And here are the current (but still too gracious) opinions by some reviewers who otherwise seem to accept the fiction of the „Dark Glass” as being close to truth, probably because they have not studied any other historical works about Strzelecki:
» „In a Dark Glass” which is a curiously inappropriate and cliché-ridden title for a book attempting to clarify our vision, has a somewhat turgid style that makes it difficult to read. «
(George Farewell, „The Advertiser” Adelaide, January 13, 1962)
»I only wish one could find praise for Miss Heney's literary style. But her writing is painfully stiff, pedestrian and graceless. It reads almost like a formal academic translation from a Slavonic language. In the stylistic sense at least one feels that Miss Heney is well and truly lost between her two worlds.«
„The Bulletin, Sydney, February 3, 1962 ”
» In the whole controversy the best the Australian critics have been able to contribute is a complaint about Miss Heney's „cumbersome” style.«
(„The Bulletin”) National Notebook, Sydney, March 17, 1962
To add to the historical distortion of this book we have the frontispiece, which presents a caricature of Strzelecki's face to public. It is a deliberately disfigured portrait of the explorer, taken (without giving the source, as the author is accustomed to do) from W. Slabczynski's book „Paul E. Strzelecki” (obtainable from every State Library).
This miss-representation of the noble features of the original ends the disservice which H. Heney's book has done to Australian literature, arousing justified indignation among newcomers, who see in this book an attempt to ridicule a prominent countryman of whom they are rightly proud. This does not contribute anything to our „good neighbour ship” with them.
And now finally another disclosure: such an „historically” valuable and literary work has been subsidized with the taxpayers' money, without which, of course, it had no chance of publications. How do younger more dynamic and talented Australian writes feel about this, whose books have not yet been published and are on waiting lists, books, which are surely much more interesting and alive than this „unfortunate effort”.
See _excerpt_ from the article of Bohemia.
Fellow Mouni Sadhu
Because someone might question the right of a New Australian to make a literary and factual critique of an Australian book, I cornered our Fellow at the last meeting and dredged up some biographical notes from him.
[…]
At present Mouni Sadhu is studying the biographies and activities of some men who have been prominent Australian soil and is also collecting material for a major work about contemporary Australia.
His books published by G. Allen & Unwin Ltd are available from the larger bookshops throughout Australia.
