boxing talent and, as a protégé of the town police sergeant, wins a bronze medal at the Rome Olympics. He joins Nancy in the garbage collecting business, expanding it eventually into a major trucking and passenger transport concern. Peter aka Mole is the narrator of the novel. He is Tommy's favourite child and learns bush lore and bush fire fighting from him. He joins the army and serves in Vietnam as a sergeant/warrant officer. He is decorated for saving an office from certain death under heavy fire. A brilliant student, he obtains a degree and a doctorate and becomes a university lecturer. He is reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Anna Dumbrowski, now a respected psychiatrist. The fifth child is 'Little' Colleen, Tommy's second biological child. Supporters and friends of the Maloney family 'Big Jack' Donovan, local police sergeant. Morrie and Sophie Suckfizzle, aka Moishe and Zofia Zuckfizzleski, a Jewish couple who survived the concentration camps in Poland and Germany. Morrie is a former surgeon who requalifies and becomes a respected gynaecologist. Father Crosby, the local Catholic minister, who goes head to head with Nancy regarding her family morals, but is ultimately reconciled with the family. Karpurika Raychaundhuri aka Mrs. Rika Ray, an Indian-born herbalist, ayurvedic healer and midwife who delivers Sarah's daughter, Lucy Tempelton Moloney. She joins Bozo in the family business. John Crowe, a childhood friend of Tommy and shire mechanic. He becomes a business partner of Bozo. He is killed in a horrific bushfire. Lucy Barrington-Stone, wife of a wealthy grazier and pillar of the Country Women's Association. She makes it her personal mission to get Sarah admitted to university. The novel takes place throughout Australia and in Vietnam, Thailand, Fiji, America, Poland and Italy. Real life figures such as Dawn Fraser, Muhammad Ali and Josef Mengele appear in the novel. External links Bryce Courtenay http://www.brycecourtenay.com ABC Interview with Bryce Courtenay http://www.abc.net.au/talkingheads/txt/s1630548.htm 2001 Australian novels Novels by Bryce Courtenay Sandakan Japanese prisoner of war and internment camps Japanese war crimes Forced marches Viking Press books