Contents: Country / A letter to Barry -- Reaping seeds of discontent -- Thylacine -- The imperial mind -- Choosing -- True hunters -- Lament / Temper democratic, bias Australian -- Lament for three hands -- Andrew Bolt's disappointment -- Big Yengo -- Rearranging the dead cat -- Sea wolves / Sea wolves -- Too upsetting -- Water harvest -- The unapproved day -- Whale and serpent -- Embrasure / Embrasure -- Franks is dead -- Peaceable kingdom -- Dear John -- The bridge near Nowa Nowa -- An enemy of the people -- Tracks / Honeypot two shots two pots and Miss Hermansberg -- A letter to Marlo -- Rene of Rainbird Creek -- Soldier goes to ground -- The headless horseman of the drummer -- Coffins -- Dawn -- Culturelines / Here is a story I'd like you to tell to that old man -- Primary colours -- Pittosporum -- Staff dining -- The Galapogos duct -- Left-handed woman

A collection of stories and essays by the award-winning author of Dark Emu, showcasing his shimmering genius across a lifetime of work. This volume of Bruce Pascoe's best and most celebrated stories and essays, collected here for the first time, traverses his long career and explores his enduring fascination with Australia's landscape, culture and history. Featuring new fiction alongside Pascoe's most revered and thought-provoking nonfiction - including from his modern classic Dark Emu - Salt distills the intellect, passion and virtuosity of his work. It's time all Australians know the range and depth of this most marvellous of our writers.