by Boomert - The Legend of Lasseter's Reef by Mark Greenwood 18 Jan 2010

Following his earlier success with The Legend of Moondyne Joe, Mark Greenwood presents another tale from Australian history with legendary qualities - for older, independent readers. The engrossing story describes 17-year-old Harold Lasseter's bid to find a fortune in the closing years of the 19th century, his mixed success in locating then losing a substantial reef of gold-bearing stones, and the frustration and horror of his subsequent efforts to relocate the reef during the desperate times of the Great Depression. The book is visually challenging, making use of collaged illustrations and a variety of primary and secondary historical sources, such as maps, photos and newspaper articles. Text extracts from Lasseter's diary and notes appear as additional design elements. Readers that trouble to decipher these extracts obtain a moving awareness of Lasseter's personal torment. While the book includes poignant and macabre images and details, Greenwood is circumspect in describing Lasseter's last moments, and respectful in recording efforts made by Pitjantjatjara and Pintupi peoples to alleviate his suffering. Leaving the reader to decide whether Lasseter was misguided and foolhardy or a brave adventurer beguiled by a dream, Greenwood dramatically conveys a sense of the reef's lasting mystery and allure. This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker