Includes bibliographical references.

"An excellent collection of essays on the work of a wide range of Australian writers and poets by Douglas Stewart, highly regarded poet, playwright, literary critic and editor. Mr Stewart notes in his Foreward to the book:
'While I was editing the former "Red Page" of book reviews for the 'Bulletin' and afterwards looking after a series of "classics" for Angus & Robertson, practically the whole broad stream of Australian literature passed before my wondering gaze; and on most of it ... I was impelled to set down my impressions. This book is a selection of those impressions as they appeared in reviews, essays and introductions.'
Writers discussed in 'The Broad Stream' include Joseph Furphy (Tom Collins), Steele Rudd, Mary Gilmore, Norman Lindsay, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Christina Stead, Patrick White and Kenneth Slessor, and many others well, and not so well, known. The author says: 'It pleased me, when I was making the selection, to realize how broad the stream of worthwhile Australian literature really is; and I hope that, by retrieving from odd corners and eddies a few books that have been neglected, I may have been able to add something here to our awarenes of its scope and variety.'" -- Back cover