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)

What a great find.

Worth the credit and then some. Narration was incredible, made the book real and engrossing. Being historical fiction you never know quite where the story will lead, a plus in my mind. You give up trying to predict the plot and just get into the characters and story. Can't wait for the 2nd book in the trilogy. Highly recommend!

Another Bryce Courtney/Humphrey Bower Classic

Bryce Courtney is a master story teller. Like Power of One, The Potato Factory has a riveting plot and one of a kind, beautifully drawn characters. Humphrey Bowers is a gifted narrator who brings these characters to life. Readers like Bowers make Audible books a unique and thoroughly enjoyable entertainment experience. He deserves an award for his performance!

Courtenay and Bower never disappoint!!

This dynamic duo has created another amazing audible story! Writing fantastic and narration is nothing short of phenomenal! If you liked this you'll love The Power of One. I plan on listening to all of the book produced by these two!

Epic story of 19th century England and Australia

Historic fiction of life and punishment in the early to mid 1800's in Great Britain as seen through the life of Jewish scam artist and his family and acquaintances. Some of the main characters apparently were real people who were also subjects of Charles Dickens writings.

Wonderful from first words to last

A striking multifaceted story of Australia’s beginnings, a notorious English Jew with extraordinary luck, his unlikely friendship with Mary Abacus and the ways in which blood is not always thicker than water.

I almost missed it…

The first third of this book is such a grueling look into poverty and life of the times in London, that I almost gave up on it. What a miss that would’ve been for me.
The characters and circumstances of the time are so well described that the reader feels constantly involved and present in the action. I highly recommend this book both for the highly charged story and insight into the beginnings of Australia.

Brilliant but not for the faint hearted!

after reading the fabulous brother fish I decided to look into Bryce courtenay's other books. I came upon this story and found it painful to read in some points and then unable to put it down.
I am now starting on the second book of the trilogy as I am hooked into finding out what happens next! The narration is absolutely fabulous!

BC and Humphrey Bower

Author and narrator are just exquisite. I could hope for nothing more in an audiobook. And i will begin the sequel immediately!

A Modern Dickens

Loved the great sympathy for the plight of the underclasses plus this is a dang good story. The characters will stay withe forever. Can't wait to get to the next in the series

Powerfully told story... but a warning

A woven tapestry tale with the bawdy, tender, joyous and horrific. He opens the slums of London and the prisioner deportations to Tasmania to our view. You learn history in passing but more important meet characters so complex, that I felt I knew them... almost as friends who shared what they had learned from life. It is a hard book to put down, but does include a great deal of profanity, whores, multiple graphic sexual events and violence. With all the good in it, I still strongly wouldn't recommend for a teen reader or tender spirited soul.