Kangaroo

About “Kangaroo”

Kangaroo is D. H. Lawrence's eighth novel, set in Australia. He wrote the first draft in forty-five days while living south of Sydney in 1922, and revised it three months later in New Mexico. The book blends autobiography with political themes, exploring democracy amid the tensions of fascism and socialism. Its descriptions of Australia are vivid and sympathetic. The novel features Richard Somers, Lawrence’s alter ego, who leaves for America in search of a new form of comradeship. A critical edition of Kangaroo is based on the manuscript, typescripts, and first editions, including a textual apparatus, an introduction, and explanatory notes. It also contains three maps and an appendix detailing Australian locations.