Harry Heathcote of Gangoil and George Walker at Suez

Product Description


Harry Heathcote depicts the struggles of a young Australian sheep-farmer establishing himself. Based on the experiences of Trollope's younger brother, the novel works within the Christmas book conventions established by Dickens in the 1840s. George Walker at Suez is a short story, one of the sub-genre of Victorian writings that reacted against the vogue for travel literature by taking irreverent stances on standard itinerary destinations.


From the Back Cover


This book deals with the problems facing a young sheep-farmer, or 'squatter', in outback Australia. Its hero is modelled on Trollope's younger son Frederic, who had lived in Australia since 1865. Using the conventions of the Christmas story, established by Dickens in the 1840's, the novel shows Harry Heathcote thwarting the envious ex-convict neighbours who harbour his disgruntled former employees, and who attempt to set fire to his pastures.


About the Author


Anthony Trollope (1815-1882) started his writing career while working in Ireland as a postal surveyor. Travelling around the country, Trollope gained knowledge of the country and its people which proved to be useful material for his first two novels, The Macdermots of Ballycloran (1847) and The Kellys and the O'Kellys (1848). Trollope soon started writing fiercely, producing a series entitled Chronicles of Barsetshire. The Warden, the first in the series, was published in 1855. Barchester Towers (1857), the comic masterpiece, Doctor Thorne (1858), Framley Parsonage (1861), The Small House at Allington (1864) and The Last Chronicle of Barset (1867) followed, portraying events in an imaginary English county of Barsetshire. In 1867, Trollope left the Post Office to run as a candidate for the Parliament. Having lost at the elections, Trollope focused on his writing. A satire from his later writing, The Way We Live Now (1875) is often viewed as Trollope's major work, however, his popularity and writing reputation diminished at the later stage of his life. Anthony Trollope died in London in 1882.