Welcome to Nihil Alienum
Books and blog posts by David Gormley-O'Brien
Exploring the human aftermath of war, migration, and Australian national identity through historical fiction.
Becoming Australia series
Spanning Federation, two world wars, the Depression, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Cowra Breakout, and the long road to peace, this series captures the humour, hardship, and humanity of ordinary Australians in extraordinary times.
For readers who cherish meticulously researched historical fiction, An Attractive Naivety and Ashes and Sakura together form a vivid, unflinching, and ultimately hopeful account of Australia’s coming of age in the 20th century.
About David

Dr David Gormley-O'Brien is a writer and historian based in Woodend, Victoria, where he lives with his partner, Sara, on a smallholding with geese, ducks and chickens, a dog named Mavis, and a bossy cat called Franklin.