Four Fires

I'm writing this in the midst of California wild fire season (and, seriously, I only have to walk outside to smell the smoke) to recommend the most AMAZING novel I've read in months. I can't say enough about how wonderful this book is. It's the story of a family in Australia who are at the very bottom of the social ladder (they are garbage collectors, and the dad is usually in jail) struggling to find a place in the world. The narrator is the youngest son (Mole Maloney), who, like his father and grandfather, becomes one of the most gifted bush firefighters in his region. He accompanies a slew of wonderful family members and close friends as he tells the story of his familly's adventures through the years between WWII and the Viet Nam war. Each member of the Maloney family is a fabulous, admirable character. By the end of the book you just want to erect a monument to all of them. It's wonderfully moving, and quintessentially Australian. I can't rave about it enough. I cried multiple times when reading this book. It's just fantastic. Bryce Courtenay's other novels are equally great, if you haven't read them.

This has become one of my favourite books. It is more than just the story of a poor family. It shows us the prejudices that live inside even the most honourable of people. It shows that strength of character and doing what is right can be the biggest challenge of all. These characters face incredible obstacles and get help from where they least expect it and turned away by people who should help them. It allows you a glimpse of the complex inner workings of a society as experienced by the characters. Ranks right up there with Bryce Courtneay's "Power of One". Excellent read! I couldn't put it down and I was sad when it was over.

Bryce Courtenay is a writer whose characters stay with you long after you have finished his books. I have not enjoyed an author as much since Ferrol Sams.

I can't quite work out why I like this book so much. All it does is follow the life of one poor Catholic Australian family. Sounds boring, right?That's what I thought, even after I read it. But the truth is, this book is really amazing. One of the great things about it is the way it covers so many issues from the time.It follows the lives of Sarah, Mike, Bozo and Mole Maloney. Even thoough each of them was born to the same mother from different fathers, they are a very tight-knit family. They start off as the lowest of the low, the town's garbage collectors. Each of them go on to have unusual lives which has the effect of getting the Maloney name out of the dust. Sarah becomes the first person to be admitted to university while pregnant, Mike becomes a fashion designer (a great achievement for Australia, it being the backwards hole that it was in those days), Bozo becomes an Olympic boxer (Bryce Courtenay does seem to love boxing, doesn't he?) and he also enlarges the garbage business to become one of the largest transport companies in Australia.The story is told through the eyes of the second-to-last child, Mole. Alone of the siblings, Mole doesn't seem to have any unusual talent, until Tommy (the husband of his mother but not his father) comes out of jail and starts teaching him about the bush. I think Mole is a very confusing character, because he doesn't seem to have the same drive and ambition of his brothers and sisters, and because of this everything he does seems directionless. To me, anyway. He is Tommy's sole confident, and Tommy tells him all about the terrible time he had when he was fighting in the war. He was the sole survivor from a POW camp, called Sandakan, in Borneo.For some strange, unknown reason, this causes Mole to join the army, and to tell any more would spoil the ending, so I won't. I just don't see why, that's all.Anyway, this book is great, everyone should read it, etc. etc. It's a really great book.

This novel has to be one of the Bryce Courtney masterpieces. Set in the bushfire region of the ovens valley in Victoria (Australia). The Maloney family of Irish Catholic decent were the lowest of the low... the towns garbage collectors. The head of the family was Tommy, a petty theif who sadly did not excel in his chosen proffession of burglery. His family were forced to continue life with Tommy in and out of jail like a yoyo. This novel deals with the social issues of the late 1960's, and with the patterns associated with "shell shock" now better known as Post Traumatic Stess Disorder... following soldiers after the great wars. This book is a must for any Courtney fan, for any Australian and for any booklover. Even if you have never been to the great state of Victoria... or for that matter Australia... give this book a read.