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Cloudstreet

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Cloudstreet

By: Tim Winton
Narrated by: Peter Hosking
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Summary

 Two rural families flee to the city and find themselves sharing a great, breathing, shuddering joint called Cloudstreet, where they begin their lives from scratch. For 20 years, they roister and rankle, laugh and curse until the roof over their heads becomes a home for their hearts.©2002 Tim Winton (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Urban Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

AudioFile Earphones Award, Exceptional Audio Performance, 2004
"One of those rare novels that warm the heart, as well as spark the imagination." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"Peter Hosking's performance is true to Winton's unsentimental exploration into humankind's ability to love and survive amid adversity....His characterizations, including an aboriginal ghost and a talking pig, are earthy, real, and frequently hilarious." ( AudioFile)
All stars
Most relevant
The only reasons I don't give this book five stars are (i) some annoying chapter and 'event' headers (when read out they come across like subtitles) and (ii) to English ears the narration is occasionally challenging. But the story and characters are both excellent. The story follows two working class families across 30 years of domestic life, set in Western Australia rather than perhaps better known places like Melbourne or Sydney. There are times when the modern reader wonders how the characters kept going - life was clearly pretty tough back then. But somehow the lust for life of the Austrlain personality enlivens every crisis and set-back. There are themes below the surface about fate, fortune/luck and whether you can 'cheat your destiny'. I read it on a flight to and while driving through New South Wales, which made it come to life even more. This is also regularly voted the most popular Australian contemporary novel.

A look back at what made Australia 'australian'

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Would you listen to Cloudstreet again? Why?

Cloudstreet is probably the best audio book I've heard in the last 5 years of listening.

What other book might you compare Cloudstreet to, and why?

One Hundred Years of Solitude. Both books are family tales filled with the mystery and ordinariness of life, described in prose of the highest quality.

What about Peter Hosking’s performance did you like?

He manages to capture the uniqueness of each character's voice without strain or stress, to bring to life the world of 1950's Perth.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both.

Any additional comments?

Tim Winton might have felt, when he finished this book, that it is the book he was meant to write. It has a completeness and maturity about it that all great books achieve. Images from the tale come to mind long afterwards. The characters feel real and one comes to love them.

A great novel, beautifully read

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Tim Winton is an ex surfer in Australia who turned to writing. This book is an amazing journey into post War Perth. Two families very different from one another sharing a magical old house, Cloudstreet. The characterization is superb. Although this is a hard look at the deprivations of Post War Australia , now again Tim Winton sprinkles fairy dust over his characters and the proceedings. I cannot recommend this book enough. A brilliant example of wonderful Australian writing.

Magical realism

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A fabulous, fantastic book. Beautifully read. Wholesome, disfunctional characters living a quirky life. Bitter sweet, tender, funny and sad. An absolute "must read". If you love literature you will love this. I envy everyone who hasn't read this book yet.

A beautiful book

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A life-affirming, rollicking book, wonderfully narrated. Very highly recommended. Will be looking out for more by this author

Magical

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