On the Trail of the Silver Brumby

by Elyne Mitchell

Commemorating the centenary of Elyne Mitchell's birth, this is a beautiful, highly illustrated anthology of the best of Elyne Mitchell's writing about the Australian high country - the Silver Brumby heartland. Generations of Australians have fallen in love with the silver brumbies of Elyne Mitchell's classic children's stories. Now, for the centenary of Elyne's birth, comes this celebration in words and pictures of the brumby heartland: the glorious Australian Alps that were Elyne's inspiration and great passion. Featuring the best of Elyne Mitchell's non-fiction writing about her beloved high country, On the Trail of the Silver Brumby is lavishly illustrated with archival images and glorious new photography of the Alps by her grandson, James Auchinleck, and others. From thrilling accounts of exploring these untamed places on foot, skis and horseback to tales of wild brumby chases and evenings spent yarning round the campfire, Elyne's words bring the mountains vividly to life. On the Trail of the Silver Brumby allows readers to follow Elyne and her brumby heroes through their kingdom and discover for themselves a world of snowy alps, secret valleys, sparkling cascades and summer fields of wildflowers.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Elyne Mitchell is an Australian author best known for her Silver Brumby children's series, which tells the story of brumbies that roamed the Snowy Mountains in the Australian Alps, in particular a pale brumby named Thowra.

In 1988, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to literature, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Charts Sturt University in 1993.

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really know what I was expecting I guess but this was more of an ode to Elyne Mitchell and the mountains she loved rather than whatever the title implies.

Made up of a compilation of Mitchell's writing, focusing more on her non fiction work than the fiction the title derives from, and some photography, the books details her early introduction to the area of the country that would go on to inspire her writing.

It's beautifully laid out, the photographs stunning and the writing shows a true and deep appreciation and love of the land that Elyne explored on horseback and on ski's.