Capricornia
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Capricornia
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Narrated by:
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Humphrey Bower
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By:
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Xavier Herbert
About this listen
Spanning three generationsâ¿¿ Capricornia tells the story of Australia's North. It is a story of whites and Aborigines and Asiansâ¿¿ of chance relationships that can form bonds for lifeâ¿¿ of dispossessionâ¿¿ murder and betrayal.
In 1904 the brothers Oscar and Mark Shillingsworthâ¿¿ clad in serge suits and bowler hatsâ¿¿ arrive in Port Zodiac on the coast of Capricornia. They are clerks who have come from the South to join the Capricornian Government Service. Oscar prospers and takes to his new life as a gentleman. Markâ¿¿ howeverâ¿¿ is restlessâ¿¿ and takes up with old Ned Kraterâ¿¿ a trepang fishermanâ¿¿ who tells him tales of the sea and the islandsâ¿¿ introduces him to drinkâ¿¿ and boasts of his conquests of Aboriginal women - or "black velvet" as they are called. But it is Mark's sonâ¿¿ Normanâ¿¿ whose struggles to find a place in the world embody the complexities of Capricornia itself.
©1938 Xavier Herbert Estate 1985. Introduction copyright Mudrooroo 1990. The right of Xavier Herbert to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. First published in Australia by Publicist Publishing Company, Sydney in. Second Australian edition published by Angus & Robertson. Subsequent Australian editions in either hardback or paperback were published by Angus & Robertson in 1939, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1956, 1959, 1963 (twice), 1969, 1970, Imprints Classics edition 1990, Angus & Robertson Classics edition 1996 and 2002. 2008 edition published by HarperCollins Publishers. (P)2009 Bolinda PublishingCritic reviews
What listeners say about Capricornia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Kate
- 11-12-09
Astonishing
If the reference to Baz Luhrmann's Australia doesn't fill you with glee, ignore it. This book is far, far better than the film, and bears practically no relation to it. It's fascinating historical information delivered by riveting story-telling. Xavier Herbert worked as a protector of Aborigines in Northern Australia, and his experience illuminates the narrative. I was kept awake long into the small hours by the emotional power of the writing. Very,very hard to press pause...
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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
- Jon B
- 15-04-21
Absolute Epic
I first read this in paperback just after the film 'Australia' had been released, as it was supposedly been the inspiration for the film. I found it hard going at first and couldn't get into the story. I revisited the book at a later point because something just told me to. Wow...This is a truly wonderful story, sprawling and vast, from heartwarming to tragic. A masterpiece. Listening to this epic is brought to life by a truly wonderful narration. This is on my list of favourite books.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Grace
- 02-10-10
Dreadfully disappointing
I tried really hard with this audiobook - sticking it out for over 8 hours. Such a waste of credit and not even the wonderful Humphrey Bower narrating could save this dire tale of undending misery. The writing is simply awful, with virtually no characterisation and the 'poetic' descriptions are trite to the point of laughability. If you want excellent audiobooks about Australia, go for the brilliant and highly recommended Bryce Courtenay and give this a miss.
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2 people found this helpful