More than mere words: Essays on language and linguistics in honour of Peter Sutton edited by Paul Monaghan and Michael Walsh

Wakefield Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781743057551. 298pp.
Ethnographer and contrarian: Biographical and anthropological essays in honour of Peter Sutton edited by Julie D Finlayson and Frances Morphy
Wakefield Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781743057568. 282pp.
(Age: 18+) Wakefield Press, an independent publishing company, established in 1979 and based in Adelaide, continues to produce quality Australian fiction and non-fiction titles. Peter Sutton, born in 1946, is an Australian social anthropologist and linguist, who, for almost 50 years, contributed to the understanding of Aboriginal languages, art, culture and society. More Than Mere Words and Ethnographer and Contrarian collect essays from various academics exploring these subjects further, or linking their investigations and observations specifically to Peter's work. Included throughout both books are figures, maps and tables. The lists of contributors show the extraordinary influence that Peter Sutton has had on the anthropological Australian landscape. Detailed lists of references follow each essay and the index in both texts will prove invaluable for the general interest browser and the in-depth readership. Both works are academic in nature but would be worthwhile additions to the shelves of school libraries to assist teachers and students in the study of Aboriginal Australia.
Julie Wells