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Jackaroo: A Memoir

Jackaroo: A Memoir

From choirboy to cowboy ...In 1967, fresh from boarding school humiliations, and having lost his father to alcoholism, gangly teen Michael Thornton was packed off to a tough sheep and cattle station to work as a jackaroo. He was to learn the wool trade from the lamb up, under a b... read full description below.

Title in stock at publisher – usually ships 7-15 working days.

Quick Reference

ISBN 9780143567318
Published 22 February 2012 by Penguin
Format Paperback
Author(s) By Thornton, Michael

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Full details for this title

ISBN-13 9780143567318
ISBN-10 0143567314
Stock Available
Status In stock at publisher; ships 7-15 working days
Publisher Penguin
Imprint Penguin Books Australia
Publication Date 22 February 2012
Publication Country Australia Australia
Format Paperback
Author(s) By Thornton, Michael
Category Biography & Autobiography
Interest Age All ages
Reading Age All ages
NBS Text Autobiography: General
ONIX Text General/trade
Number of Pages 288
Dimensions Width: 129mm
Height: 198mm
Weight Not specified - defaults to 600g
Dewey Code 630.00
Catalogue Code 265156

Description of this Book

From choirboy to cowboy ...In 1967, fresh from boarding school humiliations, and having lost his father to alcoholism, gangly teen Michael Thornton was packed off to a tough sheep and cattle station to work as a jackaroo. He was to learn the wool trade from the lamb up, under a boss legendary for working his farmhands in an almost military regimen. Tasked with the dirty, disgusting and downright dangerous jobs, jackaroos are the dogsbodies of our farms. But at Habbies Howe, in central Victoria, somewhere between castrating lambs with his teeth and hauling backbreaking sacks of fertiliser for no obvious purpose, Michael discovered inner strength, and the friendship and male role models he'd craved. He also earned respect - enough to later walk into a job with the nation's most famous farmer, the Defence Minister and future PM Malcolm Fraser. In Jackaroo , Thornton recalls his years learning the ropes in an era when farm work was still done on horseback. Engaging, candid and often funny, his memoir reveals the hard working lives of the unsung all-rounders of the country. 'Written with candour and humour, Jackaroo is an absorbing read' - The Age 'Engaging and energetic' - Ross Fitzgerald, The Australian

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Awards & Reviews

NZ Review Written with candour and humour, Jackaroo is an absorbing read' - The Age. 'Engaging and energetic' - Ross Fitzgerald, The Australian.

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Author's Bio

There is no author biography for this title.

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