Homeless and alone, coerced by strange voices and haunted by a history of family violence, a disturbed youth drifts between town and the Australian outback. Along the way, he grows increasingly isolated and distrustful in a society that lacks the means and seemingly the will to help him. The story of his descent into madness and violence provides a compelling picture of life on the margins of modern society. Told with lyrical simplicity, Fresh Fields is a dark coming-of-age novel, offering readers an intimate account of the forces at work in the evolution of a loner. Its insights into parental neglect, homelessness, mental illness and the trials of adolescence are sharpened to a fine point. But in this exceptional novel there is also real humanity, compassion, and humor in the face of adversity. Winner of the 2005 Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Award and the FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction. Shortlisted for the 2005 NSW Premier’s Literary Award, and named one of the best books of the year by The Times Literary Supplement.