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The Glass Canoe

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( 289 ratings, 43 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
The Glass Canoe by David Ireland explores the life of a young man working as a groundskeeper at an Australian pub. Through his eyes, we experience a vivid portrayal of friendship, masculinity, and the fabric of working-class society. The novel delves deep into themes of identity and belonging, using the pub as a microcosm for broader Australian life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$1799
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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 a gritty exploration of Australian pub culture, presented through richly textured prose and vivid depictions of working-class life. You might appreciate its raw honesty and innovative narrative style that captures the complexities of human relationships and individual identity within a distinctive setting.

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The Glass Canoe

The story of a man who sees life through his beer glass--his 'glass canoe'.

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

On hot days we jumped fully clothed into our bottomless beer glasses and pushed off from shore without a backward look. Heading for the deep, where it was calm and cool.

Meat Man is a regular at the Southern Cross pub in Sydney. With his tribe, he sits and drinks and watches as life spirals around him. David Ireland's novel tells his stories, about the pub, its patrons and their women, and about the brutal, tender, and unexpected places his glass canoe takes him.

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?

The Glass Canoe by David Ireland is often praised for its vivid and raw depiction of Australian working-class life. Reviewers highlight the novel's unique narrative style and immersive storytelling, which captures the essence of pub culture. Some readers find the characters deeply compelling and the themes insightful, though others feel the story might appeal more profoundly to those familiar with such settings.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781921922411

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 April 2012

Country: Australia

Imprint: Text Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 274g

Pages: 384

About the Author

David Ireland started out writing poetry and drama but then turned to fiction. His first novel, The Chantic Bird, was published in 1968. In the next decade he published five further novels, three of which won the Miles Franklin Award: The Unknown Industrial Prisoner, The Glass Canoe and A Woman of the Future. Ireland was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1981. In 1985 he received the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal for his novel Archimedes and the Seagull.

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