Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson

Henry Handel Richardson’s Australia Felix is a novel set in the Australian bush in the late 19th century. It follows the story of a young woman, Caroline Chisholm, who is determined to make a better life for herself and her family. She moves to the small town of Australia Felix, where she meets a variety of characters, including the local doctor, a wealthy landowner, and a mysterious stranger. Caroline quickly finds herself in the middle of a complex web of relationships and secrets. As she navigates the town’s social hierarchy, she discovers a hidden past and a hidden love. She must decide whether to stay in Australia Felix and pursue her dreams, or to return to her family in England. The novel is a vivid portrait of life in the Australian bush, and of the struggles of a young woman determined to make her own way in the world. It is a story of love, loss, and the power of the human spirit.

By Henry Handel Richardson · First published 1917 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Realism · 41 chapters · 155,419 words

First lines

In a shaft on the Gravel Pits, a man had been buried alive. At work in a deep wet hole, he had recklessly omitted to slab the walls of a drive; uprights and tailors yielded under the lateral pressure, and the rotten earth collapsed, bringing down the roof in its train. The digger fell forward on his face, his ribs jammed across his pick, his arms pinned to his sides, nose and mouth pressed into the sticky mud as into a mask; and over his defenceless body, with a roar that burst his ear-drums, broke stupendous masses of earth.

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What this Textopian page supports

Australia Felix is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry Handel Richardson, dated 1917 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Henry Handel Richardson
• Date: 1917 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Realism, Drama
• Length: 155,419 words
• Structure: 41 chapters, 2,131 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Australia Felix by Henry Handel Richardson
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

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Genres

• Historical Fiction — The novel is set in the 19th century and follows the life of a young woman in colonial Australia, making it a historical fiction novel.
• Romance — The novel follows the romantic relationships of the protagonist, making it a romance novel.
• Realism — The novel is written in a realistic style, focusing on the everyday life of the protagonist and her struggles.
• Drama — The novel follows the dramatic events in the protagonist's life, making it a drama novel.

Tags

First book in the trilogy - The Fortunes of Richard Mahony · children · day · days · door · eyes · hand · hands · head · held · henry · house

Contents

• Chapter 1: Proem
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12

More by Henry Handel Richardson

• Two Hanged Women (1929)
• Ultima Thule (1929)
• The Way Home (1925)
• The Fortunes of Richard Mahony (1930)
• The Getting of Wisdom (1910)
• All works by Henry Handel Richardson