Dean Ashenden on the making and breaking of Australian silences: Telling Tennant's Story: The Strange Career of the Great Australian Silence, by Dean Ashenden, Collingwood, Black Inc., 2022, 338 pp., $AU36.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760641757, Publisher's...

In "Telling Tennant's Story: The Strange Career of the Great Australian Silence," Dean Ashenden explores the silences and omissions in Australian history, particularly regarding the experiences of Aboriginal people. Ashenden recounts his own journey back to Tennant Creek, where he grew up, and reflects on the absence of Aboriginal voices in the town's history. He examines the dynamics between influential white figures in shaping settler approaches to First Nations people, offering insights into their personalities and insecurities. While Ashenden's book provides a lively and engaging account of Aboriginal affairs and history, it also highlights the ongoing silence and lack of communication between settler Australians and First Nations people. [Extracted from the article]