{"product_id":"9780733649592-willowman","title":"Willowman","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne stroke of luck can change your life . The critically acclaimed and enthralling literary novel about a batmaker and a gifted young cricketer, and the game that ties them together. For fans of Chad Harbach's \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Fielding\u003c\/i\u003e and Joseph O'Neill's \u003ci\u003eNetherland\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKPEOPLE ADULT FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR THE ACT NOTABLE BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003ci\u003eWillowman\u003c\/i\u003e may well be the perfect Australian novel'\u003c\/b\u003e Readings\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Beguiling and entertaining'\u003c\/b\u003e PETER LALOR, \u003ci\u003eWeekend Australian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A sweet strike that goes beyond the boundary' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Age\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Joyous storytelling at its best. I was enthralled'\u003c\/b\u003e SARAH WINMAN, author of \u003ci\u003eStill Life\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e'I bloody loved this - a gorgeous, heartbreaking examination of so much more than cricket'\u003c\/b\u003e ROBBIE ARNOTT, author of \u003ci\u003eLimberlost\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eAllan Reader\u003c\/b\u003e, one of the last traditional batmakers in the country, keeps his family business alive in a small workshop in Melbourne.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When \u003cb\u003eTodd Harrow\u003c\/b\u003e, a gifted young batter, catches Allan's eye, a spark is lit and Allan decides to make a Reader bat for him, selecting the best piece of willow he's harvested in years to do so.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As Harrow charts a meteoric rise to the highest echelons of the sport, Allan's bat takes centre stage as well, awakening something in him. But can Allan's fledgling renaissance - hanging as it does on the magic of \u003ci\u003ethat\u003c\/i\u003e bat - carry on after Harrow is stricken by injury and a strained personal life?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e'A six all the way: \u003ci\u003eWillowman\u003c\/i\u003e is a novel off the middle of the bat' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'These charismatic characters rise memorable from the page, stroke by inspired stroke, ball by crafty ball, living vividly through cricket history'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eCourier Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A book for the summer, one to throw in the kitbag to read during rain delays, or between overs in the stands, to read even if you're not a fan of the game' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eCanberra Times\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e'Not since \u003ci\u003eJasper Jones\u003c\/i\u003e have I been so utterly spellbound by the next ball, the state of the pitch and the intricacies of scoring' \u003c\/b\u003eKATE MILDENHALL\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e'A love story to cricket, to families, to craft and to music. Beautifully written'\u003c\/b\u003e MICHAEL BRISSENDEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e'Inga Simpson brings all her craft and sensitivity to a story that has never been told, and now that she has done it, it feels like this was a story that was needing to be told' \u003c\/b\u003eMALCOLM KNOX\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40978213503073,"sku":"9780733649592","price":8.65,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/products\/stand_16723057_jpg.jpg?v=1705067896","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9780733649592-willowman","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}