Swords and Crowns and Rings
Swords and Crowns and Rings is a Miles Franklin Award-winning novel by Australian author Ruth Park. It mainly follows the stories of two children in a town in rural New South Wales across three decades at the start of the 20th century.
 First edition | |
| Author | Ruth Park |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Nelson, Australia |
Publication date | 1977 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 435 |
| ISBN | 0-17-005204-4 |
| OCLC | 4498430 |
| 823 | |
| LC Class | PZ3.P2206 Sw PR9639.3.P37 |
The primary protagonist, Jackie Hanna, is born a "dwarf" in 1907 to Walter and Peggy Hanna, two grocers in Kingsland, NSW. Jackie's father Walter dies during his childhood, and his mother remarries to a veteran of the Boer War. The secondary protagonist, Dorothy "Cushie" Moy, is born to a wealthy family; her father is a banker and her mother the daughter of a newspaper tycoon. In their youth, the two protagonists fall in love, and much of the book arcs around the circumstances and misfortunes that keep them apart. In particular, a substantial portion of the book focuses on Jackie's experiences as a migrant worker through the Great Depression in Australia, including interactions with New South Wales Premier Jack Lang.
The book is divided into six chapters: 1. Jackie Hanna, Cushie Moy 1907–1918 2. Jackie Hanna 1924 3. Cushie Moy 1924–1925 4. Jackie Hanna 1924–1929 5. Jackie Hanna 1931 6. Jackie Hanna, Cushie Moy 1931–1932