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Jack of Diamonds
- Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
- Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Non-member price: $46.09
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Another unputdownable effort!
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Another unputdownable effort!
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Amazing book
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Here is the story of two families, branches of the Solomons, transported to an alien land. Both branches eventually grow rich and powerful. But through three generations, the families never, for one moment, relinquish their hatred for each other. This novel is also the story of Australia, from its beginnings to its coming of age as a nation.
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Best 3 book series ever
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Perhaps one of the best novels I have read
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Smoky Joe's Cafe
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Thommo returns from Vietnam to an Australia that regards him as a mercenary guilty of war crimes. He begins to develop all kinds of physical and mental problems, and thinks it must only be him until he finds he is not alone. Ten mates, all who remain of his platoon who fought and died in the Battle of Long Tan, are affected the same way.
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Not my sort of book.
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Mrs. Moses is a small woman with a big heart and enormous courage. The only survivor of a Cossack raid on her village, she takes with her a big cast-iron frying pan, so heavy that she can only sling it over her back. Yet this is no ordinary frying pan, it's The Family Frying Pan, blessed with a Russian soul.
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Campfire Stories to Freedom
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This is Bryce Courtenay's moving tribute to his son, Damon, a hemophiliac who died from medically acquired AIDS on April 1, 1991, at the age of 24. April Fool's Day is controversial, painful and heartbreaking, yet has a gentle humor. It is also life-affirming, and, above all, a testimony to the incredible regenerative strength of love: how when we confront our worst, we can become our best. This tragic yet uplifting story will change the way you think.
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Amazing true story
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Tandia
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Tandia is a child of all Africa: half Indian, half African, beautiful and intelligent, she is only 16 when she is first brutalized by the police. Her fear of the White man leads her to join the Black resistance movement. With her in the fight for justice is the one White man Tandia can trust, the welterweight champion of the world, Peekay. Now he must fight their common enemy in order to save both their lives.
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strong performance
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Tommo and Hawk
- The Australian Trilogy, Book 2
- By: Bryce Courtenay
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Brutally kidnapped and separated in childhood, Tommo and Hawk are reunited at the age of 15 in Hobart Town. Together, they escape their troubled pasts and set off on a journey into manhood. From whale hunting in the Pacific to the Maori wars of New Zealand, from the Rocks in Sydney to the miners' riots at the goldfields, Tommo and Hawk must learn each other's strengths and weaknesses in order to survive.
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very moving
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The Potato Factory
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Always leave a little salt on the bread. Ikey Solomon's favorite saying is also his way of doing business, and in the business of thieving he's very successful indeed. Ikey's partner in crime is his mistress, the forthright Mary Abacus, until misfortune befalls them. They are parted and each must make the harsh journey from thriving nineteenth century London to the convict settlement of Van Diemen's Land.
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Exceptional Narrator
- By Renuka on 01-06-2014
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The Silver Moon
- Reflections on life, death and writing
- By: Bryce Courtenay
- Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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- Unabridged
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Each of us has a place to return to in our minds, a place of clarity and peace, a place to think, to create, to dream. For Bryce Courtenay this place was a waterhole in Africa where he used to escape to as a boy, in search of solitude. One evening, while lingering there, he witnessed the tallest of the great beasts drinking from the waterhole in the moonlight, and was spellbound. Ever since, he drew inspiration from this moment.
Publisher's Summary
Born and raised in a poor, working-class family in Toronto, Jack Spayd is the son of an unhappy marriage. After being taken under the wing of "Miss Frostbite", the owner of a local jazz club, Jack becomes a gifted musician, playing piano and harmonica. Fame and the allure of gambling takes him to Vegas, and prospects of fortune take him to the Belgian Congo, where he's heard it's possible to earn big money working in the most dangerous parts of the local copper mines.
Jack of Diamonds is the story of a young, talented man, fighting to achieve his ambitions, and having to use his considerable talents to find his way in a perilous world.
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What listeners say about Jack of Diamonds
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- James
- 01-02-2019
Talk about going out with a bang.
This is Bryce’s last book and as usual he didn’t disappoint . What a showstopper. Well done mate. Rest In Peace
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 19-06-2018
Great Story
I did love the overall story but not one of his best. a little long winded
1 person found this helpful
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- Rod
- 28-12-2017
Great Reading loved it..
great book once again and thank you Bryce for keeping me entertained for so long.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 09-01-2021
A great listen
This is a wonderful book. I have enjoyed it immensely. As always Bryce Courtney has written a great story.
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- Anonymous User
- 11-03-2019
what a story
this was exceptuonal. I finished this in only a couple of sittings. it kept me awake all night because I couldn't stop. Bryce is a special writer and Humphrey as the narrator certainly does this book justice.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-02-2019
Great book!
Really enjoyed this book. Bryce Courtenay's books are enthralling! I plan to listen to every one.
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- Anonymous User
- 23-07-2017
To drawn out
This book was far too long and drawn out with not enough interest. I finished it purely for the fact i had nothing else to do! Narrator was quite good though.
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- stuart
- 05-06-2017
Bryce Courtenay did it once again. Simply AMAZING
What did you like most about Jack of Diamonds?
The Characters, plot and a story line that takes you on a orsome journey
What other book might you compare Jack of Diamonds to, and why?
The Persimmon Tree followed by :Fishing for the Stars
What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?
best narrator on Audible
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
jack of spades
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- Trevor
- 02-12-2016
love this book.
Just when you think it cant get more interesting, wammo it gets better thanks for the great listen.
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- kristin pearce
- 30-09-2016
classic
one of his best wish there were more to come my favourite author and favourite narrator
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- Brodie
- 23-11-2012
On the Day we lost Bryce
I finished the book on the day Bryce Courtenay passed away. A sad day for listeners, his family, his fans and for Humphrey Bower, the voice that brought BC’s words to life. Some may well say that this was not his greatest work, the first in a planned series like Tommo & Hawk, but Humphrey Bower did an extraordinary job in bringing it to life with his ‘Canadian’ accent. He is a master and BC was lucky to have him. I enjoyed the tale, it was easy, rich and scene connected well into scene. Good easy listening and I urge all Audible folk who like works from writers outside the US to give this one a go. Buy it as a salute to the living story tellers everywhere who give us joy and take a moment to think about our own mortality. All story tellers like you and me the reader/listener pass on of course but they leave a legacy and BC’s is a great one. Thank you mate for showing the world that the world through Australian eyes is a rich one and we have many a tale to tell.
89 people found this helpful
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- Leisa
- 25-01-2013
I really wanted to like this more.
Any additional comments?
I have loved many of Bryce Courtenay's books and bought this when I heard he had passed away. I finished listening to it in honor of the other Courtenay books I loved.................but I didn't love it. I could have stopped listening. It had similar elements to many of his other books and the story moved slowly. It could have been much better.Try The Power of One, The Potato Factory Trilogy and Four Fires for outstanding writing and interesting stories that you can't put down. Humphrey Bower was outstanding as the narrator (once again!). I buy books just because he narrates them.I will miss new additions from Bryce Courtenay. Rest in peace.
13 people found this helpful
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- Linda
- 28-11-2012
I Am Devastated.
Mr. Courtenay usually writes about South Africa or Australia and we have gotten some real history lessons about these regions as well as entertaining stories. I have learned more history from great stories than I ever did in school. I really enjoyed Jack Diamonds. To absorb the life of someone "just across the road" from the United States in Canada during the turbulent "pre and post" World War II era was great fun. I quite simply love a good story (Bryce) read by a great reader (Humphrey).
I want to say here that Mr. Courtenay brought me to tears with his afterward. As I listened I could only hope (I realize quite selfishly hoped) that he had time for another story or two. I greatly appreciate his thoughtful goodbye - to me it was extremely personal because I always thought of Bryce Courtenay as one of my personal writers. I was absolutely devastated to learn that he passed away.
As a young person, I lived all over the world and the United States. I never got to Australia or Africa. Thanks to you and Humphrey Bower for the extraordinary journeys. I have always finished one story by looking for and anticipating the next one and have read each of Mr. Courtenay's books at least twice and some of them four or five times. Although I have not said much about this particular novel, I am sure that I will read and re-read and re-read Jack of Diamonds.
I am going to miss you. May God bless you and your family.
51 people found this helpful
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- Margaret
- 21-01-2013
Bryce Courtenay Fan
I love Bryce Courtenay books and shall miss him! However, this was not my favourite book. A bit repetitive material from his other books.
6 people found this helpful
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- Bruno
- 26-11-2012
The Final Book From Bryce
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
A Great read, an amazing roller-coaster of a story, it will bring tears and laughter.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Jack of Diamonds?
I found that Jack placing himself in harms way to prevent the beating of a cook the most memorable part of the story. It really resounded with me.
Which character – as performed by Humphrey Bower – was your favorite?
Joe, my absolute favourite
If you could take any character from Jack of Diamonds out to dinner, who would it be and why?
It would be Joe, and very wise man indeed.
Any additional comments?
Bryce was an amazing writer, we will miss you and your amazing fabrications.
33 people found this helpful
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- thawstone
- 27-01-2013
Bryce should have left well enough alone
After listening to The Power of One, which I recommended to everyone I know, I went on to listen to Tandia, Brother Fish, Four Fires, and the Australia trilogy, all of which were great. Then came this, the last book Bryce wrote before he died. Sadly he seems to have had nothing left. This book is largely a rehash of stories contained in his earlier books: Harmonica player, piano player, poker player, even a rehash of the great mining story at the end of The Power of One.
The other problem with this book is the narrator. As it is, you have to overlook the fact that all of Bryce's protagonist are Boy Scouts, but Humphrey Bower's narration just exacerbates this problem. I would describe his voice as Jocular. Even when something bad is happening he sounds upbeat about it.
I gave all the aforementioned novels five star ratings, and I'll be forever grateful to Bryce and his enormous talent, and because of this, I feel a little guilty about panning this book, but that's the way I see it.
26 people found this helpful
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- Tony
- 03-12-2012
'LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME'.. HE LOVED US BUT LEFT US!
Another wonderful layered story from Bryce Courtenay full of relationships, love, drama, glimpses of other decades and an undercurrent of racial tension. An absorbing novel that underscores the loss of a wonderful author who when faced with his own mortality thought of his readers and gave us the epilogue. Humphrey Bower did his usual fabulous narration.
13 people found this helpful
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- Rebecarol
- 15-07-2013
A StoryMaster's Finale
If you haven't read/listened to Courtenay and Bower and you crave a good story, start now, but perhaps don't start with this book. Courtenay is an absolute gem and master, and this novel, though strong in concept, seemed so "sketched" and rushed to me-- especially in the last half. Well, being an American and not recipient of the latest news in the Australian arts community, I didn't realize that this was Courtenay's last novel, and that he died last year. That explained all.
The book is flawed but still saturated with signature Courtenay -- a rags to riches story, messaging around literacy that was a little less subtle in this book but never gets old for those of us who love WORD, a commitment to creating excellent female characters and a true storyteller's understanding of the arc of story and how to deliver upon it.
So any Courtenay lover should read/listen to this, and his personal after-word will make you cry, but if you do not know Courtenay start earlier in his canon and enjoy a true story telling master at his peak!
So, so sorry that we shall no have another work from Courtenay, and thank to Humphrey Bower for delivering an exceptional reading once again.
8 people found this helpful
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- Dave
- 28-12-2012
Bryce Courtenay: A Damn good story-teller
Towards the end of the epilogue Bryce Courtenay, aware that this is his last novel, says he hopes he will be remembered as a "damn good story-teller". That he is and so he will be remembered. "Jack of Diamonds" starts in Toronto and takes us to Las Vegas, New York, London and finally back to the copper mines in Northern Africa mentioned in Courtenay's earlier novels and where the author himself worked as a "grizzly" when he was 17 years old. His hero is Jack Spayd who grew up in Cabbage Town, Toronto who climbs out of his poverty thanks to his mother's support, good black friends, the love of his life, Bridget and his exceptional talent as a jazz musician and an elite poker player, the latter which almost costed him his life on several occasions.
This novel reminds me in some ways of "Whitehorn" and I enjoyed it immensely although I found it difficult to realize that this was BC's last novel.
Humphrey Bower is one of my favorite narrators. What a terrific job he does as a Canadian from Toronto. I could never see anyone else doing Bryce Courtenay's books. Bower brings all the characters to life.
This is another must-read.
So sad to know that this wonderful Australian author has produced his final book.
8 people found this helpful
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- Mel
- 05-10-2014
My First Courtenay
This was my first Bryce Courtenay, won't be my last. It's a long one - 26 hours so be prepared to make an investment of time. Great story that reminded me of some Sidney Sheldon epics from the 70-80s.
Jack's youth and his Vegas experiences are detailed and comprise 85% of the book. His African experience is hurried and compacted. The reader learns in the epilogue why that had to be the case. Courtenay's health.
Jack's Vegas days reminded me of the movie - Casino. Crazy Sammie was Joe Pesci's character in Casino.... quite insane and scary.
3 people found this helpful
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- Joykie Burger
- 26-09-2013
Another Masterpiece!!
Bryce Courtenay is the master of fiction as far as I'm concerned. I have yet to find a book I don't enjoy thoroughly! The brilliance of Humphrey Bower had me living in the story and feeling everything Jack felt. I laughed with him and cried with him, how many writers can say they inspire people to that extent? I wait with huge anticipation for each and every one of Bryce's new books. What a perfect pair they make.
3 people found this helpful
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- SusanMcC
- 14-08-2013
You just need to keep listening!
I like to get value for money from my audio books and when I saw the length of this one I went for it - over 25 hours. Not my usual read - I'm a cloak and dagger reader. I was nicely surprised that this had a bit of everything. A rags to riches story with a bit of cloak and dagger thrown in and just the taste of a love story to bring a tear. Add to all that some travel from Canada to the UK in WW2, to Las Vegas and then through Africa where you lived the life at the time.
This was more value for money than I could have wished for and I've signed back in now to look for more of Bryce Courtenay.
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- Amazeon Customer DHL
- 31-08-2017
Consistently Great Story Telling
Wasn't sure what to expect in the storyline, Bryce is a master story teller and never fails to entertain his audience.
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- M. A. Collin
- 05-01-2021
Everything you could ever want in a book!
Captivated by the main character, Jack, from the very first page. Simply loved this book!
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- Lareine
- 13-12-2020
Great storyline
I loved this book. Well written and well narrated, apart from a couple of annoying mispronunciations of South African words, same as his previous books. I just shout at the narrator and carry on. Such a shame we won’t get any more wonderful Bryce Courtenay books. I’m glad he rounded off Jack’s story though.
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-07-2018
An absolute delight!
Finished far too quickly, but I’ve enjoyed every chapter. Fascinating story, perfectly narrated by Mr Bower of a hundred accents. Downloading another of Mr Courtenay’s wonderful novels right away!
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- Khonsu
- 06-12-2017
Into the world of poker and jazz
Another success from Bryce Courtenay.
The first person style suits Bryce's style of writing as the thoughts and desires are critical to align yourself with the main character.
Some of the mine time played heavily on previous books but this didn't stop the enjoyment. It's rare in a book that you are comfortable with leaps forward in time but Bryce achieves this.
It seems a pity that a sequel wasn't written rather than the abridged years in the epilogue.
The narration is excellent. I'm sure all natives will pick at any attempted local accents but you most definitely know where the characters are from.
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- Simon C.
- 25-03-2017
Enjoyable Mental chewing gum!
Bryce writes effortlessly with enough research detail to convince.
Humphrey is a master of tone and accents which bring the characters to life.
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- dickieL
- 23-09-2016
Another cracking book
Another audible book from BC that I couldn't stop listening to. Thank you very much
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- Mrs Wendy Huggins
- 27-05-2016
Unbelievably brilliant 👍
Once again a proper story from beginning to end bought together beautifully with the wonderful array of voices from Humphrey Bower. I couldn't put this book down and now it's finished I miss the main characters- Jack, Bridget and chef napoleon Nelson. A must read.
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