The Dickens Boy
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The Dickens Boy
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Narrated by:
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David Tredinnick
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By:
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Tom Keneally
About this listen
Plorn arrives in Melbourne in late 1868 carrying a terrible secret. He has never read a word of his father’s work. He is sent out to a 2000-square-mile station in remotest New South Wales to learn to become a man, and a gentleman stockman, from the most diverse and toughest of companions. In the outback he becomes enmeshed with Paakantji, colonists, colonial-born, ex-convicts, ex-soldiers, and very few women.
Plorn, unexpectedly, encounters the same veneration of his father and familiarity with Dickens’ work in Australia as was rampant in England. Against this backdrop, and featuring cricket tournaments, horse-racing, bushrangers, sheep droving, shifty stock and station agents, frontier wars and first encounters with Australian women, Plorn meets extraordinary people and enjoys wonderful adventures as he works to prove himself.
This is Tom Keneally in his most familiar terrain. Taking historical figures and events and reimagining them with verve, compassion and humour. It is a triumph.©2020 Tom Keneally (P)2020 Penguin Random House Australia
What listeners say about The Dickens Boy
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-08-2020
a great story.
An intricate story which brings the imagined character of Mr Dickens alive. The narrator includes many colourful descriptions of colonial life.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- B R A D : ]
- 14-05-2020
Thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Plorn
The coming of age of young 'Plorn' by Tom Keneally is a great listen. Brilliantly narrated, it tells of the struggle for young Dickens as he navigates his way to adulthood and the struggle to prove his worth to his legendary father, and himself. Each listen I found myself transported to the dusty Moonbah station in far western New South Wales, or to the billabongs along the Darling, with the Bonney brothers gently guiding their young apprentice, merinos by the thousands, Waler horses, Captain Starlight, young Connie, Mrs Wivenhoe.. A great yarn from an iconic era. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rodney Wetherell
- 03-08-2020
Highly readable novel based on fact.
I enjoyed Tom Keneally's novel so much I really did not want it to finish. The reading by David Tredinnick is outstanding - apart from doing an amazing array of accents, he keeps the story moving well, without rushing. Keneally knows a lot about Dickens and about Australia in the 19th century, and has included some fascinating information in this novel, while keeping its fictional integrity. It is firmly placed in the NSW outback, in the Wilcannia region, but the characters refer continually to 'the old country' and to Dickens the writer, inevitably - his fame was so great that many of the station hands had read at least one of his novels. One can understand Plorn's despair over his inability to read any of his father's works - but finally he does.
This is perhaps the most enjoyable novel I have read, or listened to, in years.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- 20-04-2020
Most Enjoyable Tale
Great story of Dickens' sons in 19th century New South Wales, told in Kenneally's great style. Tom just keeps getting better. I noted one minor error in geography but it did not detract from the story. Narration is excellent.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris Bowman
- 21-07-2020
absorbing account
What an absorbing account of the early jackarooing system of growing up young lads. Authentic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-09-2021
Fabulous Keneally
Wonderful book. A sad look through an imperfect lens of a young character cast into our terrible past
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- delia
- 14-07-2020
Excellant
So excellent the story and the narration was the best ive ever listened to thank you
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 19-08-2020
Great story, beautifully narrated
I was mesmerised by this book. A beautiful story, which evokes the Australian bush themes so well. It has inspired me to read more of both Dickens and Keneally. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rosemary
- 20-11-2020
Great story excellent narration
David makes the story with his narration, how he brings all characters alive amazes me.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Katherine Juestel
- 22-06-2020
Not sure if it is the writing or the narration
Struggled to get past chapter 10. The attempt by the author to write in the style of the 19th century is a good try, but falls short. The narration drags. And the ending is very unsatisfactory.
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