Gavin Casey's reputation as one of the leading fiction writers of Australia relies heavily upon the brilliance of his short stories, especially those published in his first collection, It's Harder for Girls; and Other Stories (1942). Although he also published nine novels and won respect for his journalism and reviewing, Casey will be remembered primarily for the quality and unusual nature of his short stories. Some of these are extremely funny, but many convey a feeling of despondency and a sense that the joys and hopes of the past will not be fulfilled in the future. Casey's world is a male one in which mateship, the quality of the Australian (male) who is loyal to his mates (other males), is paramount and beery bonhomie prevails. The best stories reveal deep understanding of the lives and work of the miners who toil on the "Golden Mile" near Kalgoorlie, the town...