Robbery Under Arms - Rolf Boldrewood

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Biographie:
Browne was born in London, the eldest child of Captain Sylvester John Brown, a shipmaster formerly of the East India Company, and his wife Elizabeth Angell, n?e Alexander. His mother was his earliest admirer and most indulgent critic . . . to whom is chiefly due whatever meed of praise my readers may hereafter vouchsafe (Dedication Old Melbourne Memories). Thomas added the 'e' to his surname in the 1860s. After his father's barque Proteus had delivered a cargo of convicts in Hobart, the family settled in Sydney in 1831. Sylvester Brown took up whaling and built a stone mansion, Enmore, which gave its name to the suburb of Sydney. Thomas Browne was sent to W. T. Cape's school at Sydney, and afterwards to Sydney College, when Cape became its headmaster. One of Browne's closest school friends was a son of Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes, MLC, the Collector of Customs for New South Wales, and according to the Dulhunty Papers, Browne spent carefree holidays staying with the Gibbes family at their grand waterside residence on Sydney's Point Piper....

Sommaire:
Robbery Under Arms is a gripping narrative set in the rugged Australian bush and goldfields, chronicling the tumultuous life of Dick Marston. The story unfolds through Dick's perspective as he reflects on his life choices while awaiting execution. Born into a family with a history of crime, Dick and his brother Jim grow up in a world where cattle duffing and bushranging are common. Despite their mother's efforts to steer them towards a lawful life, the allure of quick money and adventure proves too strong. The brothers become entangled in a series of criminal activities, including cattle theft and highway robbery, under the influence of their father and the notorious Captain Starlight. As they navigate the perils of their outlaw lifestyle, they face moral dilemmas and the constant threat of capture by the police. The narrative delves into themes of family loyalty, the struggle between right and wrong, and the harsh realities of life on the run. Through Dick's introspective recounting, the novel explores the consequences of choices and the possibility of redemption, set against the backdrop of Australia's untamed wilderness....