Matthew Flinder's Cat

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The story of a drunk, a boy, and a cat. Billy O'Shannessy, once a prominent barrister, is now on the street where he sleeps on a bench outside the State Library. Above him on the window sill rests a bronze statue of Matthew Flinders' cat, Trim. Ryan is a 10-year-old, a near-street kid heading for the usual trouble. The two form an unlikely bond. Through telling Ryan the story of Flinders' circumnavigation of Australia as seen through Trim's eyes, Billy is drawn deeply into Ryan's life and into the Sydney underworld.

©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Publishing Pty. Ltd

Outstanding.

A wonderful, albeit at times dofficult read, and extraordinary narration that merits more than merely 5 stars.

Bryce Courtenay - a Great Talent

Matthew Flinders' Cat is an incredible story. As other reviewers have said, Bryce Courtenay handles the painful subjects of alcoholism and pedofelia with complexity and sensitivity.

Billy is a former lawyer, a drunk living on the streets of Sydney, when he meets Ryan, a young streetwise boy with problems of his own.

Without giving away any plot details, their paths converge in wonderful unexpected ways, relying both on coincidence and the story of Trim, a ship's cat who sailed with Matthew Flinders, a famous seaman/cartographer.

As other reviewers have stated, this book tackles some thorny subjects, but always with hope and healing. An easy read, this is not, but Bryce Courtenay and Humphry Bower are such a winning combination that you can't help but keep listening!

Incredible story

Awesome story, but the reader constantly delegating his mouth and they didn't cut it out, very siscusting.

Another interesting, informative book

Mind expanding book by one of my favorite authors. Opened my eyes to street people in a way I never thought of. I enjoyed this book as I have several others written by Courtenay. Humphrey Bower’s voice adds so much to the enjoyment of this audio book.

I like the cat

This book has two stories in one, both are good but both also some have slow moments. They drag for awhile and then come back to life. I enjoyed the characters and the narration. I was a derelict for several years after I left high school and an alcoholic while in my junior and senior high school years. My experience helped me relate to the characters and the Salvation Army (my favorite charity). I also enjoyed the vocabulary. I give this book three stars for being an average, good book.

Another Winner

Bryce Courtaney is a Master, have yet to read/listen to one of his that I have not LOVED and Humphrey Bower's voice is incredible. I can't imagine anyone not truly enjoying this one!

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK BY BRYCE COURTNEY

Another great book by Bryce Courtney.
He never disappoints me. I have listened to all of his books. Sometimes more than once.

A Sensational Book

Bryce Courtenay does it again. A great book. Some of his books - maybe from the later years of his life - a too morbid and have endings that are tragic and you wonder how they could become that tragic- but not this one. This is an uplifting story and ending against adversity of the most challenging and degraded kind.
This guy is such a story teller - in my books - probably the best I have ever heard.
And his Narrator Humphrey Bower is well chosen and sensational too.

Mind opening with 2 great stories in one. Lovely narration.

This book opened so many doors into worlds I have little knowledge of and gave me compassion for the abandoned and invisible in the work.

Emotional

Where does Matthew Flinder's Cat rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would rank this novel at 85% of over 700 Audible Books I have purchased. However, that is mostly meaningless because, while I am an Average Guy, it's only my personal opinion. I do not think you would be disappointed with the novel because, woven throughout a very good story, there are a few nuggets of knowledge we all can benefit from

What did you like best about this story?

A better understanding of the causes of an addictive personality.

Have you listened to any of Humphrey Bower’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Humphrey Bower is a great voice actor who brings to life each and every character in the story. He makes you care, very much, about them. Mr. Bower is right up there with Mr. George Guidall, who, I believe, could read the phone book and make it come alive.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

In the very beginning when Billy is getting hassled by the local cop; I began to care about what was going to happen to him. That is the moment I got hooked and wanted to find out how the rest of the story developed.