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The Bush

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The Bush

By: Don Watson, Hamish Hamilton
Narrated by: Don Watson
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About this listen

An enthralling journey, showcasing Watson's trademark literary gift and sardonic wit, through the Australian landscape and character.

While most Australians live in cities clinging to the coastal fringe, our sense of what an Australian is, or should be, is drawn from the vast and varied inland called the bush. But what do we mean by 'the bush', and how has it shaped us?

Starting with his forebears' battle to drive back nature and eke a living from the land, Don Watson explores the bush as it was and as it now is: the triumphs and the ruination, the commonplace and the bizarre, the stories we like to tell about ourselves and the national character, and those we don't. A milestone work of memoir, travel writing and history, The Bush takes us on a profoundly revelatory and entertaining journey through the Australian landscape and character.

©2014 Don Watson (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Australia & Oceania Australia, New Zealand & Oceania Oceania Travel Writing & Commentary Witty
All stars
Most relevant  
Attitude confirmation for me living and enjoying living in the bush, SE NSW.
Also a few more hard truths I need to attend, rectify.
Thank you for the advice, if unintentional.

Every soul living or contemplating living in the bush, a must read

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I enjoyed the journey from the early days to current bush practices. The farmers and their stories with a few interesting moments in between.
Well written & narrated.
Brilliant!

'A Must Read Book'

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Every Australian who thinks they care about the bush (and that's lots of us) must read this book. But not only is it important comma it's also incredibly entertaining and jam packed full of "wow I didn't know that" moments.

Australia's prose laureate

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Truthfully told, sometimes shocking observation of Australia's history since white man. Excellent narration by the author

All Australians ought read

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Impeccable research, engrossing, utterly tragic what white settlement has destroyed. It’s hard not to cry

A paradise lost

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I couldn’t stop listening. For someone who has spent his entire life in the city, Watson has given me a modicum of understanding of our history.

His melancholic voice added to his deep understanding and palpable sadness at the trajectory of our natural and human colonial history and more recent actions.

I loved his descriptions of his travels, weaving his experiences with stories and wisdoms and lyrical observations from memoirs of settlers and experiences of those now living in The Bush.

His descriptions of environmental degradation and “psychopathic” pillage of our land, his empathy for the first Australians and the appalling silence on their genocide made me weep.

I couldn’t recommend this book more highly.

City Guy

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A fine and thoughtful account of a vast topic. I enjoyed the repeat read and the depth of perspectives.

Splendid Insights

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an eye opener to some of the European "making"of the Australia we live with today

quite fascinating

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Watson beautifully captures a lifetime of thinking of our complicated place in the Australian bush. More than history, biography or philosophy could be in the singular- it achieves a depth that resonate wonderfully especially as someone with a similar journey as yet only half travelled

A genuine pleasure

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Amazing book, well worth the listen. Extremely well read and will resonate with many who love the bush

Awesome

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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.