Jill Ker Conway is a child of the Australian outback in the mid-twentieth century. Born in 1934, Conway's infancy occurs during the Great Depression, which strikes Australia hard. Her adolescence coincides with World War II and the post-war period during the later 1940s. Her perspective is heavily rooted in her time and place. First, Conway grows up with a deep passion for nature, people, social structures and history. She loves the backcountry people and as an adult decides to vindicate their importance in Australian history in her work.