Joseph Furphy

Such Is Life

"Such Is Life" by Joseph Furphy is a novel written in 1897 and published in 1903. Set in rural Australia during the 1880s, it follows narrator Tom Collins as he travels the countryside, encountering bullock drivers, squatters, and swagmen. Through campfire conversations and loosely woven stories, the novel captures bush life with mordant irony, contrasting high-flown language with mundane events. Hidden substories lurk beneath the surface, challenging readers to untangle truth from tall tales in this distinctly Australian classic.