The View From Connor's Hill

(Paperback)

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Description

Capturing the detail of a lost world of country and suburban life in Australia - a world of matinees, country dances, and manual dunnies - Barry Heard delivers his memories with an unwavering honesty and candour. Here is the captivating prequel to Well Done, Those Men, Barry Heard's much-loved, deeply moving account of life as a Vietnam veteran. This memoir takes us back into the heart of Heard's experiences as a boy and a young man in Australia during the 1950s and 1960s. Colourful, poignant, and often very funny, The View from Connor's Hill reveals a young man who, among the devastation of loss and constant upheaval, celebrates the joy of living in the bush, and delights in the love of his faithful dog Rover and his headstrong horse Swanee. Capturing the detail of a lost world of country and suburban life in Australia - a world of matinees, country dances, and manual dunnies - Barry Heard delivers his memories with an unwavering honesty and candour.

Reviews

`In The View from Connor's Hill, Heard has the distinctive voice of an Australian storyteller, a yarn spinner who can make you laugh on one page and cry on the next. Carol Middleton, Australian Book Review 'With a doggedly simple yet appealing voice, Heard draws the details of bush life with affection and honesty.' Dianne Dempsey, The Age 'It is a simple story told with artless humility and great humanity.' Sydney Morning Herald 'He has the knack of putting together a compelling narrative, to which he brings sensitivity, feeling for people and the environment, along with an eye for landscape.' John Farquaharson, Canberra Times 'This book is a delightful read that anyone brought up in the country will feel an affinity with as he progresses though youthful adventures ... buy it, read it and you will feel part of this lad's life as he grows to be a man a man called on to fight for his country.' Michael Ray, Book Nook 'One of the things that moved me in this book was Barry's description of the trees, and the bush which helped to heal him.' John Morrow, Inverell Times

Author Bio

Barry Heard was conscripted in Australia's first national-service ballot, and served in Vietnam as an infantryman and radio operator. After completing his national service, he returned home, where he found himself unable to settle down. He had ten different jobs in his first ten years back, worked as a teacher for a further ten years, and then held several mid-managerial posts before succumbing to a devastating breakdown due to severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Since recovering, Barry has decided to concentrate on his writing. His short stories have received several prizes, including the Sir Edmund Herring Memorial Award and the Sir Weary Dunlop Prize. Barry's books include the bestselling memoir Well Done, Those Men, its prequel, The View from Connor's Hill, and the World War I novel Tag. He lives with his family in rural Victoria.