Australian Girls' Reading in the First Half of the Twentieth Century: A Survey of the Necessary Approaches

Abstract

Although the history of girlhood has attracted growing attention around the world, there still remains a lot to uncover, particularly in the Australian context. This article addresses the history of girls' reading habits in the first half of the twentieth century: examining where progress has been made in this area, and looking at avenues for further discussion – particularly in the examination of gender roles and in notions of growing up. This article argues that in completing a history of girls' reading habits, new light can be shed on these important areas of study. The article also addresses questions of methodology, examining autobiographies and memoirs as a particularly rich source for memories about girls' reading.