Try free for 30 days

  • Gripped by Drought

  • By: Arthur Upfield
  • Narrated by: John Derum
  • Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Gripped by Drought cover art

Gripped by Drought

By: Arthur Upfield
Narrated by: John Derum
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $29.99

Buy Now for $29.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

A powerful story of Australia's great sheep farms from one of our greatest writers. Gripped by Drought is a story of a man's battle not only with the elements of nature which threatened the ruin of his huge Australian sheep-farm, but also with a loveless and unhappy marriage. 

For Frank Mayne, master of well-nigh a million-acre sheep station, life assumed its most dreary aspect. No rain for his farm, a wife who involved him in an orgy of spending and entertainment and with disaster just round the corner, there seemed little prospect of happiness.

Yet in the darkest hour of all, after the many unexpected and sometimes thrilling situations, the darkest hour of the drought gave way to rain and Mayne's tribulations became of the past.

©1932, 2017 William Upfield (P)2019 Bolinda Publishing

What listeners say about Gripped by Drought

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Upfield in an early reflection on land he first started working on

I am endlessly fascinated by Upfield’s insights into our landscapes and nature’s processes. Having just also read his newly released autobiography one can see where he got the inspiration for this book. He captures the reality of impending drought and the impact on wildlife and flora - then in graphic detail the toll on sheep and humans. His treatment of the characters is slightly more riske than many of his subsequent books. We have few Australian writers even today that can capture both the beauty and harshness of our arid rangelands. Despite the language and terms used the describe Indigenous people - commonplace in that era - again he was one of the few writers of the day that regard Indigenous knowledge so highly and can give readers a sense of injustice being perpetrated against them - all in language that still would be considered offensive now. Ironically, when I first started reading Bony books as a young teenager - it was Upfield’s writing that triggered my life interest in valuing Indigenous knowledge. Finally, I would have to say I am somewhat partial to Ric Hosking’s narration of Upfield books. While I am used to John Derum’s interpretation now - I find him a little too dramatic for some of the characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.