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Willowman

By Inga Simpson
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4.07 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 630 ratings, 99 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Willowman by Inga Simpson is a compelling piece in the General Fiction category that follows the journey of a master cricket bat maker and a young, rising cricket star. Their lives intertwine as they both strive for excellence in their crafts against a backdrop of personal and professional challenges. This heartfelt narrative explores themes of passion, dedication, and the nuances of mentorship.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy stories that delve deeply into character development and personal journeys. With rich storytelling and vivid descriptions, it captures the essence of human experiences and emotions beautifully.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

One stroke of luck can change your life . . . The critically acclaimed and enthralling literary novel about a batmaker and a gifted young cricketer, and the game that ties them together. For fans of Chad Harbach's The Art of Fielding and Joseph O'Neill's Netherland.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKPEOPLE ADULT FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ACT NOTABLE BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023

Willowman may well be the perfect Australian novel. — Readings

Beguiling and entertaining. — Peter Lalor, Weekend Australian

A sweet strike that goes beyond the boundary. — The Age

Joyous storytelling at its best. I was enthralled. — Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

I bloody loved this - a gorgeous, heartbreaking examination of so much more than cricket. — Robbie Arnott, author of Limberlost

Allan Reader, one of the last traditional batmakers in the country, keeps his family business alive in a small workshop in Melbourne.

When Todd Harrow, a gifted young batter, catches Allan's eye, a spark is lit and Allan decides to make a Reader bat for him, selecting the best piece of willow he's harvested in years to do so.

As Harrow charts a meteoric rise to the highest echelons of the sport, Allan's bat takes centre stage as well, awakening something in him. But can Allan's fledgling renaissance — hanging as it does on the magic of that bat — carry on after Harrow is stricken by injury and a strained personal life?

A six all the way: Willowman is a novel off the middle of the bat. — Sydney Morning Herald

These charismatic characters rise memorable from the page, stroke by inspired stroke, ball by crafty ball, living vividly through cricket history. — Courier Mail

A book for the summer, one to throw in the kitbag to read during rain delays, or between overs in the stands, to read even if you're not a fan of the game. — Canberra Times

Not since Jasper Jones have I been so utterly spellbound by the next ball, the state of the pitch and the intricacies of scoring. — Kate Mildenhall

A love story to cricket, to families, to craft and to music. Beautifully written. — Michael Brissenden

Inga Simpson brings all her craft and sensitivity to a story that has never been told, and now that she has done it, it feels like this was a story that was needing to be told. — Malcolm Knox

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Willowman by Inga Simpson has garnered praise for its evocative prose and engaging character development. Reviewers appreciate the novel's blend of personal introspection and compelling storytelling, highlighting its emotional depth and authentic portrayal of its themes. Many find it a poignant and well-crafted literary work.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780733649592

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 September 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Hachette Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 124.0mm

Height: 192.0mm

Weight: 280g

Pages: 416

Collections

Cricket Fiction General Fiction Inga Simpson Literary Fiction

About the Author

Inga Simpson began her career as a professional writer for government before gaining a PhD in creative writing. In 2011, she took part in the Queensland Writers Centre Manuscript Development Program and, as a result, Hachette Australia published her first novel, Mr Wigg, in 2013. Nest, Inga's second novel, was published in 2014 and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Stella Prize and shortlisted for the ALS Gold Medal. Inga's third novel, the acclaimed Where the Trees Were, was published in 2016.

Inga was awarded the final Eric Rolls Prize for her nature writing and has obtained a second PhD, exploring the history of Australian nature writers. Inga's account of her love of Australian nature and life with trees, Understory, was published in 2017. Her first book for children, The Book of Australian Trees, illustrated by Alicia Rogerson, was published in 2021. The Last Woman in the World, her critically acclaimed environmental thriller, was published in 2021 and shortlisted for the 2022 Fiction Indie Book Award. Her bestselling and critically acclaimed 2022 novel Willowman was shortlisted for the BookPeople Adult Fiction Book of the Year 2023 and in 2024 was selected by Australia's leading booksellers in BookPeople's 100 Must-Read Australian Novels.

Inga lives on the New South Wales south coast among trees.

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