RUSH OH!
Shirley Barrett Picador $32.99 One hundred years ago, whaling was an important industry in New South Wales. It was a tough way to make a living and 1908 was a particularly harsh year.
The Davidsons, an old whaling family from Eden on the South Coast, are struggling to survive. From the menfolk doing battle with the whales, to the disgrace of her sister Louisa eloping in the night, 19-year-old Mary narrates the family's story with a warm-heart and a touching optimism.
Shirley Barrett writes with such authenticity about this fascinating era that it's easy to forget this is fiction. *** 1/2