- Paperback: 800 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New edition edition (27 Nov 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141011440
- ISBN-13: 978-0141011448
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11.2 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 92,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
The story of a small-town, fifth-generation, Irish-Australian Catholic family struggling to reach the first rung of the social ladder. Their lives are forged by the "the four fires" - passion, religion, warfare and fire itself.
About the Author
Bryce Courtenay is the bestselling author of The Power Of One, Tandia, April Fool's Day, The Potato Factory, Tommo & Hawk, Jessica, Solomon's Song, and Smoky Joe's Cafe. Bryce Courtenay was born in South Africa and has lived in Sydney for the major part of his life.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Seldom have I read a book where I cried, laughed out loud (on the train!), burned with anger and finished it actually shaking with emotion, but with a smile on my face - and I have read alot of books.
Courtenays latest novel centres on a poor Catholic family living in and coping with living in a small bush town in Austrailia during the 50's. As usual Courtenay has created vivid real characters. The book is told through the youngests boys - Moles - voice as he describes being a member of 'Maloney and sons - garbage' both the name of the family's rubbish collecting business and the towns attitude to the family. The alcoholic petty crim father, the out-spoken mother, boy boxer Bozo, single mum Sarah, Mike the secret embroiderer, Colleen and Mole all have lives hampered by poverty, snobbery and tragedy but blessed by joy and friendship.
Attention to detail and research brings to life both everyday life in rural Austrailia at the time but also brings to life vividly life in a pow camp in borneo, a soliders experience during and after fighting in vietnam, bush fire fighting and the atrocities that occurred during the holocaust as well as fighting for womens independence.
Courtenay, yet again, has exposed me to history in places where I have never thought of, wars that I have never wanted to imagine and cruelty that I have never wanted to believe could exist, but, has also given me the knowledge that through all these horrors humans can survive and hopefully learn.
Read it!!
Courtenays latest novel centres on a poor Catholic family living in and coping with living in a small bush town in Austrailia during the 50's. As usual Courtenay has created vivid real characters. The book is told through the youngests boys - Moles - voice as he describes being a member of 'Maloney and sons - garbage' both the name of the family's rubbish collecting business and the towns attitude to the family. The alcoholic petty crim father, the out-spoken mother, boy boxer Bozo, single mum Sarah, Mike the secret embroiderer, Colleen and Mole all have lives hampered by poverty, snobbery and tragedy but blessed by joy and friendship.
Attention to detail and research brings to life both everyday life in rural Austrailia at the time but also brings to life vividly life in a pow camp in borneo, a soliders experience during and after fighting in vietnam, bush fire fighting and the atrocities that occurred during the holocaust as well as fighting for womens independence.
Courtenay, yet again, has exposed me to history in places where I have never thought of, wars that I have never wanted to imagine and cruelty that I have never wanted to believe could exist, but, has also given me the knowledge that through all these horrors humans can survive and hopefully learn.
Read it!!
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book centres around a poor lapsed Catholic family growing up in rural Victoria, Australia in the 1950's. Their lives are hard but they are a most adaptable family and survive mainly because the the strength of the mother of the family.
Her husband had been ruined by World War 2 being involved in the disgraceful Sandakan business in Borneo when the Japanese slaughtered so many British and Australian POW's taken there to build a runway. In real life, only 4 men survived this hell and they had all escaped. Courtenay describes all this in graphic and accurate detail.
So the father is a broken man with an intense alcohol problem. But he was also a man of the Bush as was his father and he has uncanny skills that he passes on to one son.
One of the highlights of the book is the way Courtenay describes a huge bushfire and its aftermath.
This is a warm, very human book full of tragedy, humour and achievement and what it means to battle. Whilst set in Australia in the 50's, it has a relevance to anyone who enjoys a good read. Those fans of Courtenay won't be disappointed.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I picked up this book not really knowing what to expect, but as I loved Power of One, thought it may be worth a go. It was spellbinding and I couldn't put it down. Bryce Courtenay has an incredible talent in not only telling a story from the perspective of a young boy as he grows into a man, but also to draw the reader into wanting to know more. Without giving too much away, his descriptions enticed me into wanting to know more and I ended up doing some research of my own into certain aspects related to the war, especially. This book gets my vote as one of the best I've read in a very long time.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Almost an outstanding read
I usually read between 30 and 50 books a year and Bryce Courtenay is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors - and this is a very good read. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2009 by Michael Bromfield
A fantastic read
This book is insightful, educational and emotional. I would thoroughly recommend it. It reminded me a little of 'Angla's Ashes' without the associated depression, and brings with... Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2007 by Mrs. K. Smith
777 Page Monster
If I wanted to be a complete hypocrite, I could make all kinds of catty observations about this book, pointing out the weaknesses in the plot, prose and character development, and... Read more
Published on 18 Feb 2003
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