The Memory of Trees

Most Australians see their world through eucalypts. From towering forests to straggly woodlands, in city parks, by the coast and in the bush, these are the trees that inhabit our familiar landscapes and national psyche. Yet the resilience of our eucalypt ecosystems is being tested by logging and land clearing, disease and drought, fire and climate change. In many places they are a faded remnant of those known by past generations. How important is the memory of these trees?

In search of answers, Viki Cramer takes us on a journey through the richest botanical corner of the continent, exploring forests of rugged jarrah and majestic karri, woodlands of enduring salmon gum and burnished-bark gimlet. Spending time with the people caring for these places, Cramer interrogates the decisions of the past, takes a measure of the present and glimpses hope for the landscapes of tomorrow.

The Memory of Trees will make you look anew at the trees and environments that sustain us and show the many ways that, together, we can ensure their future.

PRAISE FOR THE MEMORY OF TREES

‘Combining factual ecological information with the author’s personal reflections, this work is both informative and inspiring, urging readers to become more environmentally conscious. It is a moving and impactful examination of our most important flora.’ Judges comments, Book of the Year shortlist, Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards 2024

‘A must read.’ Rosamund Burton, Good Reading Magazine

‘And while Cramer arms us with the facts and figures needed to become eucalypt allies, her prose is always light, intimate, even poetic.’ Will Yeoman, Writing WA

‘Cramer’s love for the Australian landscape is palpable - this is a persuasive cry for the conservation of trees.’ Koko, Gleebooks

Ourselves: 100 Micro Memoirs

Edited by Laura Keenan and Casey Mulder
Night Parrot Press (2024)

Including The Shells by Viki Cramer

One hundred authors give voice to the raw, chaotic and joyful spectrum of what it means to be human. Each micro memoir is unique in its scope, but the collection resonates with threads of shared experience across cultures and generations. 

In 750 words or fewer, these carefully crafted stories invite the reader into the histories we often edit—or don’t tell—about ourselves.