A Pound of Paper

Set in 1950s rural Australia, the narrative follows John Baxter's early fascination with literature in a culture that views reading with skepticism. At just eleven, he acquires his first book, The Poems of Rupert Brooke, igniting a passion for collecting literature that evolves into a lifelong obsession. The story explores themes of individuality and the transformative power of books against a backdrop of societal indifference.