Rascal Rain A Year in Papua New Guinea

First published in 1994, Rascal Rain is an account of novelist Inez Baranay’s year in the chaotic, violent province of Enga in Papua New Guinea. Sent there by Australian Volunteers Abroad, her life changed from inner-city Sydney to a culture where brides are bought, rape is commonplace, and women aren’t allowed near men’s food because it’s thought it will make the men weak. The writer’s strengths have been noted as the descriptions of people, places and events; her eye and her nose for the beautiful and disgusting, her ear for speech and her ability to set scenes, draw characters and have them come powerfully and unforgettably to life. In the Afterword to the new ebook edition, there are reflections on issues in the writing and reception of this book.