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Shadowboxing

By Tony Birch
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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
Shadowboxing by Tony Birch is a moving portrait of growing up in inner-city Melbourne amidst the challenges of poverty and family turbulence. The story is woven through interconnected tales that delve into the life of young Michael, capturing both the struggles and small triumphs of his coming-of-age journey. The book vividly portrays the resilience and complexity of family dynamics against the backdrop of socio-economic hardship.
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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 powerful narratives that delve into the complexities of family relationships and personal resilience set against the backdrop of urban Australian life. With vivid storytelling and heartfelt prose, the author invites readers to explore themes of hardship and hope, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate character-driven fiction.

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Shadowboxing is a collection of ten linked stories in the life of a boy growing up in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy in the 1960s. A beautifully rendered time capsule, it captures a period of decay, turmoil and change through innocent, unblinking eyes.

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

Shadowboxing is a collection of ten linked stories depicting the life of a boy growing up in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy in the 1960s. A beautifully rendered time capsule, it captures a period of decay, turmoil, and change through innocent, unblinking eyes.

Michael's family, led by his long-suffering mother, live as though under siege, surviving his father's drinking and rage as well as the forces of 'urban renewal'. Their neighbourhood is a world of simple pleasures as well as random brutality; of family life and love as well as violence and tragedy.

As Michael experiences all this with a combination of wonder and fear, he matures into a sensitive adult who can forgive but never forget. Shadowboxing is a riveting story of loss and permanence, power and weakness, stoicism and resistance.

In a spare, understated style, it captures the essence of working-class life in inner-city Australia.

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?

Shadowboxing by Tony Birch is praised for its vivid portrayal of a Fitzroy childhood in the 1960s, with its series of linked stories capturing the era's raw reality. The writing, characterized by minimalist yet powerful prose, evokes both the hardships and the fleeting humour of inner Melbourne's socio-economic landscape. Reviewers commend Birch's ability to blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction, creating poignant, engaging narratives with universal themes.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781921640155

Publisher: Scribe Publications

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 November 2009

Country: Australia

Imprint: Scribe Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 184g

Pages: 192

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Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Tony Birch

About the Author

Authors Bio, not available

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