Zucchero: Storie d'Australia

The book deals with the life of cane cutters in Queensland, predominantly those who have emigrated from European and Asiatic countries. Set in the harsh conditions of the cane fields it tells of racism, discrimination, gratuitous violence and death, which often occur with the compliance of religious and political authorities. The author makes use of a large amount of documentation to focus on the role of a few selected Italians in the development and civilization of Australia. At the same time he shows his appreciation of the animistic cultures of the Aboriginal peoples, who were often cruelly treated by the English, who themselves struggled with understanding the bearers of a culture so different from their own.