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)

Fantastic Homage to Dickens

This was a fantastic homage to Dickens and captivating historical fiction. Most of us know of Australia's penal colony history but this book brings that history to life. The characters are memorable, imperfect and quirky. The story carries you along through the ups, the downs, the twists, the turns, the triumphs and the struggles of these wonderful characters. There are at least two scenes deeply imbedded in my psyche just as the horse beating scene in Crime and Punishment will be with me forever. That means that this book will not soon be forgotten - if ever - and I look forward to the second book in this trilogy.

Great book

The best narrator i have ever heard performing this great book. match made in heaven

Truly epic!

Bryce Courtenay takes Charles Dickens to a whole new level! But I just couldn't cope with the intensity - I must admit I stopped while they were still in England. I guess it took too long to get the primary characters to Australia. Not that it was boring, by any means! Just misery after misery, interspersed with explicit violence, fascinatingly, skillfully written! The historical research for this book was monumental, and the reader is amazing - a true master of British accents!

But once I realized that this is the first book in a trilogy, I just quailed at the thought of all the blood and bone and misery ahead, and figured I'd call it quits. For someone with more appreciation of carnality, this is an awesome history book!

Loved it

I really enjoyed this book as I have all of Bryce Courtenay's that I have listened to. The narrator did a fantastic job and brought the story to life.

Epic Story!

Wow! I found this book during a routine search of the Audible website. It was one of those great finds you stumble upon from time to time. The story was incredibly rich and detailed, the characters compelling (even if they weren't always likeable), and the plot pulls you in. Humphrey Bower is a top narrator--he really brings the characters to life. At the end of the book, I immediately downloaded Book 2.

One of the best!!!

What did you love best about The Potato Factory?

I loved all of the historical type narrative that made you feel you were back in the early to mid 1800s. The narration was excellent and the story kept your interest al the way through. The character development was great.

What other book might you compare The Potato Factory to and why?

There is no comparison.

What about Humphrey Bower’s performance did you like?

His command of accent and dialect. He is an excellent narrator.

If you could rename The Potato Factory, what would you call it?

Leave a Little Salt

Enjoyable!

What did you love best about The Potato Factory?

The Story was historically interesting

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Potato Factory?

Too many to pick just one

What does Humphrey Bower bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Each person in the story had their own voice, sometimes I forgot it was the same man reading all the characters, very well done!

Any additional comments?

All and all a great listen, mayby a bit long.

Part 1 of Trilogy

I was a bit dubious about starting a trilogy but was immediately blown away and could not wait for the next and the next ....

Long.........

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

Selfish people survive.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It was a long, long time getting to the Potato Factory. Ikie's character developed along the way, but it took too much description to get there.

Humphrey Bower deserves 10 stars for his narration!

Good historical fiction. The characters were well developed, which is always a plus. A long book, which I always enjoy.