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Tasmanian Literary Awards

Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson (Ventura Press)

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Paris Savages

On beautiful Fraser Island in 1882, the population of the Badtjala people is in sharp decline following a run of brutal massacres. When German man Louis Müller offers to sail eighteen-year-old Bonny to Europe, along with twenty-two-year-old Jurano and his fifteen-year-old niece, Dorondera, the proud and headstrong Bonny agrees. Accompanied by Müller’s bright and grieving daughter, Hilda, the group begins their journey to perform in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and eventually London in the hope of seeking help from the Queen of England. While crowds in Europe are enthusiastic to see the unique dances, singing, fights, and pole climbing from the oldest culture in the world, the attention is relentless, and the fascination of scientists intrusive. Bonny is not a passive victim, and starts to earn money from mocking the crowd, but when disaster strikes, he must find a way to return home. A story of love, bravery, culture and the fight against injustice, Paris Savages brings a little-known part of history to blazing life, from one of Australia’s most intriguing novelists.

About the author

Dr Katherine Johnson is the author of four novels: Pescador's Wake (Fourth Estate 2009), The Better Son (Ventura Press 2016), Matryoshka (Ventura Press 2018) and Paris Savages (Ventura Press 2019, Allison and Busby UK 2020, Jimenez Edizioni Italy 2021 - published under the title Selvaggi). Her non-fiction articles have been published in Good Weekend (Sydney Morning Herald), Ecos, The Conversation, Australasian Science, Island and Forty South. Dr Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism), an honours degree in marine science and a PhD in creative writing. She is an adjunct Researcher at the University of Tasmania, where she has taught creative writing.