Kangaroo

D. H. Lawrence (1885 - 1930)

"Kangaroo" is the nickname of a character in this novel, Benjamin Cooley, who was a charismatic leader in the fascist movement of ex-soldiers who fought in the Australian army in WWII.

The story's main character is an international journalist, Richard Lovat Somers who, with his wife, comes to rent a house next door to Jack Calcott and his wife who are natural-born Australians through-and-through. Jack is in league with Kangaroo and tries to persuade Lovat to join their political movement conflicting with the Socialist political faction in the country.

Throughout this book, there is an undercurrent of vaguely defined "Generalized Love" which borders closely on homosexuality between the otherwise testosterone-saturated Australian men.

Action-wise: There are riots and gunfights; but there are also moments of great tenderness of the men for their wives. Both Jack and Lovat dearly want to become "leaders of men", but Lovat backs away when he is recruited to join in an espionage campaign against the Socialists. Another undercurrent which muddies the waters for Lovat is that he is a true British citizen and thus resented by the Australians. (Summary by williamjones)

Genre(s): Action & Adventure Fiction, Historical Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 1.1 Torestin KevinS
00:23:40
Play 02 1.2 Torestin KevinS
00:18:18
Play 03 2.1 Neighbours acousticwave
00:29:44
Play 04 2.1 Neighbours acousticwave
00:24:36
Play 05 3 Larbourd Watch Ahoy Courtney Miller
00:24:44
Play 06 4.1 Jack and Jaz Murphy8104
00:18:25
Play 07 4.2 Jack and Jaz Murphy8104
00:25:31
Play 08 4.3 Jack and Jaz Murphy8104
00:20:41
Play 09 5.1 Coo-Ee William Allan Jones
00:26:47
Play 10 5.2 Coo-Ee William Allan Jones
00:27:26
Play 11 5.3 Coo-Ee William Allan Jones
00:28:33
Play 12 6.1 Kangaroo William Allan Jones
00:21:29
Play 13 6.2 Kangaroo William Allan Jones
00:23:31
Play 14 6.3 Kangaroo William Allan Jones
00:27:14
Play 15 7.1 The Battle Of The Tongues William Allan Jones
00:38:44
Play 16 7.2 The Battle Of The Tongues William Allan Jones
00:36:50
Play 17 8.1 Volcanic Evidence Courtney Miller
00:34:11
Play 18 8.2 Volcanic Evidence Murphy8104
00:20:47
Play 19 9. Harriet and Lovat At Sea in Marriage acousticwave
00:27:52
Play 20 10.1 Diggers Brize C
00:20:41
Play 21 10.2 Diggers Brize C
00:25:18
Play 22 11.1 Willie Struthers and Kangaroo William Allan Jones
00:31:22
Play 23 11.2 Willie Struthers and Kangaroo William Allan Jones
00:27:10
Play 24 12.1 The Nightmare Courtney Miller
00:29:06
Play 25 12.2 The Nightmare Brize C
00:31:37
Play 26 12.3 The Nightmare Brize C
00:28:24
Play 27 12.4 The Nightmare Courtney Miller
00:31:01
Play 28 13 “Revenge!” Timotheus Cries Scarbo
00:24:44
Play 29 14.1 Bits Murphy8104
00:22:49
Play 30 14.2 Bits Murphy8104
00:17:02
Play 31 15. Jack Slaps Back Courtney Miller
00:21:59
Play 32 16.1 A Row In Town Murphy8104
00:22:50
Play 33 16.2 A Row In Town Murphy8104
00:31:42
Play 34 16.3 A Row In Town Murphy8104
00:26:58
Play 35 17.1 Kangaroo Is Killed William Allan Jones
00:34:53
Play 36 17.2 Kangaroo Is Killed William Allan Jones
00:30:16
Play 37 18.1 Adieu Australia KevinS
00:18:38
Play 38 18.2 Adieu Australia KevinS
00:27:54