelogue, part philosophy, a novel ahead of its
time that remains informative for our own. With a beautifully designed
cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Joseph
Furphy's Such is Life is a classic work of Australian literature
reimagined for modern readers.
