Just So Stories

• Publisher: Larrikin House (December 4, 2024)
• ISBN13: 978192280489
• RRP: $29.99

You know how sometimes you’ve waited patiently for something, and it turns out to be a massive disappointment… movie, a meal, a night out – whatever – and you’re left feeling completely ripped off? This is not one of those occasions.

I had some slim hope of getting this as a review copy, which didn’t eventuate, so have waited patiently in the lengthy reserves queue at the local library, but it was totally worth it!

Over two nights I snaughled and empathised my way through James’ story of woe and wonder, with so much of John Larkin’s narrative resonating with me. Anyone who grew up in Sydney is familiar with the ‘westie’ culture, even if they don’t [or didn’t  – go the Dragons!] live out west.

My utter scorn and wrath at our many lycra-clad old guys on bikes has been amplified now that I know the acronym MAMIL (and won’t hesitate to use it). The hypothesising of a minor character’s involvement during a war –which war? ‘anything from the Korean Conflict down to the Napeleonic Campaigns or the Visigoths sack of Rome.’ James’ own personal trauma and the subsequent toll on his mental balance. And, most definitely, James facing the Year 10 class from hell. Been there, done that – glad I need never go back into a secondary classroom [especially as I never signed up for that part of the teaching deal]. All this and more truly spoke to me.

When James Larwood is released from a brief, but definitely long enough, prison sentence, his wife has left him (after a very distressing end to their marriage), he is penniless and potentially homeless and can never again work as a teacher. Despite his reasonable success as a published author, he has no mojo for writing either.

His brother, Larry, foreman in a lively westie factory, employs him as a cleaner, and tasks him with setting up a book club for the employees. Such an odd assortment of participants, you’ve never seen previously in a book club. From Larry himself, a voracious reader like his brother, to Wilma, dopey apprentice with purple and green mullet who brings along his girlfriend, Tiffani (they/them), to Tongan Tony, gentle giant ex-footballer whose career and cognitive capacity ended in a car smash, senior citizen Belfast Joan, DV survivor Kath, Sam the Syrian refugee and later additions – Rachel and Charlotte, twins of very superior intellect and careers.

The often hilarious romp through their book club meetings discussing the likes of The Old Man and the Sea, Pride and Prejudice and Picnic at Hanging Rock are part of a growing revelation to James’ hitherto general ignorance of the bogan culture. But it is also the going deeper and finding out really what this disparate group of people are about.

It goes without saying that there needed to be some real drama, as well as various bogan episodes, and when the shiftiest, slimiest toad in the factory set-up turns out to be an embezzler, it is James who leads a mission to retrieve the stolen money and see justice done.

Along the way, he has found himself a new path, not as a teacher, nor as a failed husband and father, nor even as an ex-con. He has found himself with a renewed purpose in a new life, one that is rich in personalities and friendships, camaraderie and compassion, good humour and taking the piss.

From start to finish this was a romp through the western suburbs that was brilliantly executed, with superb characterisations and wonderful character arcs. It really knocks some stereotyping on the head and provides readers with a different perspective, in many ways. Dare I say, not judging a book by its cover – so to speak.

If you haven’t come across it as yet, I say love, I say pet……I can tell ya, I’m giving it a resoundingly bogan 5 📖📖📖📖📖 rating, youse’d be mad if ya didn’t…….[loike I really wanted to give it a ‘thong’ rating but the only bloody emoji won’t work here – wouldn’t it rot ya socks?]

Don’t judge a bogan by its cover: enjoy Chapter One of The Bogan Book Club