The Potato Factory

The Australian Trilogy, Book 1

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 23 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Always leave a little salt on the bread...

Ikey Solomon's favorite saying is also his way of doing business, and in the business of thieving he's very successful indeed. Ikey's partner in crime is his mistress, the forthright Mary Abacus, until misfortune befalls them. They are parted and each must make the harsh journey from thriving nineteenth century London to the convict settlement of Van Diemen's Land.

In the backstreets and dives of Hobart Town, Mary learns the art of brewing and builds The Potato Factory, where she plans a new future. But her ambitions are threatened by Ikey's wife, Hannah, her old enemy. The two women raise their separate families, one legitimate and the other bastard. As each woman sets out to destroy the other, the families are brought to the edge of disaster.

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

Critic reviews

"In the tradition of Charles Dickens, Courtenay creates a unique cast of characters from the outset of this epic novel....Humphrey Bower's performance is a marvel...making this one of those rare books with a sweep of characters the readers come to care about deeply." (AudioFile)

Beautiful Saga

This was the best audible book I have ever listened to
I can’t wait to read the whole trilogy
But better even was the narrator. His voices and his accents gave a face and a soul to every character. Well done!

Great

Loved the story. Brought old London to life. Narrator does wonderful job with accents and dialects.

Best story AND narrator I've ever heard on an ebook! Highly recommend!!

This is one of my favorite narrators and one of my favorite authors. Give this book a try, you won't be sorry

Good but not his best

This is a good book with a lot of research behind it but it is certainly not as good as "The Power of One"; or What I think is a masterwork "Four Fires". It is a good entertaining listen but I didn't find myself staying up late listening on a work night.

Binding story.

I Love Bryce Courtenay’s way of telling a story . His wordplay engulfs you and sucks you in so that it becomes hard to think of anything other than the book at hand.

Humphry Bower also brings to life this tale in a most amazing way.

Incredible story

Loved everything about this !! Story and narrator !!
The research that went into this was amazing !!

Exception on the second read

Thanks Bryce and Humphrey! You two write and perform with exceptional talent! I am as drawn in by the characters and storyline as I was the first time reading!

WOW!!!!

What an awesome book and audible. Probably the best I've listened to. A wonderful journey and story. I ❤️ Ikey and Mary!

Always leave a little salt

Ikey Solomon has nothing and is tiny in a world that is merciless. He lives by his wits and prospers. At the beginning of this book there is a narrative that leads the reader to believe that Ikey is a character to be despised and disliked I found that I had no ill feeling towards him. He was a scoundrel and a rascal but that’s what it took to survive in the times he lived. The story is a saga of the Solomon family and how they ended up in the mighty continent of Australia. Narrated by the always brilliant Humphrey Bower.

Amazing

If you could sum up The Potato Factory in three words, what would they be?

Enlightening, tragic, historic

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

Mr Bowers performance is perfect for this series. All of the trilogy comes alive with his narration

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I wish the people in power would read these books. It seems to me, we are doomed to repeat the past over and over again. Will we never learn?