The Persimmon Tree cover art

The Persimmon Tree

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The Persimmon Tree

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
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About this listen

It is 1942 in the Dutch East Indies, and Nick Duncan is a young Australian butterfly collector in search of a single exotic butterfly. With invading Japanese forces coming closer by the day, Nick falls in love with the beguiling Anna van Heerden.

Their time together is brief, as both are forced into separate, dangerous escapes. They plan to reunite and marry in Australia but it is several years before their paths cross again, scarred forever by the dark events of a long, cruel war.

In The Persimmon Tree, Bryce Courtenay gives us a story of love and friendship set against the dramatic backdrop of the Pacific during the Second World War.

©2007 Bryce Courtenay. By arrangement with Penguin Group (Australia).; 2013 Bryce Courtenay. By arrangement with Penguin Group (Australia). (P)2007 Bolinda Publishing 20th Century Historical Historical Fiction

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Critic reviews

"The ultimate international bestseller." (The New York Times)
"When the Japanese invade Indonesia in 1942, 17-year-old Australian Nick Duncan escapes by sailing a yacht across the ocean. It's a harrowing journey made manageable, in part, by Nick's hope that his new love, Anna, is safely on her way to Australia. Unfortunately, Anna is stuck in Indonesia, a prisoner of the Japanese. Humphrey Bower's narration makes it a pleasure. His skills should be a model. He reads with anticipation, so that a line written as a laugh or a sob is read as a laugh or a sob without being overdramatized. His characterizations reveal personality and motive, and hold steady throughout the book. And his pacing keeps us interested even when the plot is predictable." (AudioFile Magazine)
All stars
Most relevant
Hated coming to the end. So going to get part 2. a mix of everything in one story. Must listen.

great literature

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fantastic, invigorating, non stop, edge of your seat story. Can't wait to read the sequel.

classically brilliant Bryce Courtenay

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I loved this Book. The story was full of different twists and turns on the various issues and plights of the characters caught up in some of the countries of the Far East and Australia leading up to, during and after the invasion of the Japanese. The innocence and love of the two leading characters at the start, the mayhem and trials they suffered separately during that terrible time and then trying to pick up the pieces in the aftermath all made for and excellent story brilliantly read by Humphrey Bower. I can’t wait for the next book from this brilliant Author .

The Persimmon Tree

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I'm a recent convert to Bryce Courtenay books and this only the second book of his I've read. An amazing masterful pace and a thorough knowledge of the subject set against the background of the Japanese occupation of Java during the Second World War. This is something I knew little about prior to reading the book so, while shocked by the treatment of the Chinese, Javanese and Dutch, I came away from reading the book with a lot more knowledge of that era.

This is a beautiful love story and I was fascinated by Anna (Madame Butterfly's) story during the years of Japanese occupation and how she survived and came out psychologically scarred but physically intact from those years. I had a great respect for her.

Less so her faithless lover Nick, who barely waited weeks before falling in love with another woman and many subsequent women fell to his apparent charms throughout the remaining years of WW2 and his half hearted attempts at finding Anna after the war.

Quite frankly I started to dislike Nick immensely, not just for his annoying attraction to the opposite sex and their predatory sexual intentions towards him, his obsession with breasts but also his 'heroism' during the war which earned him honours, not just from Australian and British governments but also General McArthur and the American Marines. It all got a bit unrealistic.

To be honest, it really spoilt the story for me which was otherwise spotted with some brilliant characters which were superbly portrayed by the narrator Humphrey Bower, who should not go unmentioned in all this. A great piece of narration from him yet again even with the Japanese and American characters, make and female alike.

Altogether a great read, but Nick boy, calm it down a bit eh?

Ripping Story with great pace......however.....

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Really enjoy this story. Love historic novels. Did think I would like the war part, but was able to listen to it.
Will try more books of this writer.

Great listening

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