This landmark collection brings together the best Australian short stories written in the twentieth century.From early bush life to contemporary urban existence, The Penguin Century of Australian Stories celebrates our finest writers in all their modes: the lively comic fiction of Henry Lawson and Steele Rudd, the distinctive imaginations of Christina Stead and Patrick White, the experimental style of Peter Carey, and the highly lyrical prose of Brenda Walker and James Bradley.Selected by Carmel Bird, these stories mirror the concerns of Australia's past and present. The Penguin Century of Australian Stories will enlighten and entertain for many years to come.