"Horses and horse racing have been staple themes in classic Australian fiction, and feature prominently in the works of iconic authors like Henry Lawson and “Banjo” Paterson. In this collection of six stories, Rolf Boldrewood provides vivid pictures of the days when horses and horse-drawn transport were intimately involved in daily life in both city and country.
“An Australian Roughriding Contest”
“Five Men’s Lives for One Horse”
“The Horse You Don’t See Now”
“Old Time Thoroughbreds”
“The First Port Fairy Hunt”
“Old Stock Riders”"
"Robbery Under Arms, together with Marcus Clarke’s For the Term of His Natural Life, is considered to be one of the seminal Australian novels of the nineteenth century. It is a barnstorming yarn, delivered in the first person by one Dick Marston, a vigorous and basically honourable young man, who is lured into crime due to unfavourable circumstances. One of the major themes is the importance of proper mentorship for youth. Marston’s main mentors are his troubled father and the dashing bushranger, Captain Starlight, and Marston’s association with them leads to personal disaster. In the end, Marston finds his own way to honour and respectability, and settles down with a faithful woman, who has patiently waited for him to complete a lengthy period of imprisonment.
While the narrative reflects social views of the time which may be considered unacceptable today, particularly in regard to indigenous people and women, the author’s cheerfulness and his expectation that a person’s better qualities will eventually find expression remain attractive to the reader of today."
"In the early twentieth century, it was often said that “Australia rides on the sheep’s back”—a reflection of the nation’s dependence on the wool trade. Accordingly, a vast itinerant army of labourers was required to shear the sheep and prepare fleeces for market. In this essay, Rolf Boldrewood provides a vivid picture of the shearing season on a large property."
"A tale of cattle duffing, horse stealing and bushranging in the New South Wales outback with Captain Starlight. To quote the author "though presented in the guise of fiction, this chronicle of the Marston family must not be set down by the reader as wholly fanciful or exaggerated. Much of the narrative is literally true, as can be verified by official records. A lifelong residence in Australia may be accepted as a guarantee for fidelity as to local colour and descriptive detail." (Summary by Annise )"
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