So, here's where I confess I have a love/hate relationship with Peter Carey, arguably Australia's most famous novelist. There are books of his that I love — Oscar and Lucinda and Jack Maggs in particular — and books I've not got on with at all, including his 1985 doorstep of a novel, Illywhacker.
But later this year I'm going to have a go at tackling Illywhacker again — last time I was in the throes of writing a masters thesis, so my mind wasn't really on the job (well, that's my excuse anyway) — and it would be great to have some company when I tackle 568 pages of very dense prose. So who's up for it?
This is what the story is about:
"Illywhacker is a dazzling comic narrative, from the lips of the 139-year-old Herbert Badgery, the 'illywhacker' or confidence trickster of the title. Overflowing with magic, jokes and inventions, peopled with aviators, car salesmen, Chinamen and impresarios, Peter Carey's novel is a contemporary classic."
Faber and Faber have very kindly offered a brand spanking new copy reissued as part of its Secrets and Lies modern classics series.
To be in with a chance of winning this book simply leave a comment below telling me why you want to read this book. But hurry — entries close at 20.00 GMT tomorrow, Monday January 30, 2012.
I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such).
The competition is open to anyone, regardless of where you live, but you can only enter once. And do note, I cannot accept email entries. Good luck.
Please note, my final wrap-up of Australian Literature Month will be published on Tuesday.
