Here With A Flask Of Wine, Etc.

For many seasons, the Murray Valley fruit growing areas in Victoria and South Australia have attracted seasonal workers from all over the Eastern States of Australia. And it is probable that many of the pickers have taken with them their own emotional problems, as do Nancy Cato’s three beautiful heroines in “Green Grows the Vine”.

THIS is a slight, at times amusing if not very penetrating, novel of the two young Australians, Marty and Mitch, and their Italian friend Maria, who worked and loved and lived for one autumn season at the imaginary centre of Vindura, in South Australia.

And, if it is not likely to qualify in the Great Australian Novel Stakes, at least it is a straight forward story of people who appear next door to normal—and that in itself claims some attention among others of this month’s more artistic

compilations.

There seems no really good reason why Marty, being both rich and beautiful, should choose to expend four good months of her life living

in a vineyard; or why Mitch, wl was married and in love with hi husband, should choose that way escape from her in-laws.

Once having accepted the fai that the girls are in Vindura, the re is credible enough—even Marty and Maria’s rivalry for the affec: tions of the same overseer, the d: scriptions of dried-fruit area socit life, and the permanent and ten porary citizens who contribute to Of the three girls, Maria fits be into the picture, probably becauj she is much surer of what she wanr and being of uncomplicated mini takes the shortest route towarr getting it.

(Green Grows The Vine. Publishu

by Wm. Heinemann. Australian prio 18/9.)