Buy a discounted paperback of whipbird online from australias leading online bookstore. Its a funny, satirical, sad, tragic and biting look at modern australia. Robert drewe was born in melbourne on 9 january 1943, but from the age of six, when his father moved the family west to a better job in perth, he grew up and was educated on the west australian coast. Author robert drewes awardwinning novels are much loved for their sharply drawn portraits of australian life. Written with the same lyrical intensity and spellbinding prose that has won robert drewes fiction international acclaim, the shark net is set in a city haunted by the menace of an elusive serial killer. In this book he switches his focus from fiction to memoir, with mixed results. Author robert drewe on his latest satire, whipbird the. Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s against the remote backdrop of perth described by some as the most isolated city in the world, the story manages to cover a lot of ground. The swan river and indian ocean coast, where he learned to swim and surf, made an immediate and lasting impression on him.
Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new. Drewe and cooke come together, in a sense, when the former is an investigative reporter on the overnight crime beat. Robert drewe is one of my favourite authors in the nonfiction and short story formats and i dont think anyone captures contemporary australians and australian life better than he does. In whipbird, the tenth novel from the australian writer robert drewe, cousins. Aged six, robert drewe moved with his family from melbourne to perth, the worlds most isolated city and proud of it. Recently, he has revisited the short story himself, with a masterful new collection. Depending on your vintage, robert drewe is best known for his memoir the shark net, his debut novel, the savage crows, his widely studied short stories, or because his our sunshine became the heath ledger vehicle ned kelly. A spiced and savory memoir the new york times of the dark life hidden in a sunny seaside australian community. Robert drewe on his career and the women who have influenced him. Read whipbird by robert drewe available from rakuten kobo. Acclaimed australian novelist robert drewes first major nonfiction work, the shark net. From a floury encounter on a bakers work table to the art of sitting backwards on chairs, from budgie training to spontaneous human combustion, this collection showcases the nonfiction writing of one of australias bestloved authors.
Robert drewes new novel whipbird books and arts abc radio. Have moved on and am now reading drews the drowner. Written with the same lyrical intensity and spellbinding prose that has won robert drewes fiction international acclaim, the shark net is set in the 1950s in a. While these protagonists dual paths are in no means parallel, and their meeting is, as the book s title suggests, inevitable, drewe creates and maintains suspense by moving cooke throughout the narrative in much the same. Robert drewe is the author of numerous short stories, novels, and nonfiction works, including his memoir the shark net. Robert drewe s visceral, languid and sensuous language ensures that the drowner eddies and churns where others sink like sack stuffed cats thrown into the canal. Robert drewe has more fun in whipbird than some of the guests at the family reunion that is at its core. Fans of robert drewe are in for a treat, with his newest collection, the true colour of the sea, published late last month by hamish hamilton. Robert drewe was born in melbourne on january 9, 1943, but from the age of six, when his father moved the family west to a better job in perth, he grew up and was educated on the west australian coast. Frank moorhouses the new york bell captain was the funniest and i had to laugh at the delusional obsessiveness of the main character. Robert drewe is the author of seven novels, four books of short stories, two memoirs, six other works of nonfiction and two plays. Montebello, a memoir, by robert drewe anz litlovers litblog.
Whipbird, by robert drewe it crossed my mind more than once as i read this beaut book that 2017 has been an extraordinary year for australian fiction. Dec, 2017 comic, topical, honest, sharply intelligent, and, above all, sympathetic, robert drewes exhilarating new novel tells a classic australian family saga as it has never been told before. Buy a cheap copy of the shark net book by robert drewe. Robert drewes new novel whipbird books and arts abc. In whipbird, the tenth novel from the australian writer robert drewe, cousins and aunts and uncles and their spouses converge on a vineyard to reminisce, romanticise and maybe to reopen old wounds robert drewes new novel whipbird. He is the recipient of a commonwealth literary prize and two walkley awards for journalism. Jul 31, 2017 discover book depositorys huge selection of robert drewe books online. Robert drewe is the author of three novels, the savage crows 1976, a cry in the jungle bar 1979, and fortune 1986, together with a book of stories the bodysurfers 1983 and a forthcoming collection to be called the bay of contented men. Robert drewe is bestknown for his multiaward winning masterpiece, the drowner and for his popular memoir the shark net. In his memoir the shark net, robert drewe describes growing up in perth, western australia, in the febrile atmosphere created by an outbreak. Robert drewes visceral, languid and sensuous language ensures that the drowner eddies and churns where others sink like sack stuffed cats thrown into the canal. This is a book that relies on a fudged blurb to draw readers in. The swan river and indian ocean coast, where he learned to swim and surf, made.
Dec, 2012 montebello is a fascinating book which provides more than a little food for thought. Aug 22, 2017 robert drewe is bestknown for his multiaward winning masterpiece, the drowner and for his popular memoir the shark net. The bodysurfers by robert drewe book cover, description, publication history. At hugh and christine clearys new vineyard, whipbird. These are just some of the many insights that can be found in robert drewes new book the beach. Robert drewe is one of australias most critically acclaimed writers. Robert drewe s brilliant satire of australia today.
Comic, topical, honest, sharply intelligent, and, above all, sympathetic, robert drewes exhilarating new novel tells a classic australian family saga as it has never been told before. Jul 31, 2017 robert drewe is the author of seven novels, four books of short stories, two memoirs, six other works of nonfiction and two plays. Written with the same lyrical intensity and spellbinding prose that has won robert drewe s fiction international acclaim, the shark net is set in the 1950s in a. Robert drewe is among australias most loved writers of novels, memoir and short stories. An australian passion an examination of australian beach culture that also uses stunning.
Poetic prose often makes for a lumpy, leaden or overwrought story. The drowner, 1997, drewe stakes out new literary territory, telling of his progress from schoolboy to young newsman on the make. Its a funny, satirical, sad, tragic and biting look at modern australia and the best thing ive read in. His next book, the local wildlife humorous short, short stories of the northern rivers will be published by hamish hamiltonpenguin in july.
Robert drewe official facebook page of australian author. For his latest, whipbird, he has turned his satirical eye to the type of monied professional chasing the settler tradition by owning a modest vineyard. His iconic australian books include the shark net, the bodysu. Robert drewes next book, the local wildlife humorous short, short stories of the northern rivers will be published by hamish hamiltonpenguin in july 20. Hello, welcome to books and writing, coming to you this week from the byron bay writers festival. Robert drewe audio books, best sellers, author bio. Its a funny, satirical, sad, tragic and biting look at modern australia and the best thing ive read in a long time. Honoured to be part of the inaugural meeting of the. Sand by robert drewe, john kinsella nook book ebook. Written with the same lyrical intensity and spellbinding prose that has won robert drewes fiction. In whipbird robert drewe brings us a masterful tragicomedy of an australian clans coming together. So many of our best writers have released wonderful new books, ive been hardpressed to keep up with the best of whats new. From the dazzling neons of tokyo to the literati of london, from the ghettoes of new york to the market stalls of bombay, urban life is here in all its variety.
From that notion, ripe as it is with the potential for mishap and anything but harmony, robert drewe proceeds in his latest and by far his funniest novel, whipbird. This highly acclaimed memoir was published in 2000, and has since been made into a tv series released in 2003. Dec 04, 2017 whipbird, by robert drewe it crossed my mind more than once as i read this beaut book that 2017 has been an extraordinary year for australian fiction. His work has been widely translated, and adapted for film, television, theatre and radio. At hugh and christine clearys new vineyard, whipbird, six generations of the cleary family are coming together from far and wide to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the arrival of their ancestor conor cleary from ireland. Hugh cleary, a melbourne barrister with a recently acquired vineyard in the ballarat area, has decided to celebrate the 160th anniversary of his forebear conor clearys arrival in the colony of victoria in 1854. At hugh and christine clearys new vineyard, whipbird, six generations of the. Over of the possible 2946 descendants of conor and his three wives. The shark net by robert drewe standard this is a book that relies on a fudged blurb to draw readers in. In celebration of his lifetime dedicated to the written word, heres a brief introduction to the books of robert drewe. Dec 26, 2015 these are just some of the many insights that can be found in robert drewes new book the beach. Drewe was also the editor of two shortstory anthologies, the penguin book of the beach and the penguin book of. The eleven stories, all themed around coastal living, the ocean and the australian fascination with it are all written in drewes signature style.
Explore books by robert drewe with our selection at. Ramona koval here, and today im speaking with writer robert drewe about his new. His novels, short stories and nonfiction have won national and international prizes, been adapted for film, television, theatre and radio, and been widely translated. Robert drewe, first a journalist and later a novelist, has an arresting tale to tell, and the literary skills to tell it with affection, humour, some bitterness and a good deal.
Robert drewes central metaphor in this book is water and he controls every aspect of it with the artistry and skill of a true drowner. His language is subtle, fluid and full of reflections, but each short sequence of prose is like a vivid fragment of film in which his characters live and move. The short stories in this outstanding international collection, selected by robert drewe, are as diverse and exhilarating as the cities they describe. Robert duncan drewe born 9 january 1943 is an australian novelist, non fiction and short. Apr 09, 2003 robert drewe is one of australias most critically acclaimed writers.
In his memoir the shark net, robert drewe describes growing up in perth, western australia, in the febrile atmosphere created by. It seems fitting that ernest hemingway is namechecked twice in drewes latest novel, whipbird. His depiction of the cleary horde now with many surnames, some asian is acute and hilarious. In the most isolated city on earth, he lived a comfortable and carefree middleclass existence by the beach. Robert drewe was born in melbourne and grew up on the west australian coast. Its the successor to robert drewes memoir the shark net which was made into a tv series, and its likewise much more than a memoir. Drewes islomania is the launchpad for a collection of anecdotes that link together his experiences on islands off the. The characterisations, scenery descriptions, humour and plot in whipbird were all excellent. Penguin book of the city drewe, robert, drewe, robert on. And in a previous life he was a walkley award winning journalist. Robert drew has written a moving and unpretentious memoir of a precocious youth, a bittersweet tribute to. Multiawardwinning author robert drewe has added the 2019 colin roderick literary award to his collection with his short story compilation, the true colour of the sea. Robert drewes latest book is the memoir, montebello. Discover book depositorys huge selection of robert drewe books online.
In drewes savage crows, salem house, 1989 historical novel of australia, will dance is an engineer in the 1880s, descended from a line of drownersmen who irrigate dry lands. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. Robert drew has written a moving and unpretentious memoir of a precocious youth, a bittersweet tribute to youths optimism. Nov 04, 2005 grace by robert drewe 432pp, hamish hamilton. The memoir elements dominate the narrative in terms of length. I read a lot in conjunction with a book reading group. Robert duncan drewe born 9 january 1943 is an australian novelist, nonfiction and short. Born in melbourne, drewe moved to perth with his family when he was a young boy.
Recently, he has revisited the short story himself. Sep 21, 2017 robert drewe has more fun in whipbird than some of the guests at the family reunion that is at its core. This sunbaked coast was innocently proud, too, of its tranquillity and friendliness. The books swirls from wiltshire to australia with a sense of wonder and hope in spite of the harshest realities. Acclaimed australian novelist robert drewe s first major nonfiction work, the shark net. Currently promoting new book the true colour of the sea. Montebello is a fascinating book which provides more than a little food for thought. Robert drewe is also the editor of two international shortstory anthologies, the penguin book of the beach and the penguin book of the city, and edited best australian stories in 2006 and 2007 and best australian essays in 2010.