Melissa Lucashenko grew up on the outskirts of Brisbane, where her Aboriginal mother grew plants and her Russian father built an improbable number of sheds in the backyard. (R)

Melissa worked as a motorcycle detailer, a house painter, a prison advocate, and a game show contestant before finding her way as a writer.

Her novel, Edenglassie, imagines life in colonial Brisbane in the 1850s.

In it, she tells the story of the Aboriginal warrior Dundalli who was the last man to be publicly executed in Queensland.

But Melissa also explores contemporary Brisbane, highlighting what she calls the "double vision" of Aboriginal people.

Edenglassie is published by the University of Queensland Press.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer is Carmel Rooney.

It explores colonial Brisbane, Indigenous history and culture, Russian culture, Edenglassie, karate, prison reform, writing, Aboriginal warrior Dundalli, game show contestant, reality tv, house painter, public execution, 1850s Brisbane, history, mixed race families, growing up mixed race.

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

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