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Jasper Jones

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Jasper Jones

By: Craig Silvey
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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About this listen

Late on a hot summer night in the tail end of 1965, Charlie Bucktin, a precocious and bookish boy of 13, is startled by an urgent knock on the window of his sleep-out. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in the regional mining town of Corrigan. Rebellious, mixed-race, and solitary, Jasper is a distant figure of danger and intrigue for Charlie. So when Jasper begs for his help, Charlie eagerly steals into the night by his side, terribly afraid but desperate to impress. Jasper takes him through town and to his secret glade in the bush, and it's here that Charlie bears witness to Jasper's horrible discovery.

With his secret like a brick in his belly, Charlie is pushed and pulled by a town closing in on itself in fear and suspicion as he locks horns with his tempestuous mother; falls nervously in love, and battles to keep a lid on his zealous best friend, Jeffrey Lu.

And in vainly attempting to restore the parts that have been shaken loose, Charlie learns to discern the truth from the myth, and why white lies creep like a curse. In the simmering summer where everything changes, Charlie learns why the truth of things is so hard to know, and even harder to hold in his heart.

©2009 Craig Silvey (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Difficult Situations Family & Relationships Friendship Literature & Fiction Loners & Outcasts Multicultural Mysteries & Detectives Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Racism & Discrimination Romance Discrimination Fiction Heartfelt Mystery Funny Witty
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What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

He made me believe I was listening to each of the varied, complex characters, from a gawky boy, an an old, isolated man, a woman restricted by the times, through to the Asian immigrant lovingly tending his garden. He captured the youth and coming of age of the main characters, so that I was swept back to being a teenager in a country town in the sixties. Brilliant!

The best narration I have ever heard

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I absolutely love this book. The multiple themes that run through the novel are conveyed through simple everyday language; there is no pomposity. You have an absolute understanding of the book and a complete love for the characters. Geoffrey Lui is a classic.
Download it and listen to it with your children.

Outstanding Australian Novel

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Great story, great characters and fabulous narration by Humphrey Bower. Excellent depiction of the Australia during the late ‘60s.

5 Stars!

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Had every emotion along the way. From sad to anxious to all the others. Brilliantly written

Great book

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Loved it. The story line was well thought through, didn't want to put it down.

Jasper Jones, an excellent read.

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I enjoyed the simplicity of the tale (a 'whodunnit') while wading my way through the complexity of the relationships presented in the novel.

Much of it reminded me of my own childhood & it superbly represented the conversations between boys & the adult pressures that start to push in on adolescents.

I enjoyed the reading of this novel - the varying voices were at times hilarious & made long paragraphs more interesting.

Batman is most certainly the greatest superhero, of that I am convinced.

Comical Melancholy

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After listening to Honey Bee I searched the author and was not disappointed to find this title as another great listen. Believable, interesting and well described characters with great story line which motivated me to listen from start to finish.

Another captivating book

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loved every page. a beautifully written coming of age story. will re-listen and re- read

must read

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A great listen from start to finish - especially for anyone who has spent time in small town Australia. Craig Silvey has written a bit of Aussie gold here - fantastic story, amazing voice acting, heart, humour (great banter between Jeffrey and Chuck!) and pace. Thanks, Craig!

Listen to this book!

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I was listening to this every chance I got. Didn't want the story to end.

Couldn't stop listening

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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.