Written while she was still a teenager, My Brilliant Career catapulted young Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (writing as Miles Franklin) into worldwide fame. In fact, the sudden popularity of the book in Australia (and the perceived closeness of the plot to her own family history) caused Franklin to withdraw the book from publication until after her death.

The story centers on Sybylla Melvyn, a headstrong girl growing up in rural Australia whose family is plunged into debt by their alcoholic father. Young Sybylla's story follows her romance with suitor Harold Beecham, her forced servitude to one of her father's creditors and her attempts to become a famous writer.

Long hailed as one of the most popular and celebrated works in Australian literary history, My Brilliant Career is presented here in its original and unabridged format.