Long Haul Lit- Breath

Funny, you never think much about breathing, until it's all you think about

I can't remember the last time I bought a paperback and sat down for a good, solid read. For the last couple of years, it just seems to be an indulgence that I simply struggled to find time for.

But with the contemplation of a full day of travel to get from the Gold Coast to Cape Town, I grabbed a copy of Tim Winton's 'Breath' and set about knocking it over during the flight.

First, I must say that it is good for the soul and mind to lose yourself in a great book every now and again. I had forgotten about the sense of freedom and possibility that evolves when you transport yourself mentally into the virtual world of a skilled writer.

After finishing the book, my mind slipped back to a conversation I once had with a late writer of note. He bought up A.B. Facey's classic novel, 'A Fortunate Life', as an example of how greatness can be found in brevity of expression.

Facey was self educated. His auto-biographical novel is a timeless example of how honesty, and simplicity of language, can translate into something greater than the sum of their parts. It is a wonderful piece of writing in all respects, and there is something in this work that makes me think of Winton.

Winton's great weapon is honesty. His writing speaks of ordinary people living ordinary lives. He doesn't regress into fairy tale endings or feel compelled to find resolution in every conflict. Winton's words express the mundanity of the everyday but contrast it with the universality of spirit and hope, usually repressed by circumstance.

There seems a simplicity to Winton's prose too, but such an impression is ultimately superficial. He ignores the self indulgence prone of writers looking to legitimise themselves to the cognoscenti, and appears to be at a stage of his career where he writes for himself rather than the plaudits of critics and fans.

In this way, the reflections of Pikelet, the 14 year old protagonist of 'Breath' stay true to character and possibility. Somehow though, Pikelets narrative is anything but childish, and despite his age he's not spared from the responsibility of recognising the relationship between action and consequence, a key theme throughout the text.

'Breath' is a wonderful piece of writing, a great read on a number of levels and a seminal piece of Australian fiction that will be talked about for decades to come.