The Boys from Binjiwunyawunya

by Robert G. Barrett

Paperback, 1987

Status

Available

Call number

823.914

Series

Les Norton (3)

Genres

Mystery

General Fiction

Fiction

Publication

Sydney: Pan Books, 1987

Description

There's no two ways about Les Norton-the carrot-topped country boy who works as a bouncer at Sydney's top illegal casino. He's tough and he's mean. He's got a granite jaw , fists like hams, and they say the last time he took a tenner from his wallet Henry Lawson blinked at the light. Lethal but loyal, he's always good for a laugh. In this, the third collection of Les Norton adventures, Les gets his boss off the hook. But not without the help of the boy from Binjiwunyawunya. Les then finds himself in a spot of bother in Long Bay Gaol then in a lot more bother on a St. Kilda tram in Melbourne.

User reviews

LibraryThing member MiaCulpa

If you like your books sexist, full of poor stereotypes and not particularly interesting, then "The boys from Binjiwunyawunya" is for you.

There are three stories included here, although the story on the Binjiwunyawunya lads takes up most of the book. The plot involves the protagonist Les Norton

deciding to bump off his boss's enemy by engaging some Aboriginal friends of his to "point the bone" at the enemy. Anyone with even a rudimentry knowledge of Australian Aboriginal culture would know that Aboriginal people with the culture and standing to be a Kurdaitcha man (or similar), would not be using their power to knock off some bloke on the say so of a whitefella. I realise this is fiction but it's poor fiction and the story could have been much better if Barrett had performed at least some research on the matter.

Beyond this, the plot meanders as it allows Norton to score with ladies and the bone pointing to reach it conclusion.

The other two short stories that make up this book are even less interesting.

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