Gold and Greenstone

by Barry Crump

Sally could do most things better than men, but it was difficult to get a job in a recession. On the road and looking for work she involuntarily teams up with an unlikely character and finds herself on the end of a shovel on the West Coast. A unique story unfolds of hard work and dreams, of gold fever and greenstone, of helicopters and high-seas, of laughter and tears and culminates with a romantic twist and a happy ending.

Genres: Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

New Zealand author of semi-autobiographical comic novels based on his image as a rugged outdoors man.

Crump worked for many years as a government deer-culler in areas of New Zealand native forest (termed "the bush"). He wrote his first novel, A Good Keen Man, in 1960, based on his experiences as a government hunter. It was a fictional account of a young hunter who has to suffer through a series of hunting partners who are often unsuitable for the job. This novel became one of the most popular in New Zealand history,

Crump died in 1996 of a suspected aortic aneurysm. At the time of his death he was living at Ohauiti with his fifth wife, Maggie.

abridged from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Daren]

Another of Crump's good ones. Good strong characters, with good plot development.
Set on the West Coast of the South Island (of New Zealand).

[Dakota Walker]

This is my favorite book! What a yarn!

[Nzric]

This is probably the typical 'Crumpie' book that people think of when they talk about the author. If he had cut the length down by about a third it would have made for a much stronger story, but it makes for a good, light and fairly forgettable holiday read.

[Annie]

Absolutely loved this. The audiobook narration (by Crump's son, I think) really added to it.
It's a straightforward story but the characters absolutely shine and I love how feminist it is, without trying to be. Enjoyed the descriptions of the NZ scrub and getting flooded in the ever soggy fjordlands.