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Matthew Flinder's Cat

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Matthew Flinder's Cat

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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About this listen

 The story of a drunk, a boy, and a cat. Billy O'Shannessy, once a prominent barrister, is now on the street where he sleeps on a bench outside the State Library. Above him on the window sill rests a bronze statue of Matthew Flinders' cat, Trim. Ryan is a 10-year-old, a near-street kid heading for the usual trouble. The two form an unlikely bond. Through telling Ryan the story of Flinders' circumnavigation of Australia as seen through Trim's eyes, Billy is drawn deeply into Ryan's life and into the Sydney underworld.©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Publishing Pty. Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Cats Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
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What a brilliant read! I’m so annoyed now because I don’t generally read “Big Authors”. I like the little guy, the book with no big name on it by an obscure unknown - but this was brilliantly written and now I’m going to have to be forced to read more of his books. I really do hope he writes them. That he doesn’t have a team of minions like terrible authors like Nora Robert’s who just produce book after book of AI/team generated rubbish. It was really a very good book - sigh!!

My first Bryce Courtney

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Insightful magical and fraught with very real life characters and their frailties
A wonderful yet heart wrenching journey

A compelling read

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A heart warming story using the story of Mathew Flinder's Cat to thread together the story of Billy.

Return from Destitution

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It has given me explanation of my own life, and made me want to become more than I am currently. I cried a lot during the book. It made me feel a familiarity with an author that I haven't experienced before. Thank You Bryce. Welsh accent was terrible. Sorry.

Perhaps life changing

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A beautiful story, I loved it so much i have listened to it twice

Very well narrated and a great story.

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Not Courtenay’s best work, though he was the master at character development and getting the reader/listener fully invested and even emotionally involved with key characters.

Working in the city I found myself looking at the homeless differently.

Typically Courtenay

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Bryce Courtenay is an exceptional author. mathew flinders cat is a beautiful and captivating story. it will make you laugh, cry and it will certainly help you open your mind and your eyes to a problem that is still ongoing in the world today. A sad and Happy story. must listen/read.

Humphrey is also an exceptional talent and perfect for reading Mr Courtenays novels.

laugh cry and open your mind

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Very good narration. Loved the insight into recent Sydney history and the Kings Cross underworld. The main character Billy was great. The parallel story with Flinders and Trim the cat was interesting, but not sure it worked.
One problem is the chapter syncing between the narration and the app.. way off.

Basically two stories in one

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This will make you think about life another truly great book by Bryce. This book was very hard to stop listening to could easily listen to again.

soul search

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Not my favourite novel by Courtenay but still an enjoyable listen. Narration was fabulous as always. I found myself tuning out when listening to parts about Trim the cat but enjoyed the rest of the storyline. Does contain themes of childhood sexual abuse for any readers/listener who prefer to steer clear of that topic.

A good novel by Courtenay

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