Synopsis
The story of the Darcys, Tookeys, and Kilkers, Irish immigrants who left the poverty of their native land for a new start in a distant country
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About the Author
Ruth Park was a New Zealand-born Australian author. Her best known works are the novels The Harp in the South (1948) and Playing Beatie Bow (1980), and the children's radio serial The Muddle-Headed Wombat (1951–1970), which also spawned a book series.
From Publishers Weekly
An albumful of vividly realized characters bounces into the Australian town of Trafalgar at the turn of the century, all of them Irish, all of them related by blood or by that more ambiguous bond, the spirit. Forebears of characters in the author's two earlier novels, The Harp in the South and Poor Man's Orange (which St. Martin's will also reissue this year), their toilsome lives are beatified by love and the bit of themselves they give up each day for those closest to them. Central are Hugh Darcy and his crippled younger brother Jeremiah, an albatross clinging to Hugh's willing back when, at 14, he beats up their abusive father and leaves home. Although Jer is a burden when Hugh wants to go off with a girl or moves from town to town to find work, he is an authentic charmer, funny, fanciful, gifted with song, and an excellent cook and tailor. Eventually the two return to Trafalgar for their father's funeral and reintroduction to Margaret Kilker, the girl Hugh will eventually marry. But Hugh's penchant for women and the bottle make him a poor prospect and Margaret must wait many years until she becomes a "Missus." The fortunes of these characters are so skillfully interwoven, their histories so sparingly and cogently set forth, that it is as though a brilliant draftsman had in a few lines captured an entire population. This first novel of the trilogy will leave readers eagerly awaiting the succeeding volumes.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Missus (Harp in the South Trilogy)
Published by
Penguin Australia January 1987, 1987
ISBN 10: 0140089438
ISBN 13: 9780140089431
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Mass Market Paperback. Condition: USED Fair. Seller Inventory # 36017
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Missus
Seller: Sell Books, Elland, YORKS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
mass_market. Condition: Good. Our good condition books are generally good for reading but not for gifting or collecting. They could have imperfections such as creasing, fanning, inscriptions, margin notes, yellowing, staining on edge or cover or pages, bumps, scuffs, etc etc (sometimes multiple of these). It's a wide category that encompasses anything that isn't almost-new down to anything that is slightly better than poor. We would NOT recommend gifting Good books - these should be considered reading copies. Our books are dispatched from a Yorkshire former cotton mill. We list via barcode/ISBN so please note that the images are stock images and may not be the exact copy you receive, furthermore the details about edition and year might not be accurate as many publishers reuse the same ISBN for multiple editions and as we simply scan a barcode or enter an ISBN we do not check the validity of the edition data when listing. If you're looking for an exact edition please don't order (at least not without checking with us first, although we don't always have time to check). We aim to dispatch prompty, the service used will depend on order value and book size. We can ship to most countries, see our shipping policies. Payment is via Abe only. Seller Inventory # mon0000010761
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MISSUS
Published by
Penguin Books, Victoria, Australia, 1988
ISBN 10: 0140089438
ISBN 13: 9780140089431
Used
Soft cover
Seller: COOK AND BAKERS BOOKS, PARKSVILLE, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, Canada
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. **Bundle Up & Save On Postage**Spine has light reading slant, cover has minor wear, otherwise very clean and well bound. 4.5 X 7" 247 pages. From 1988. The first book in the Harp in the South trilogy. 'Mussus' takes us behind the lives of Hughie and Mumma. We meet them as they were in the early 1920s. Ruth Park richly creates the turmoil of those early days of their courtship in the dusty outback of Australia. Seller Inventory # 115230
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Missus
Seller: Barclay Books, York, WA, Australia
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: 1986. A very good copy. Missus takes us behind the lives of Hughie and Mumma, out of the gritty realism of inner city slum life and into the past of the stations, the bush, and the country towns. We meet them as they were in the early 1920s: drifter Hugh Darcy, the unwilling hero who sweeps the dreamily innocent Margaret Kilker off her feet. Ruth Park richly creates the turmoil of those early days of their courtship in the dusty outback, filled with beautifully drawn characters that will make you laugh as much as cry. Ruth Park's Australian classics take you from the barren landscapes of the outback to the colorful slums of Sydney with convincing depth, careful detail, and great heart. Seller Inventory # 25152764
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MISSUS
Seller: Black Stump Books And Collectables, Skipton, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Fine. 1st Issue of this Edition. A firm straight book, spotless inside and out, appears unread. Seller Inventory # 039521
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Missus
Seller: Manyhills Books, Traralgon, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 3 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Reprint. Paperback. 247 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Penguin, Australia, 1986. Reprint. *** CONDITION: This book is in very good condition. More specifically: Covers have light creasing. Spine is uncreased. . Edges of pages are slightly foxed. Pages are reasonably tanned. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: "Missus" takes us behind the lives of Hughie and Mumma, out of the gritty realism of inner city slum life and into the past of the stations, the bush, and the country towns. We meet them as they were in the early 1920s: drifter Hugh Darcy, the unwilling hero who sweeps the dreamily innocent Margaret Kilker off her feet. Ruth Park richly creates the turmoil of those early days of their courtship in the dusty outback, filled with beautifully drawn characters that will make you laugh as much as cry. Ruth Park s Australian classics take you from the barren landscapes of the outback to the colorful slums of Sydney with convincing depth, careful detail, and great heart. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Australian; ISBN: 0140089438. ISBN/EAN: 9780140089431. Inventory No: 25080184. Seller Inventory # 25080184
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Missus by Ruth Park
Published by
by Penguin Books Australia, 1986
ISBN 10: 0140089438
ISBN 13: 9780140089431
Used
Book, Paperback
Seller: Oak Books, Ouyen, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Book, Paperback. Condition: Used. Missus. These are USED books. Please only purchase if you are happy with that. Images & Editions We use stock images and database descriptions based on the ISBN. The image shown may NOT be the actual book cover you will receive. Covers, editions, printings, and publishers may differ. If you need a specific cover, edition, or printing, please contact us before purchasing. What ?Used? Means Because these books are pre-owned: Colouring books may be coloured in Textbooks may have answers filled in, highlighting, notes, or underlining Workbooks may have writing inside Access codes, download codes, CDs, DVDs, or online content are usually missing or already used Books that originally came with toys, inserts, maps, cards, or bonus items will usually NOT include them Pages may be folded, marked, or show normal signs of use If you are buying a book for anything other than reading (e.g. colouring, study use, collecting, gifts, specific covers, bonus items, or digital access), used books may not be suitable. Condition All books are listed as Used ? Good Books are clean and readable but not new Some books may have: Writing, highlighting, or markings Folded pages or minor wear A small warehouse or inventory sticker on the spine Original retailer stickers (we do not remove them) Our Process We purchase books by the pallet and scan thousands at a time. For this reason, we cannot photograph or individually inspect every book. Acknowledgement By purchasing, you acknowledge that: You understand the book is used You accept the condition and limitations described above Stock images and descriptions may not exactly match the item received Thank you for supporting Oak Books and helping give books a second life. Seller Inventory # ER229_IM2
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