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The Penguin Henry Lawson Short Stories
Henry Lawson is too often regarded as a legend rather than a writer to be enjoyed.
In this selection John Barnes reveals Lawson not only as a writer who has delighted past generations.
His short stories, some humourous, some wry, some moving are, above all, enjoyable.
Stories include
The Drover's Wife
The Bush Undertaker
In a Dry Season
The Union Buries its Dead
Hungerford
'Rats'
An Old Mate of Your Father's
Mitchell: A Character Sketch
On the Edge of a Plain
'Some Day'
Shooting the Moon
Our Pipes
Bill, the Ventriloqual Rooster
The Geological Spieler
The Iron-Bark Chip
The Loaded Dog
Brighten's Sister in Law
A Double Buggy at Lahey's Creek
'Water them Geraniums'
Joe Wilson's Courtship
Telling Mrs Baker
A Child in the Dark, and A Foreign Father
In this selection John Barnes reveals Lawson not only as a writer who has delighted past generations.
His short stories, some humourous, some wry, some moving are, above all, enjoyable.
Stories include
The Drover's Wife
The Bush Undertaker
In a Dry Season
The Union Buries its Dead
Hungerford
'Rats'
An Old Mate of Your Father's
Mitchell: A Character Sketch
On the Edge of a Plain
'Some Day'
Shooting the Moon
Our Pipes
Bill, the Ventriloqual Rooster
The Geological Spieler
The Iron-Bark Chip
The Loaded Dog
Brighten's Sister in Law
A Double Buggy at Lahey's Creek
'Water them Geraniums'
Joe Wilson's Courtship
Telling Mrs Baker
A Child in the Dark, and A Foreign Father
229 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
About the author
Henry Lawson
525 books44 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer".[1] He was the son of the poet, publisher and feminist Louisa Lawson.
For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_La... .
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer".[1] He was the son of the poet, publisher and feminist Louisa Lawson.
For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_La... .
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 23, 2017
I confess to approaching this book somewhat obligatorily. I would be the first - so to speak- to profess my love for Australia. Though it's an unsavoury label in our unfortunate political landscape, I identify as a nationalist and never allow myself to feel disinterest towards any great work that comes from my country. That being said, I imagined I might get through this volume of short stories with little more than polite indifference.
I was totally wrong and blown away. Henry Lawson's work is truly astounding for its stark simplicity, gentle honesty, and heartwarming sense of humour. While I liked some stories more than others, there was not one that felt weak in this book. That has never happened before with me. Even short story books by such masters as Bierce, King and James often contain at least a few weak points. Every story in this book stood out and had at least one powerful moment to win me over.
I feel quite sure that I will soon rate this five instead of four stars because the tales in this book have a way of staying with you. I would reccomend this man's literature to anyone who likes classic fiction, but certainly for Australians who are proud of their heritage I think Lawson should be a very important name.
I was totally wrong and blown away. Henry Lawson's work is truly astounding for its stark simplicity, gentle honesty, and heartwarming sense of humour. While I liked some stories more than others, there was not one that felt weak in this book. That has never happened before with me. Even short story books by such masters as Bierce, King and James often contain at least a few weak points. Every story in this book stood out and had at least one powerful moment to win me over.
I feel quite sure that I will soon rate this five instead of four stars because the tales in this book have a way of staying with you. I would reccomend this man's literature to anyone who likes classic fiction, but certainly for Australians who are proud of their heritage I think Lawson should be a very important name.
July 13, 2012
We had to read these stories at school and back then I just didn't get get it. At forty I decided to have another go...Wow what a revelation. Lawson writes with humour and pathos and the stories do not seem dated.
As Australians we often look for things that define our culture and we try to capture elements that demonstrate it.
These stories are one of the cornerstones of our culture, at least in an artistic sense.
If you are an Australian read these stories to make you proud of our culture. If you aren't an Australian read these stories to get a glimpse of what we are about.
As Australians we often look for things that define our culture and we try to capture elements that demonstrate it.
These stories are one of the cornerstones of our culture, at least in an artistic sense.
If you are an Australian read these stories to make you proud of our culture. If you aren't an Australian read these stories to get a glimpse of what we are about.
January 22, 2019
A recommendation from an Aussie friend that did not disappoint! Clearly I need more Australian classics in my life. I particularly enjoyed the fifth part, and how Lawson develops the relationship between Joe and Mary. I was left wanting more!!
January 9, 2023
only read the 5 stories i had to for school, the ones i read i enjoyed! was refreshing to read something very aussie. i may go and read the other stories at some point but i mainly wanted to prioritise the ones i’ll be studying in class!
was a joyful read has a good time with this book and managed to annotate some bits as prep!
was a joyful read has a good time with this book and managed to annotate some bits as prep!
February 8, 2026
რატომ არ ვიცნობთ ჰენრი ლოუსონს? მისი პატარა მოთხრობები საუკეთესოდ გვაცნობს ავსტრალიას, ავსტრალიელებად ქცეული ადამიანიების უმძიმეს ყოფას, მათ დაუღალავ შრომას, ბრძოლას, იმედს.
August 27, 2024
can good writers stop being racist for one second? lawson, you write so well about the bleakness of australia why did you have to start depicting aboriginal people like that
May 24, 2011
This is my bookcrossing review from 2007:
I hadn''t heard of him before at all before I started this book, but I''m so glad I''ve read it. I''ve really enjoyed these short stories. It''s fantastic writing, and so great and portraying what you could imagine life in the bush in Australia in the late 1800s to be - very tough in other words. We don''t know we''re born these days. Although it does also go to show just how adaptable people are.
The characters and the "yarns" are so colourful, it''s fun reading. And I think underneath the surface of what may seem like simple stories, there are some pretty deep thoughts and messages going on although I am probably too dim to pick up on half of them.
It''s really hard to pick a favourite story out of these. The longer ones about Joe Wilson were great - he sounded like a great guy you''d really like to know if you were living out there. And Mrs Spicer in ''Water Them Geraniums''.... god, what a character. Was she also the wife in the first story, ''The Drover''s Wife''?
''The Loaded Dog'' was a fun story, as were the ones about the geologist (haven''t we all met people like that at some point?), the old guy called Rats, and Bill the Rooster.
And there''s so many great lines in this book too. I liked the final line on the Bill the Rooster story:
"Bill was so disgusted with himself that he went under the cask and died." He he he. I shouldn''t really be laughing at Bill''s death, but it''s such a great understated way to finish the story. Oh, and there was something Joe Wilson said in one of his stories that made me laugh:
"There was no time to argue - I''d be sure to loose my temper and then I''d either have to waste an hour comforting Mary, or go off in a ''huff'', as the women call it, and be miserable for the trip."
How a man''s mind works - he he he. And the explaination for ''huffs'' (obviously men never go into huffs - it''s someone else fault!).
I hadn''t heard of him before at all before I started this book, but I''m so glad I''ve read it. I''ve really enjoyed these short stories. It''s fantastic writing, and so great and portraying what you could imagine life in the bush in Australia in the late 1800s to be - very tough in other words. We don''t know we''re born these days. Although it does also go to show just how adaptable people are.
The characters and the "yarns" are so colourful, it''s fun reading. And I think underneath the surface of what may seem like simple stories, there are some pretty deep thoughts and messages going on although I am probably too dim to pick up on half of them.
It''s really hard to pick a favourite story out of these. The longer ones about Joe Wilson were great - he sounded like a great guy you''d really like to know if you were living out there. And Mrs Spicer in ''Water Them Geraniums''.... god, what a character. Was she also the wife in the first story, ''The Drover''s Wife''?
''The Loaded Dog'' was a fun story, as were the ones about the geologist (haven''t we all met people like that at some point?), the old guy called Rats, and Bill the Rooster.
And there''s so many great lines in this book too. I liked the final line on the Bill the Rooster story:
"Bill was so disgusted with himself that he went under the cask and died." He he he. I shouldn''t really be laughing at Bill''s death, but it''s such a great understated way to finish the story. Oh, and there was something Joe Wilson said in one of his stories that made me laugh:
"There was no time to argue - I''d be sure to loose my temper and then I''d either have to waste an hour comforting Mary, or go off in a ''huff'', as the women call it, and be miserable for the trip."
How a man''s mind works - he he he. And the explaination for ''huffs'' (obviously men never go into huffs - it''s someone else fault!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2012
Rather monotonous, wouldn't you say?
October 12, 2017
My appreciation of this country is that much deepened because of Lawson's stories. I only wish I read them sooner.
December 28, 2022
Reading Henry Lawson’s short stories defines what life was like living in the Australian Bush in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Written from the heart, his accounts are honest, true and vicarious, depicting great hardships while forging a living in a hostile environment in outback Australia. The strength of the women. The mateship. A writer who conveys the very essence of a situation, be it landscape or portrayal, with his laconic style together with minimal description. He told it as it was.
And they said Australia was the lucky country…….
One of Australia’s most famous and loved writers, the ‘poet of the people’, who had received only three years of formal schooling, a shy boy, bullied at school, and partially deaf from the age of nine years, culminating in major hearing loss by age fourteen. Later, alcohol would help him overcome his shyness. ‘Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer’ –this was to cast a tragic shadow over the writer’s life.
His first poem ‘A Song of the Republic’ was published in The Bulletin in 1887. Henry was just 20 years old. His first short story ‘His Father’s Mate’ published in 1888. His sketch-stories were also published in The Bulletin, an Australian weekly magazine founded in 1880, in its hey-day known as ‘The Bushman’s Bible’.
“We take pleasure in stating that the writer … is a young Australian boy … who has as yet had an imperfect education … a youth whose poetic genius here speaks eloquently for itself.”
(J F Archibald, editor of the Bulletin, 1887)
Iconic publishers Angus & Robertson contracted Lawson to publish a volume of his poems, 'In the Days When the World was Wide and Other Verses' (1896), followed later that year by a collection of short stories, 'While the Billy Boils and Other Stories'.
It was Billy Hughes, former Prime Minister of Australia, who named Lawson ‘the poet of Australia, the minstrel of the people’.
The two introductions to this edition were well worth reading, although I revisited them after finishing the book, which then gave me a better perspective.
The short stories in this edition were selected by John Barnes, Emeritus Professor of English at La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia. They are considered by him to be those that make Henry Lawson stand apart and show his brilliance at its best.
Enjoyed all the stories, I found ‘Telling Mrs Baker’ most amusing. ‘The Loaded Dog’ was also a favourite.
The Australian Commonwealth Government decreed Henry Lawson a State funeral, in recognition of his services to Australia, the first writer to be given one. In 1949 Henry Lawson was the subject of an Australian postage stamp and was depicted on the reverse side of the first Australian $10 paper note, in circulation 1966–1993.
For poetry lovers, a link to one of Henry Lawson’s poems. Saying it as it was: -
https://allpoetry.com/Past-Carin'
“A writer wrote of the hearts of men, and he followed their tracks afar; for his was a spirit that forced his pen to write of the things that are”.
Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (1867-1922) may you be resting in peace, for your talent and greatest fame, predominantly, was recognised posthumously.
And they said Australia was the lucky country…….
One of Australia’s most famous and loved writers, the ‘poet of the people’, who had received only three years of formal schooling, a shy boy, bullied at school, and partially deaf from the age of nine years, culminating in major hearing loss by age fourteen. Later, alcohol would help him overcome his shyness. ‘Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer’ –this was to cast a tragic shadow over the writer’s life.
His first poem ‘A Song of the Republic’ was published in The Bulletin in 1887. Henry was just 20 years old. His first short story ‘His Father’s Mate’ published in 1888. His sketch-stories were also published in The Bulletin, an Australian weekly magazine founded in 1880, in its hey-day known as ‘The Bushman’s Bible’.
“We take pleasure in stating that the writer … is a young Australian boy … who has as yet had an imperfect education … a youth whose poetic genius here speaks eloquently for itself.”
(J F Archibald, editor of the Bulletin, 1887)
Iconic publishers Angus & Robertson contracted Lawson to publish a volume of his poems, 'In the Days When the World was Wide and Other Verses' (1896), followed later that year by a collection of short stories, 'While the Billy Boils and Other Stories'.
It was Billy Hughes, former Prime Minister of Australia, who named Lawson ‘the poet of Australia, the minstrel of the people’.
The two introductions to this edition were well worth reading, although I revisited them after finishing the book, which then gave me a better perspective.
The short stories in this edition were selected by John Barnes, Emeritus Professor of English at La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia. They are considered by him to be those that make Henry Lawson stand apart and show his brilliance at its best.
Enjoyed all the stories, I found ‘Telling Mrs Baker’ most amusing. ‘The Loaded Dog’ was also a favourite.
The Australian Commonwealth Government decreed Henry Lawson a State funeral, in recognition of his services to Australia, the first writer to be given one. In 1949 Henry Lawson was the subject of an Australian postage stamp and was depicted on the reverse side of the first Australian $10 paper note, in circulation 1966–1993.
For poetry lovers, a link to one of Henry Lawson’s poems. Saying it as it was: -
https://allpoetry.com/Past-Carin'
“A writer wrote of the hearts of men, and he followed their tracks afar; for his was a spirit that forced his pen to write of the things that are”.
Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (1867-1922) may you be resting in peace, for your talent and greatest fame, predominantly, was recognised posthumously.
June 6, 2022
Interesting book, in its own way. It's doubtful that a better collection of 19th century rural Australian yarns exist, and Lawson paints terrific pictures of that time and place.
The first few stories had a long-winded, Herman Melville-esque pointlessness to them, but, having got those out of the way, the last two thirds were quite enjoyable. There was humour - like the array of Jims and Dad's mates - and more serious works, like the sombre dealings with the poor mad neighbours in the bush.
A lot of the writing hasn't aged well (notably in colonial attitudes, and the portrayal of indigenous Australians), but for its time it's relatively respectful I think. Definitely recommended for something a bit different.
The first few stories had a long-winded, Herman Melville-esque pointlessness to them, but, having got those out of the way, the last two thirds were quite enjoyable. There was humour - like the array of Jims and Dad's mates - and more serious works, like the sombre dealings with the poor mad neighbours in the bush.
A lot of the writing hasn't aged well (notably in colonial attitudes, and the portrayal of indigenous Australians), but for its time it's relatively respectful I think. Definitely recommended for something a bit different.
June 25, 2022
I am pigging out on short stories for selfish reasons: I am writing some short stories and entering contests.
My exploration of Lawson was to help understand me the classic ‘Australian voice’.
I enjoyed the stories but I was left exhausted by the incessant hard times, dry times, great distances, hard luck, isolation, and loneliness.
My recommendation: by all means get some Lawson in your diet but beware it is not always a joy of celebration of the laconic aussie and the charm of rural life.
He is a fine story teller and an iconic figure in Australian literature. He has the poet’s eye and his work is well worth studying.
My exploration of Lawson was to help understand me the classic ‘Australian voice’.
I enjoyed the stories but I was left exhausted by the incessant hard times, dry times, great distances, hard luck, isolation, and loneliness.
My recommendation: by all means get some Lawson in your diet but beware it is not always a joy of celebration of the laconic aussie and the charm of rural life.
He is a fine story teller and an iconic figure in Australian literature. He has the poet’s eye and his work is well worth studying.
April 16, 2022
A good selection of stories by the editor reflecting Lawson’s humour, grasp of the Australian idiom of his time, and a melancholic streak that I seemed to have not picked up on when I first read his stories in school.
Read this book just as a refresher before reading Grantlee Kieza’s biography, but now I feel like dipping into a few more stories.
Read this book just as a refresher before reading Grantlee Kieza’s biography, but now I feel like dipping into a few more stories.
July 16, 2024
To balance out the poetry we read, I decided to read this collection of short stories aloud to the boys. Henry Lawson did a beautiful job of illustrating life in the bush with his words. Some of the stories we loved, others left us scratching our heads, but I'm glad we have experienced some of Lawson's wonderful writing.
April 18, 2020
Read 'The Drover's Wife.' It's one of the best short stories ever written.
February 18, 2022
I wanted to love them, as an Australian, but they’re good but not great.
August 5, 2023
Researching Lawson's sad life adds so much depth to these stories
April 28, 2014
Lawson's pieces are generally divided into two styles. His "sketches" are shorter pieces, light on plot but primarily concerned with conveying the feel of Australia, while his stories are longer and more narrative-driven. Critics generally seem to agree that the short sketches are his strong point (and that his early literary demise was a consequence of his misguided attempts to write a novel instead of sticking to what he does best) but the opposite seemed true to me. The early and middle sections of this book are mostly sketch-based, and it's the longer last few pieces I found myself not sighing my way through.
Either way, I am an expat and what I really wanted was a book that gave me a taste of this vast country. There are three authors (that I know of) generally said to have established a brand of Australian Literature (the same way Melville, Twain, Faulkner etc. established a form of American literature which was not merely an extension of the British tradition), and of them, Lawson has done a much better job than Banjo Paterson, but a slightly worse job than Xavier Herbert, at painting a landscape of the Australian land and a portrait of the Australian people. I would recommend this book - both its "sketches" and its longer, more complex efforts - to anyone who is similarly looking for a depiction of the Bush.
Either way, I am an expat and what I really wanted was a book that gave me a taste of this vast country. There are three authors (that I know of) generally said to have established a brand of Australian Literature (the same way Melville, Twain, Faulkner etc. established a form of American literature which was not merely an extension of the British tradition), and of them, Lawson has done a much better job than Banjo Paterson, but a slightly worse job than Xavier Herbert, at painting a landscape of the Australian land and a portrait of the Australian people. I would recommend this book - both its "sketches" and its longer, more complex efforts - to anyone who is similarly looking for a depiction of the Bush.
Want to Read
September 23, 2022Read so far:
The drover's wife --4
The bush undertaker --2
*In a dry season --
The union buries its dead --2
Hungerford --
"Rats"--2
An old mate of your father's --
Mitchell: a character sketch --
On the edge of a plain --
"Some day"--
Shooting the moon --
Our pipes --
Bill, the ventriloquial rooster --
The geological spieler --
The iron-bark chip --
*The loaded dog --
Brighten's sister-in-law --3
A double buggy at Lahey's Creek --
"Water them geraniums"--3
Joe Wilson's courtship --
Telling Mrs Baker --
A child in the dark, and a foreign father --
The drover's wife --4
The bush undertaker --2
*In a dry season --
The union buries its dead --2
Hungerford --
"Rats"--2
An old mate of your father's --
Mitchell: a character sketch --
On the edge of a plain --
"Some day"--
Shooting the moon --
Our pipes --
Bill, the ventriloquial rooster --
The geological spieler --
The iron-bark chip --
*The loaded dog --
Brighten's sister-in-law --3
A double buggy at Lahey's Creek --
"Water them geraniums"--3
Joe Wilson's courtship --
Telling Mrs Baker --
A child in the dark, and a foreign father --
July 4, 2019
Read quite a few of Lawson’s stories for Uni and probably have also at school as well. Enjoyed a number of them and some were so, so. Many of them rural stories about Australia, and give a nice insight into 19th century Australian life. Some of the older language might deter younger readers, but the good thing about short stories is that you don’t have to read the whole book, or at once, to enjoy them.
June 27, 2012
Mercatornet 101 YA
August 6, 2016
He is my absolute favourite poet - depicts such a classic Australia bush poetry scene - have grown up with Lawson and he is incredible <3
April 5, 2016
Had to read it for school. I didn't enjoy Lawson's style of writing and I felt like his stories all had the same themes. Did not enjoy it at school. Sorry Lawson.
September 18, 2016
Had to read it for english, not too bad for a school book. Very descriptive and great stuff for analyzing. Not something I would go out of my way to read though
June 11, 2013
Captures the lonely distances of Australia. i'm very happy to have read this book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews