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The Dyehouse

By Mena Calthorpe
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3.79 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 78 ratings, 19 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Dyehouse by Mena Calthorpe explores the working lives and relationships of a group of people employed at an Australian textile factory in the 1950s. It delves into their day-to-day challenges, dreams, and interactions as they navigate the complexities of their work environment and personal lives. Through poignant and insightful storytelling, the novel offers a vivid portrayal of the socio-industrial landscape of the era.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$1799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you enjoy reading about the intricacies of working-class life and the dynamics within industrial settings, you might appreciate this novel's insightful portrayal of factory workers in a mid-20th century dye factory. The author weaves a compelling narrative that explores social issues, personal struggles, and the complex relationships between characters, all set against the backdrop of a changing economic landscape.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A masterly portrait of postwar Australia, when industrial work was radically transformed by new technologies and society changed with it.

This powerful and affecting novel was first published in 1961, and is the hundredth book in the Text Classics series. The new edition comes with an introduction by Fiona McFarlane, acclaimed author of The Night Guest.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Written with unerring skill and insight, The Dyehouse is a masterly portrait of postwar Australia, when industrial work was radically transformed by new technologies and society changed with it. Mena Calthorpe, who herself worked in a textile factory, takes us inside this world, vividly bringing to life the people of an inner-Sydney company in the mid-1950s: the bosses, middlemen, and underlings; their dramatic struggles and their loves.

This powerful and affecting novel was first published in 1961 and is the hundredth book in the Text Classics series.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Dyehouse is praised for its combination of charm and tough-mindedness, capturing a vivid microcosm of post-war Australian factory life with authenticity. Reviewers highlight its ensemble cast, skilled characterisation, and vibrant depiction of the setting, drawing comparisons to Zola for its clarity and detail. It's recognised for its thematic relevance, excellent writing, and an ability to engross readers deeply, making it a celebrated piece within Australian literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925355758

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 August 2016

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 320

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Mena Calthorpe Penguin Books

About the Author

Mena Calthorpe was born in Goulburn, New South Wales, in 1905. After marrying, Calthorpe moved to Sydney and lived for most of her life in the Sutherland Shire. Working in office jobs and writing in her spare time, she was active in literary groups and in the Labor Party-for some years she was a member of the Communist Party, and she opposed B. A. Santamaria's attempts to stop communism in trade unions. The Dyehouse (1961) was followed by The Defectors (1969), which dramatised unions' internal power struggles. Mena Calthorpe's third and final novel was The Plain of Ala, an Irish migrant story, which was published in 1989. She died in 1996.

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