Peter T Scott

Broschiertes Buch

The Cry of the Currawong

Beschreibung

This is a collection of linked short stories about Australian country life - or the 'bush' as Australians call it. The stories revolve around the experiences of a seven-year-old city boy who is taken to the home of his widowed mother's beloved Aunt Hannah who lives with her invalid husband, Stan in a small cottage just outside of the small country town of Yass on the Southern Tablelands of new South Wales. Here he experiences the simple but happy life of a bygone era: in the house called Auchenblae which had been built by Stan and his friends at the end of the nineteenth century. The young boy must adapt his city lifestyle to a gentler time when there was neither electricity, running water nor plumbed sewerage. Moreover, he meets his mother's extended family, uncles, aunts and cousins from the town and the wider district. Being country children, his cousins are a source of great adventure and friendship. His uncles and aunts also are characters in their own right and soon the young boy is accepted into the local bush culture. He meets people like Cousin Clarence, Boof to everyone, who likes telling tales, especially scary ones about child-eating bunyips. Another cousin, Harry 'Reckless' McLaren is a daredevil older boy who has a genius for inventing, especially billy carts, although sometimes he forgets important items such as brakes. The young boy also meets his cousins from 'Blackwater Station', a large sheep property out of town and owned by his mother's cousin 'Big Bill' McLaren, a larger-than-life grazier. His children often come to town and get the young boy involved in many new aspects of the life of children in outlying stations or ranches. Cousin Gemina could ride and shoot as well as any man and wild boars are hunted on horseback with hand guns. Her brother, Bob or 'Black Bob' or simply 'Blackie' to his friends is a pessimist's pessimist who often has grounds for being so, especially when hunting yabbies, freshwater crayfish, with big claws. Their uncle Errol is a local identity and shady character who spends most of his time in the Commercial Hotel in town 'keeping a book' as the local 'Bookie' taking illegal bets on all of the horseraces or anything. After many adventures and meeting many interesting characters, the young boy experiences a full and loving country family Christmas at Auchenblae with all of the relatives and Christmas trimmings - a great restorative for his personal happiness.

Autor

Dr. Peter Terence Scott was born in Sydney, Australia and had a professional teaching career spanning over forty years. He was educated at Maroubra Junction Primary School and Randwick Boys' High School. A graduate of a condensed, two-year program in Junior Secondary Teaching at Sydney Teachers' College, he began his teaching career at age 19 as Acting Head of Science at a new school in Canberra, Australia's capital. He has taught in a number of schools, both State and Private, and studied part-time at university, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree, Masters' Degrees in Science and Educational Administration and later a Doctorate in Education. For many years he was the Head of the State Syllabus Committee in his subject area and Member of the State Advisory Council in Science Teaching and the State Committee which teaching monitored and awarded the final Senior Certificates. He was also a member of several industry committees, an Army Reserve Officer and an Officer/Instructor in the Australian Naval Cadets. Now retired, he lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Felix Publishing
• Seitenzahl: 152
• Erscheinungstermin: 10. Oktober 2021
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 210mm x 148mm x 9mm
• Gewicht: 207g
• ISBN-13: 9781925662443
• ISBN-10: 1925662446
• Artikelnr.: 62748808