ABOUT THE BOOKS
The Long and Winding Road is a collection of eleven short stories. Nine of the stories are prose; one is a play, and another is a narrative poem; but all eleven are really stories, just in different genres. The value of a collection of short stories is that you can read just one story at a sitting (or two sittings for the longer stories), rest from it, and then dip in for another treat next reading session.
Settings are primarily Australian, though one story is set in a fictitious ancient kingdom and one in northern Mexico and parts of USA. The short play is set in a nursing home, of all places. Readers will meet a range of interesting characters: Miss Magnolia (who has a secret!), Viv Black (who uncovers a secret), the trans-gender Al = Mara, the young loom-girl Therese who becomes Queen, the boy-wonder Agave (who was born without vocal cords! but is anything but mute), Mohair Mary, the talented and prescient Aboriginal woman Doreen, teen Essie/Esmerelda who discovers gold as she discovers her Self, the former sex-worker Penelope in a nursing home, Master Nathaniel who dies by guillotine (!), and dozens more.
Some stories border on the bawdy (but nothing X-rated), some deal with tragedy and misadventure, some with romance and strong personal bonds. It’s like life. We trudge along life’s path – the winding road – dragging life’s burdens behind in the dust, not knowing what lies around the next bend. But always there are more stories to tell.
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Mystery for the reader surrounds the discovery in the Australian Outback of two non-Earthborn but human boys. Who are they? Where did they come from? The two boys and their Earthly protector/ mentor are rescued and aided by an Aboriginal family. Thus the yellow-brick-road adventure begins.
Joey, the surviving boy, and Adam who becomes his ‘Papa’, must convince the public and the authorities of the veracity of their preposterous claims and seek help to rescue the other captive victims they have left behind after their thrilling escape. Along the way they are aided by an Aboriginal radio and TV journalist, by scientists from the CSIRO Tidbinbilla observatory, and others — all enamored by the charismatic ‘boy from the sky’. The quest leads the reader from the Australian Outback to Canberra, finally to the Kalahari in Botswana and to the 2028 Shanghai Olympics.
This enigmatic tale, which is an easy and fast read, is rich in descriptions of settings and compelling characters and plot-lines. It pulls at the heart strings and reinforces positive messages about hope and true values in life. One of the great joys of reading is the sensation of being whisked away on another’s journey, and what an enjoyable and thought-provoking adventure this is.
And you will love Joey – everyone does!
