Against the background of postwar censorship and isolation, this story of flawed love follows Richard, a young writer running from his hometown of Perth in search of a freer existence in Melbourne. His best friend is an ex-boxer turned black marketer, and his girlfriend is an old-fashioned tart with heart. With a profound dismay about the directions followed in the postwar world, this novel challenges some of the most cherished assumptions about identity, culture, and the land.