Bruce Simpson (1) (1923–)

A terriffic book, redolent with the laconic flavour of the Australian bush and the pathos of lonely death and burial a long way from civilization. Hundreds of isolated graves in remote locations are located and their stories told so as to stop them being lost forever. Sadly, as the author notes, many others have already been forgotten and now are gone forever.. Many bush graves no longer bear the names of those buried or are nameless and their identities have been forgotten over time. However at least their locations have been preserved, permanently fixed by GPS location. Part bush travel diary, part history lesson, this is a fascinating book, as strong and flavourful as a mug of billy tea.… (mais)

When I was given this book I thought 'how boring, a book about swaggies...' But one afternoon I sat down and read it and surprisingly, I couldn't put it down. I don't own any other books remotely like it, nor have I seen any others.

It's about two swaggies, Simmo and Snowy, who are looking for any work they can get during the tough years of the Depression. As they do, Snowy tells yarns about his days with the 'notorious and resourceful Chilla O'Rourke- gambler,horseman, friend to the battler, lurk merchant extrordanaire'. The stories featuring Chilla are usually hilarious- they made me laugh out loud- and touching.

It is a wonderful story of bush battlers and the only book I've read from the point of view of swagman, and is very informative about rural Australia at this time. It's both humerous and poignant, and deserves more attention from Australian readers.… (mais)