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Australia's Trail-Blazing First Novelist
John Lang
By Sean Doyle
Published by Big Sky Publishing
ISBN:9781923004382
First thoughts on closing the back cover after reading the life and times of John Lang, Australia's first novelist, my thoughts were, well, what an interesting life.
John Lang was born in a pub in what is now a suburb of western Sydney to his mother Elizabeth who had sadly lost her husband when he was just 27 years old after falling ill on the voyage from England. He was unaware that his wife was pregnant again. Later on when people would comment on his love of a drink he'd say well he was born in a pub.
At the tender age of eighteen months old, his mother goes away for a while and then returns with a new husband, his children and then they have more children together, leaving little time to give young John much attention or love.
From a young age he has to become self reliant but he does end up with what he calls three fathers.. including his step-father. Influential males in his life included Dr William Bland - Bland Street in Ashfield is named after him, Wentworth and his headmaster at school, now named Shore where he was a border.
Recognised as a bright, clever student his headmaster encouraged his studies and his successful application to Cambridge to study law. Given his background with convict grandparents on both sides this did not hold young John back. It seems he had the gift of the gab.
Sean Doyle's extensive research about the now little known first novelist in Australia has brought to light an incredible adventurous and often risk taking life. I am pleased he did so, as reading John Lang's biography I realised what a remarkably fascinating life he lived.
Considering his childhood which seems to have lacked the love and nurture of family, travelling to England, expelled by Cambridge University and then going to Trinity College, to be asked to leave again because of his wild unacceptable behaviour, he still managed to qualify as a barrister.
While reading of his antics and considered a colonial from the antipodes, the words of the "wild colonial boy" spring to mind. He was quite the larrikin. However, he won the heart of a high born young lady, Lucy. They married and had a child and he persuaded her to take the long sea voyage to live in Sydney while pregnant with their second child. They were warmly welcomed into Sydney society, living at the family property Ashfield Park for.a while. The suburb Ashfield is a part of the old family property.
Earlier on, before he left Sydney for Cambridge, he discovered a love for writing and wrote a book,Violet. the Danseuse, A Portrait of Human Character and Passion, which was published anonymously. He was a pioneer of Australian literature and he created the template for the Australian bush novel. He wrote the first detective novel in English and although not that well received, the first convict-system satire. He wrote several books, many serialised in newspapers and magazines..
He lived in India for ten years, initially with his wife and family, where he had many escapades and founded an independent newspaper that irked the East India Company. He went against and challenged the Company and became a thorn in their side. He also wrote the first Indian travelogue by an Australian. He travelled India extensively enjoyed a reputation as a barrister, journalist and author and was sought out by Indian royalty for help and by a man named Prasad who had been unfairly financially mistreated by the Company and won the case, much to the chagrin of the judge and the East India Company.
He went onto make his fortune early in life, but because of some of his wayward ways caused him to become imprisoned for a short time which because of the shockingly poor conditions of his incarceration caused long term damage to his health despite going back to England to recuperate a few times. Once married again he had intended to return to Sydney with his new wife but this time he did not succeed in fulfilling his wish.
Additionally it is interesting to read about the rise and the cause of the demise of the East India Company and what a difference, one person can make, changing the course of history.
Sean Doyle has brought this once forgotten author, journalist and barrister to the fore. It is a pleasure to read his enjoyable style of story telling. Highly recommended reading.
The author
After completing a History and Literature (Hons) degree at Sydney University, Sean Doyle took to the Asian, especially Indian, road. His travels over the years have produced two Indian memoirs: Beyond Snake Mountain: A journey in Rajasthan and Night Train to Varanasi: India with my daughter. Formerly an English-language teacher and a travel journalist, Sean is now a book editor.
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