Jack of Diamonds

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Born and raised in a poor, working-class family in Toronto, Jack Spayd is the son of an unhappy marriage. After being taken under the wing of "Miss Frostbite", the owner of a local jazz club, Jack becomes a gifted musician, playing piano and harmonica. Fame and the allure of gambling takes him to Vegas, and prospects of fortune take him to the Belgian Congo, where he's heard it's possible to earn big money working in the most dangerous parts of the local copper mines.

Jack of Diamonds is the story of a young, talented man, fighting to achieve his ambitions, and having to use his considerable talents to find his way in a perilous world.

©2012 Bryce Courtenay; 2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Delightful Surprise

I didn’t know the author nor title but was pulled right in to it. The reader was wonderful with voices and accents, only occasionally distracting with ( to me) some word accents. Maybe it’s being American.
A great experience.

Sad to see the end of BC's books

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes and know. I enjoyed the first 1/2 of the book, in particular, depicting Jack's hardscrabble existence in depression-era Toronto and his depth as a musician. As both a Canadian and a musician, I truly enjoyed this part of Jack of Diamonds. The second half was not nearly that strong, stretching credibility - how likely is it that a mob member will tell an outsider the whole story?

I honestly could not finish the book, due in no small part to the depiction of mob life and the repetition of many other elements of his books - notably Jack from "Brother Fish". I would recommend Four Fires, Matthew Flinders' Cat, and Brother Fish before this one.

What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

Humphry Bower is always always splendid. It is a testament to his gift as a narrator to drop the Australian accent for 26 hours.

A really good read

A thoroughly enjoyable, interesting and believable story, with well defined characters. Humphrey Bower tells it well.

On the Day we lost Bryce

I finished the book on the day Bryce Courtenay passed away. A sad day for listeners, his family, his fans and for Humphrey Bower, the voice that brought BC’s words to life. Some may well say that this was not his greatest work, the first in a planned series like Tommo & Hawk, but Humphrey Bower did an extraordinary job in bringing it to life with his ‘Canadian’ accent. He is a master and BC was lucky to have him. I enjoyed the tale, it was easy, rich and scene connected well into scene. Good easy listening and I urge all Audible folk who like works from writers outside the US to give this one a go. Buy it as a salute to the living story tellers everywhere who give us joy and take a moment to think about our own mortality. All story tellers like you and me the reader/listener pass on of course but they leave a legacy and BC’s is a great one. Thank you mate for showing the world that the world through Australian eyes is a rich one and we have many a tale to tell.

MORE LOVABLE COURTENAY

I loved this book! It took me to times and places I could never go in my own life. For critics who think Courtenay was not at his best for this story, well, no, he wasn't! In fact I suspect we're (bloody) lucky to have this book. Actually we're getting the story for a second novel with a very happy ending. It looks to me like Bryce finished the book in June and died in November, so God bless him for this last great push!

Yes, Humphrey Bower doesn't do q-u-i-t-e so well as a Canadian, but hang in there and you'll get to hear him do many more voices including a personable parrot. He had to narrate this book in order to do the parrot at the end, OK? I could put this another way: I like him better as an Australian; I think a lot of actors could have done the Canadian main character, but Bower had to do this book!

The book is a love song for black people, for racial equality, and for fairness to women. Every time I felt bad about some fresh violence, I reminded myself that this is historical fiction. As a tiny child in the 1940's, I studied the sometimes gruesome pictures in Life magazine; I had some long thoughts about how it felt to die. The violence in the book is based on history and how things really are at many times and places. Anybody who bails before finishing is going to miss a lot of delicious fun and closing of circles. Yes, there's sex but it's sweet and the partners have been introduced. Indeed, some of the same scenes recur here from earlier books -- mining, poverty, prostitution, music, the cultivated older woman who helps the boy. The Las Vegas history seems to be new. I loved how Bryce used the names of his doctors for characters toward the end of the book. I wondered while listening if this story was based on any real people. Have not found out yet.

Wonderful story! Thank you, Bryce!

BRILLIANT!!!!!

So sad to think this is the last story from Bryce courtenay. A wonderful story narrated perfectly as always from Humphrey bower .. Buyer will not be disappointed

Only ⅓ finished but loving it

I'm sure going to miss Bryce Courtenay yarns … and Humphrey Bower brings them to life

Great!

Beautifully written, beautifully narrated,Compelling story, believable, intriguing, realistic, emotional, one of the very best books I have a listen to. I recommend It!

With love to BC

To the best storyteller ever, I wish I had 500 more of your books to listen to or read. Thank you for enriching my life, expanding my vocabulary, teaching me, moving me, and providing absolute entertainment with every moment of your writing. You will be be sincerely missed.

Perfect Courtenay as usual.

Great story well read. The depth of storyline and characters is just brilliant.
Do yourself a favour and read this book.