Gould's Book of Fish

By: Richard Flanagan

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

• Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize, 2002.
• Shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, 2002.
• Winner of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction, 2002.

Once upon a time that was called 1828, before all the living things on the land and the fishes in the sea were destroyed, there was a man named William Buelow Gould, a convict in Van Dieman's Land who fell in love with a black woman and discovered too late that to love is not safe. Silly Billy Gould, invader of Australia, liar, murderer, forger, fantasist, was condemned to live in the most brutal penal colony in the British Empire, and there ordered to paint a book of fish. Once upon a time, miraculous things happened....

©2002 Richard Flanagan (P)2004 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Flanagan's fact-based fiction is a miraculously vulgar and sensationally evocative listen. The story of Billy Gould, a convict who has been sent to Van Dieman's Land, a Tasmanian penal colony, in 1828, reveals in graphic detail both the essence of inhumanity and bizarre acts of humanity. This vivid description of prison life combined with the story's surrealistic miracles could be a life-changing experience for the listener. Taking his cue from the enormous imagination of the author, Humphrey Bower catches the excessive vitality of Gould. Sometimes the manic pace of his narration overwhelms the novel's quieter moments, but the convict himself would probably not be disturbed. Prepare yourself to be drawn in, tossed about, horrified, and totally dazzled." ( AudioFile magazine)

A bewildering experience

Flanagan created a twisting, turning tale that is both entertaining and bewildering. This book demands multiple readings. And, the experience is more enjoyable with every reading. The audio version is top-notch; the narrator completely nails the performance.

a gem

Humphrey Bower is masterful, bringing this wild story to life. Made my 16 hour road trip an adventure.

Excellent reader, excellent book

Richard flanagan writes a beautiful, painful, funny portrait of the worst excesses and redemptive facets of being human. The narrator is excellent as well and does a great job bringing the book to life

A Treasure

What made the experience of listening to Gould's Book of Fish the most enjoyable?

Richard Flanagan is a treasure, and like so many treasures, he is precious, and undiscovered. Passages like, "Maybe we have lost the ability , that sixth sense that allows us to see miracles and have visions and understand that we are something other, larger than what we have been told", and " I have stolen songs from God," and lastly, "There is much more I don't know:....Why an alphabet can be contained in a world, but a world could never be contained in an alphabet", are but a few of the Gems that one finds in this book. One theme in this book that floats through the story is the power of words, how they can be used to revise the history of the world we live in, and as a result, create a world that has absolutely no resemblance to the world we live in. How words can often do more to obfuscate, cover up, and limit experience, instead of adding to it, or aiding it. Yet, it is all spoken about by Gould; the main character in the book, and a prisoner on The Penal Colony of Sarah Island, speak of these issues in a way that resembles Dickens, which is the best praise I can give this book. Flanagan pulls no punches, when he writes about the Prison Colony of Sarah Island, but the amazing thing, is that so much depth is hidden behind all of the Grotesque images, and happenings. He is also funny, and I found myself often busting out in laughter when I listened to this Audio Book. This is my first reading, of a Gould book, but I can honestly say, that if his other books are anything like "Gould's Book of Fish", then I know that when I have read all of his books, and I am approaching his latest written, I will probably put off reading it. I will do this, because I will know that the first page of that book, will lead me that must closer to its last page, and then, once done, I will have to bear the interminable wait, till his next one comes out.

great narrator

As far as the story, my mind wandered while listening. It's mostly the adventures of one man in and around Australia maybe late 1800s. There is a lot of hard times, mistreatment, misery, and told with an Irish accent. Seems to me that most stories involving Ireland are about misery, hard times, mistreatment. I have no doubt they're true, but hearing about it over and over gets old.

And there is a fair amount of characters using the n word, if that offends anyone, they might want to avoid this one.

Given that, Humphrey Bower is a GREAT narrator. If you haven't listened to Shantaram, it's one of those books that most everyone rates highly, a very good story with great narration. So go with that one instead of this one.

Wonderful, Funny & Oh So Well Written!

Just discovered this writer from down under and plan to read everything I can. Started with The Long Narrow Road ... and then found this book. Both were incredibly well written. Can see how he nabbed the Man Booker Prize and is so well reviewed around the globe. The books are entirely different but equally satisfying . Gould is the more humorous of the two and the most fantastical with the early years of Tasmanian history (early 1800's) as a backdrop. You will incidentally learn a great deal about Tasmania while you learn to love the larger than life William Buelow Gould who was a real prisoner artist. So beneath this entertaining, thoughtful tale are the bones of s true story and the crazy birth of a nation. Just read it...the work defies description.

Fantastic Narration

The book is great. Written with great wit and poetry. The story gets a little perplexing by the end.

The narrator does a fantastic job. I can’t recommend his performance enough. To have such a quality performance on a lesser known book is a rare treat. Thank you.

Narration too fast. A bit too much navel-gazing.

Humphrey Bower is one of the best audible narrators and I listen to unknown authors just because Humphrey is reading their book. But, in this book he speaks too fast for such complicated writing. I enjoyed it better slowed to 0.9 speed. Regarding the actual book, it probably appeals most to "literary types" and critics. It does have a lot of great observations of the human comedy/tragedy with surprising, laugh-out-loud moments in middle of horror and evil. But ultimately, I grew tired of the wordiness and navel-gazing. I forced myself to finish it, but it was like eating the last bites of food on a plate after already being full.

Humphrey Bower is Superb

I have listened to over 20 Humphrey Bower audio books now. In fact I only select books that he narrates. I don't feel I could have read this book as it feels as if the writer was on acid half the time. Humphrey Bower masterfully brings such authentic intensity and his brilliant voice craft to the story that I was able to ride this OUTRAGEOUS story with delight. Wonderful wordsmithing...Quite the journey. Time for another Bower book.