a contemporary story about a man overwelmed by circumstances who finds the strength within to help someone else. I never knew there was a statue of 'Trim' outside the Mitchell Library in Sydney and was strangely complelled to go a find it. I view Homeless people in Sydney in a different light.

Tagged historical because Matthew Flinders was a real person: he was an English navigator and cartographer who led the first inshore circumnavigation of the landmass that is now known as Australia. On board ship he had a cat named Trim, whom Matthew truly loved, and wrote an epitaph to him while in French prison. there is a statue of Trim in Sydney (and statues of Matthew and the cat in other cities as well).
The novel is two-stories-in-one.
Billy, once a distinguished and successful lawyer, had a tragedy in his life and we do not get to hear the details until quite late in the book. As the book opens, Billy is a "derro" - a homeless person, alcoholic, though with a routine that gives his life some meaning and self-respect.
Billy meets Ryan, a 9-year old boy who Billy realizes is quickly destined for the streets, since his mother is already a stripper and junkie. Ryan has much potential: he is really smart, and has a wonderful singing voice that could take him places.
Billy captivates Ryan's attention by beginning to tell him the story of Trim the cat.
Suddenly Billy is accused by one of his friends of being a pedophile for hanging around with Ryan.
He flees for a sunnier location for the winter, where he hits bottom and goes into rehab.
The second half of the story is rather "preachy", although I found it interesting to learn about the rehabilitation of a drunk who has hit bottom, the beginnings of the AA program, and the need to carry through with it. Billy's motivation to stay on the wagon is driven by his need to "rescue" Ryan.
A warning - there is a graphic description by Ryan of his first experience with a pedophile. It is not pretty, though it is told by the voice of a street-smart 9 year old boy. Some pages are spent educating the reader about the life of junkies, especially how young children are lured into child sex slavery.
I found myself skimming some of the stories about Flinders and Trim, because I was more interested in what was going to happen to Billy and Ryan. Unless you are interested in learning more about Flinders and Trim, you can skip those parts without losing the plot. (although, the story is really interesting, as Billy is a good story-teller).

This book should have more than 5 stars. I loved The Power of One but this is even better. It's a difficult read in so much as it touches on the darkest places addictions can lead. It deals with guilt and people caught in self loathing and the scum in society who should feel guilt and self loathing but don't appear to have the conscience necessary to go there. It is well balanced with the resilience and good that still exists in humanity. Great Read.

Master storyteller Bryce Courtenay returns with another of his formidable stories, again set in Australia. Courtenay offers a wonderful mix of a strong narrative foundation with stellar characters who colour each page, while providing some insight into Australian history and societal norms throughout a period in the country’s history. Never one to skimp on the details, Courtenay offers up a majestic journey through the story’s complex pathways, leaving the reader in awe at every turn.

Billy O'Shannessy was once well-known in the legal community, but has since let himself go, lost in the bottle. Now living on the streets, he makes every day his new adventure to conquer. While he sleeps on a bench in the park, he’s close to the bronze statue of Trim, the cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his many adventures exploring and discovering Australia. Billy has a connection to Trim and is said to speak with him on occasion, learning all about the feline’s countless adventures on the high seas.

A chance encounter with a ten-year-old Ryan has Billy thinking more about his life choices. While he regales Ryan with Trim’s adventures, Billy knows that he must change his ways if he hopes to survive. While it is apparent that Ryan has secrets of his own, including family problems and severe neglect, Billy hopes to be able to act as a support. That will require a strong determination and rehabilitation to stop drinking and become the role model young Ryan needs.

While Billy and Ryan enjoy the stories of Trim, there is a more modern and impactful adventure that awaits them as they seek new lives to better themselves. This is the story of their connection, encountering many interesting characters along the way, as they try to change their pasts to project a more positive future for themselves. Touching on a number of key themes and social issues of the time, the tale offers readers a sensational look into it all with Bryce Courtenay at the helm, a captain anyone would hope to have lead them.

While Bruce Courtenay has penned many novels—all of which I have read—none is a repeat of any other. The themes that emerge are both impactful and educational for anyone who takes the time to digest these longer stories,. Led by a strong narrative, Courtenay takes the reader on adventures and into the nooks of life wherever he sets the story. While there is obvious meandering, nothing is superfluous in Courtenay’s writing, as it all comes back to be an essential part of the larger piece. Characters abound and each has their own flavouring to add to the book, usually from all corners of the earth. Plots develop and become important whenever Courtenay needs them, but there is an underlying theme of social exploration in each, offering up a gem or two for the reader to enjoy. Educational moments abound, leaving me wanting to know more about so many subjects. While the world lost one of its great storytellers, the novels of Bryce Courtenay live on and seem timeless. As I have said before, these are some of the only books I could re-read and always feel a new adventure awaits me. Any of his books are must-reads, though readers who want a larger challenge might want to try some of his trilogy or duology works.

Kudos, Mr. Courtenay, for another brilliant piece that keeps me on my toes.

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4.50 Stars (Rnd ⬇️) — An enjoyable Aussie tale, set amongst the madness of Kings Cross, that is a quintessentially-idyllic tale of redemption, friendship, the power of perspective and most of all, the ridiculousness of the extremes that can come from the choices we made each and every day.

Told in true Bryce Courtenay style, this is a must-read for any fan BC’s Power of One, or Potato Factory. Filled with such brazen, blinding innocence, raw emotion & a baseline of addiction permeating throughout — Matthew Flinders’ Cat will make you laugh, cry, yearn & acquiesce stakes that appear to hinge entirely on the mundane & blasé, despite the reality being that it’s all — perhaps — an illusion & free will is nothing but a fools game.

With a strong and at times, jarring accompaniment of detailed child-abuse, BC writes with such ease here that his prose can feel almost a little lazy. This is certainly not true — however such is his skill at this particular point in his career, truly at the top of his game, this is easily misinterpreted by the more untrained, as perhaps a malady or symptom of boredom. But right when these thoughts intrude, you’re instantly hurled into a passage that jolts you right back upright, and silent.

This will stick with me. Very heavy and a little hard to read at times.
A Heartbreaking, confronting and well researched look into the Sydney streets, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, child abuse and corruption.

A striking and realistic portrayal of a street alcoholic marred somewhat by an implausible ending and an overly-documentary portayal of the rehab process. For all that, a sympathetic page turner with a powerful message. I'm willing to give Courtenay another shot.

Read this book in over the weekend.

Started out pretty slow to build a foundation for character development.

Ultimately the book picked up past to a profound ending which I will remember for years to come.

I read a lot of books, many I forget the plots after a few years. Even forget titles of books... What I am saying is this is one book I will remember til my old age.

This book really touched my heart! Much more so than a Nicholas Sparks novel or Jo Jo Moyes book like n  "Me Before You"n.

Bryce Courtney writes fantastic books! All unique plots.

Darker than I like. Well researched and well written - as you would expect from Bryce Courtney.

Trim. One of the best characters ever written. I read this when I was in a predicament similar to one of the main protagonists. One of my favourite books written. It broke my heart but I think it needed it at the time.

611 pages was a long slog for me. An interesting premise that eventually became a bit bogged down with minute details about how the Salvation Army treats/helps addicts. I enjoyed the sections in the book that told the story of Matthew Flinders and his cat, Trim - often told from the cat's perspective.

My first experience of a Bryce Courtenay novel and based on this, I will be delving into his catalogue again very soon. Really enjoyed this book and it was a real eye opener regarding addiction and the impact it has on all members of a family. It did seem a little rushed at the end but I was always interested in how each character faired throughout the novel. Has certainly changed my perception on homelessness.