While the Sun Sets
Publisher: Independent
Published: January 2024
Genre: Fiction, Short stories, Young Adult
The short story in Western Australia has long been a vital, if sometimes overlooked, form, shaped by the state’s vast landscapes, isolation, and rich Indigenous and settler storytelling traditions. In the early 20th century, writers such as Katharine Susannah Prichard and Henrietta Drake-Brockman wove tales reflecting the harsh beauty of the land and the complexities of identity. The latter half of the century saw a flourishing of voices, including those of Elizabeth Jolley and Tim Winton, who elevated the short story to national prominence.
Today, the genre remains strong, supported by literary journals, prizes, and a new generation of writers exploring themes of place, belonging, and cultural intersection. However, like elsewhere, it faces challenges in commercial viability, relying on dedicated publishers and literary communities to sustain its influence.
This collection of short stories by West Australian writer Bill Powell was shortlisted for the 2008 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award and shortlisted for the Woollahra Digital Literary Award. Since then, some of the stories have been revised and new ones added. Powell has also organised the stories into four sections: After the War, Finding Michael, Widgiemooltha, and Coming of Age.
To take just one representative story from each section (there are 14 stories in all): In ‘From Failing Hands’, a group of school kids plot revenge on their severe teacher but the result is not what either side expected. It’s humorous, humane, and well-crafted. By contrast, ‘Eclipse’ is a beautiful mini-bildungsroman, a buddy road trip, and an exploration of sexuality all in one. It almost eclipses all the other stories in the collection.
‘A Dying Breed’ echoes From Failing Hands, in which a practical joke, this time played on old prospector Monty by young Andy, leads to a new respect on the part of both parties. And in the last story in the collection, ‘Blood Brothers’, a touching story of friendship and intimacy explores notions of masculinity, domestic violence and time’s gifts as well as its depredations.
The writing throughout exhibits elements of autofiction and a lean realism shot through with poetry and lyricism. While the Sun Sets is a collection to savour.