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World of Chickens
Med students Phil and Frank have big plans for their future. Part-time jobs at Ron Todd's World of Chickens seemed like the perfect way to earn a few bucks on the way. But Phil's stuck out in front in the chicken suit trying to lure in reluctant customers and Frank's suffering from the fast-food grind in back frying burgers. Now that both of them are falling for Ron's wife and daughter, Frank's dream of being a surgeon and Phil's secret desire to be a film-maker are put on the back burner. Suddenly, Phil becomes a reluctant and altogether unexpected oracle on dental health, strategic planning, and marriage guidance.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Nick Earls
74 books172 followersNick Earls is the author of twelve books, including bestselling novels such as Zigzag Street, Bachelor Kisses, Perfect Skin and World of Chickens. His work has been published internationally in English and also in translation, and this led to him being a finalist in the Premier of Queensland’s Awards for Export Achievement in 1999.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 5, 2021
1st read this in 2004 (I think). Re-read in 2021.
An amusing book to pass the time. Certainly not great literature (but I don't think every book needs to be).
An amusing book to pass the time. Certainly not great literature (but I don't think every book needs to be).
July 16, 2020
Sometimes a 2.5
Enjoyable enough but too waffley
Enjoyable enough but too waffley
November 11, 2022
An amusing tale of misadventure. Uni students in Brisbane - enough references to my own old haunts to keep me interested, and some good comedy characters.
August 13, 2023
Bored. Nearly quit several times.
October 5, 2025
Too waffley so I got lost quite a few times and almost didn't finish. But still a fun story idea with clear characters- would watch as a tv sitcom.
March 18, 2021
It's the 1980s, Phil and Frank, fifth year med students at the Mater, Brisbane, are best friends, they come as a "package deal" - and they work together part-time at Ron Todd's World of Chickens where Frank fries chicken while Phil dressed in a chicken suit out front attracts custom.
But life is never simple. Frank's father would rather he joins the family tree surgery business, and Phil's dream is to be a filmmaker. The World of Chickens is running at a loss, Frank appears to be having an affair with Ron's wife, and Phil won't admit he has it bad for Ron's daughter Sophie. Matters are made worse as Phil has the habit of inventing fictions to cover what he sees as lacking in his life. Lacking most is a steady girl, something that is not a problem for the uncomplicated Frank who always seems to have a steady.
As Phil tries to balance his studies, his work and his social life, he also finds himself acting as Frank's guide on morals, and as Ron's confidant in both business and personal affairs. On the home front he has to contend with his free thinking mother who embarrassingly gets the wrong end of the stick about his various relationships.
Former GP Nick Earls has a great sense for comedy, the writing is very good, the scenes boarder on but never fall into farce for there is a subtlety too to the writing and invention. Phil is an appealing and complicated character, Frank too as his appeal, but whereas Phil thinks his way through life Frank goes ahead and acts without too much forethought, but their friendship is solid and never in question. World of Chickens is a very funny, very entertaining read with a very human heart - I shall certainly be looking out more books by Nick Earl.
But life is never simple. Frank's father would rather he joins the family tree surgery business, and Phil's dream is to be a filmmaker. The World of Chickens is running at a loss, Frank appears to be having an affair with Ron's wife, and Phil won't admit he has it bad for Ron's daughter Sophie. Matters are made worse as Phil has the habit of inventing fictions to cover what he sees as lacking in his life. Lacking most is a steady girl, something that is not a problem for the uncomplicated Frank who always seems to have a steady.
As Phil tries to balance his studies, his work and his social life, he also finds himself acting as Frank's guide on morals, and as Ron's confidant in both business and personal affairs. On the home front he has to contend with his free thinking mother who embarrassingly gets the wrong end of the stick about his various relationships.
Former GP Nick Earls has a great sense for comedy, the writing is very good, the scenes boarder on but never fall into farce for there is a subtlety too to the writing and invention. Phil is an appealing and complicated character, Frank too as his appeal, but whereas Phil thinks his way through life Frank goes ahead and acts without too much forethought, but their friendship is solid and never in question. World of Chickens is a very funny, very entertaining read with a very human heart - I shall certainly be looking out more books by Nick Earl.
January 19, 2012
Two medical students in 1985 Brisbane earn pocket money by working in an independent fried chicken shop. Once there they are drawn into the dramas of the family which owns the place. Earls writes sliec-of-life suburban lad lit, where the dramas are small and not always about getting the girl (though that's usually a part of it) and there are rarely grand set pieces. Gentle and quirkily humourous. Rated MA for adult themes, coarse language, nudity and sexual references. 3.5/5
April 21, 2012
A most enjoyable read. Had me laughing out loud at times.
Phil is a people pleaser. He'll even lie to make people like him. But if he tells one set of lies to one person and a different set to another...
Well crafted plot, highly recommended, especially to anyone who lived in Brisbane in the eighties. But that's not important. Most books I read are set in some place I've never seen.
Better still, read it if you are a people pleaser. It might just cure you : )
Phil is a people pleaser. He'll even lie to make people like him. But if he tells one set of lies to one person and a different set to another...
Well crafted plot, highly recommended, especially to anyone who lived in Brisbane in the eighties. But that's not important. Most books I read are set in some place I've never seen.
Better still, read it if you are a people pleaser. It might just cure you : )
October 17, 2014
I struggled to get in to this book at first. Perhaps it was too "blokey"? But the story is quite good so it sucked me in eventually. I wasn't hugely impressed by the ending - it kind of fizzled out a little. Overall though, it was fun and interesting enough, not too challenging, but likeable anyway.
June 5, 2010
Just couldn't keep reading it. A little bit silly - not on a good way.
January 14, 2012
This one seemed to just trundle along without really going anywhere - after two library renewals I gave it up! A shame, as I really liked The True Story of Butterfish.
Want to read
November 12, 2011Not sure about this one. Really liked Bachelor Kisses, but this one looks a little dodgy. Bought it second hand without really looking at the blurb...
October 24, 2012
Maybe I'm over Nick Earls - I just couldn't keep reading this. Not as good as his other works.
December 23, 2012
Another good classic earls read
January 14, 2013
MUST READ!
June 27, 2013
I absolutely loved this book, never wanted it to end. Philby and Frank and their complex, funny relationship changed over time. I hope we keep hearing from them as they continue through life.
March 21, 2015
Laugh out loud funny.
April 17, 2019
Brisbane in a simpler time. When black thunders roamed the streets and you could go on bat cruises without fear of contracting some horrible disease.
September 29, 2007
Laugh out loud.
February 5, 2008
You know that Subway ad with the chicken and the Avocado costumes? Anyone else think of this?
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews