The novelist’s art is wide ranging; he is concerned with a multitude of things that comprise the fabric of his book. The short story writer, however, is concerned with one thing that implies many, since singularity and intensity are the essence of his art. The best short story writers depend on a marked personal attitude and this is the distinguishing characteristic of David Martin’s second collection of stories whose common denominator is his compassionate understanding of the problems of New Australians.

Frank O’Connor once said that whereas in the novel there is always some character with whom the reader identifies himself, in the short story the reader is forced rather to identify himself with the glance, indeed, the vision of the writer. So much is projected that is not actually put down.