Four Fires is a novel written by Bryce Courtenay. It was first published in 2001. Background to the novel The title is derived from a quote (unspecified, but possibly of Indigenous Australian origin): There are four fires of our dreaming The bushfire of our land's renewal The war fire of good men killing The soul fire of a different God The fires of a consuming love The novel focuses on the Maloney family, who live in country Victoria. It also deals with many major events and issues in Australian history, as seen through the eyes of, or experienced by, the Maloneys. These include feminism, bushfires and PTSD. The story covers a time period from the late 1940s to 1999. Plot The Maloney family live in a Victorian town, Yankalillee, in the Wangaratta-Wodonga area. The family is in many ways dysfunctional, but they are also fiercely loyal to each other and their friends and supporters. They start the novel far down the social ladder, but strive to rise up it, in spite of those who seek to keep them down. The Maloney family Tommy; a descendant of Irish Catholic convicts, he is technically the head of the family, although only two of the children were fathered by him. A born 'bushie' who fights in World War II as a Corporal in the Australian army, he is captured after the fall of Singapore. He survives years of hell as a POW and barely survives the Death Marches from Sandakan to Ranau. Back home, physically and psychologically damaged, he alternates between bouts of alcoholism, prison terms for petty theft and 'going bush'. He is a respected bushfire fighter. He tells his horrific wartime story, which he has never told before, to his son Mole. Nancy is the mother of the family, physically and mentally strong and unafraid to stand up to anyone, even her social 'betters'. In Tommy's (frequent) absences, she runs a garbage business under contract to the shire council. Her children regard her as a 'collapsed catholic' (from Nancy's term: "Lapsed Catholic"). Sarah is the oldest child. A brilliant student, she is accepted into medical school, but becomes pregnant and has to fight to be admitted. She graduates with honours. Michael aka Mike, has artistic talents and learns the fashion trade in Melbourne. Unable to find a way to promote his unorthodox designs, he moves to London. Bozonik aka Bozo, has