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Fiction

The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton

by •
March 2018, no. 399

The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton

Hamish Hamilton, $39.99 pb, 267 pp, 9780143786115

Fiction

The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton

by •
March 2018, no. 399

There are no sheep grazing anywhere near the shepherd’s hut of Tim Winton’s new novel. A few wild goats in the desolate landscape, some broken machinery: that’s all. The narrator, fifteen-year-old Jaxie Clackton, prime suspect for killing his abusive father, is on the run from the police. His scanty food supplies have dwindled almost to nothing and he is desperate for water. He has no gun and his only knife is no use for hunting.

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Brenda Niall

Brenda Niall’s writing career began during her time as an academic at Monash University, where she was Reader in the Department of English. Since 1995 she has been writing full time. Her books include award-winning biographies Martin Boyd: A Life (1988), Georgiana (1995), The Boyds (2002), Judy Cassab (2005), and a memoir, Life Class (2007). Her book The Riddle of Father Hackett was shortlisted for the 2010 Magarey Medal for Biography. She is a frequent reviewer for The Age and ABR, and has been a guest at the Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Byron Bay literary festivals. In 2004 she was awarded an AO for services to Australian Literature. Her most recent books are My Accidental Career (2022), Can You Hear the Sea? My grandmother's story (2018) and  Friends and Rivals: Ethel Turner, Barbara Baynton, Henry Handel Richardson and Nettie Palmer (2020). 

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Comments (3)

  • I just think Tim Winton's book 'The Shepherds Hut' is a disgusting array of feral language. I definitely would not recommend it. This language was read by my, son can you imagine my disgust when I heard him repeat some of the words that were in this book.
    Posted by dardont
    28 May 2020
  • Simply, I found this a compelling read. I have read several of Tim Winton's novels and enjoyed them all. This hit me harder. Many themes of current social discourse are picked up - drugs, clergy paedophilia, domestic violence, etc. - and from this emerges a story of youthful hope, trust and conviction. Genuinely brilliant in concept and execution.
    Posted by chris woodruff
    16 August 2018
  • Brilliant writing & Jaxie's character well drawn & totally believable
    Posted by Val
    07 August 2018

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