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Lockie Leonard #3
Legend
Lockie Leonard's survived the worst year on record. His first year of high school, settling into a new town, his mad love affair - it's all behind him. He's about to turn fourteen and things are looking up. But the world of weirdness hasn't finished yet. His little brother's hormones have kicked in and that's not a pretty sight. His dad starts arresting farm animals for a hobby and his poor mum suddenly won't stop crying. Right in the middle of this family shambles, an old flame comes scorching back into his life. Ouch As his whole world goes down the gurgler, Lockie discovers things are never as simple as they seem. Not even for grommets.
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
11 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Tim Winton
76 books2,392 followersTim Winton was born in Perth, Western Australia, but moved at a young age to the small country town of Albany.
While a student at Curtin University of Technology, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer. It went on to win The Australian/Vogel Literary Award in 1981, and launched his writing career. In fact, he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows, won the Miles Franklin Award in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet was published in 1991, however, that his career and economic future were cemented.
In 1995 Winton’s novel, The Riders, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, as was his 2002 book, Dirt Music. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award three times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992) and Dirt Music (2002). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels. His latest novel, released in 2013, is called Eyrie.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.
While a student at Curtin University of Technology, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer. It went on to win The Australian/Vogel Literary Award in 1981, and launched his writing career. In fact, he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows, won the Miles Franklin Award in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet was published in 1991, however, that his career and economic future were cemented.
In 1995 Winton’s novel, The Riders, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, as was his 2002 book, Dirt Music. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award three times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992) and Dirt Music (2002). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels. His latest novel, released in 2013, is called Eyrie.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 30, 2011
Lockie Leonard! You legend! A really fun book, which is hard not to enjoy.
September 23, 2017
Somehow, I never caught up with the fact that there was a third Lockie Leonard book! I've taught both of the others: Lockie Leonard Human Torpedo and Lockie Leonard Scumbuster and I'm a Winton fan girl, so when I found this book in the process of cleaning up the book room at work at the end of last year, I added it to my overflowing TBR pile. I loved it. A quick and amusing read that has beautifully complemented the work I've been doing with Winton's memoir, The Boy Behind the Curtain. I highly recommend all three of the Lockie books.
December 28, 2016
Realised this one was sitting on my to-read list, as the last of the trilogy. I like ticking things off the list, so thought I'd better finish this one. It is the best one of the series, if that's anything!
February 27, 2010
my daughter had to read it for high school and so i thought i would to. A great little read - could definitely visualise what was happening
April 9, 2012
We had to read this for English and it really was not my type of book. I'd recommened it for a 10 year old not college kids.
August 25, 2014
it wont let me read it
i have read a little at school but i left my book at school and this stupid website wont let me read it so that is what i think about that
i have read a little at school but i left my book at school and this stupid website wont let me read it so that is what i think about that
December 29, 2016
I loved the writing style and the story. Randomly it was about a town I grew up in.
July 14, 2021
Legendary book about Australian boy who doesn't let life tear him down when it could. Helped me in bad times, love it.
July 15, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this novel and it was new to me as I've never really read this style of novel before. Instead of saying 4 stars can I say 4.5?
February 21, 2021
This series was excellent.
There were so many memories that it evoked from that confusing adolescent period of my life. The joy of going to the back beach in Geraldton for some body surfing on a hot summers Saturday morning, the allure of the girls at school and being awkward and thinking I was madly in love (usually seemingly unrequited) on a regular basis, my own family - Mum smothering us with love and attention and my three younger brothers ensuring life was never dull.
I've read a few of Tim's books and enjoyed them to an extent. He does seem to dwell in the mundane, even grim, aspects of life and I spent too much of my time in my younger years reading pulp fiction with action heroes and happy endings.
Reading the Lockie Leonard series brought everything together. I was reading books that were set in the state I live in and in a town in the south west which was so familiar to me. The country people and their attitudes, the struggles of Lockie to fit in, environmental concerns, teenage love life and angst, embarrassing siblings, surfing, mental illness and human decency.
As the oldest of four boys I felt the responsibility sitting on Lockie's shoulders when his Mum was ill. There is a requirement for your parents to provide the stability for your environment and sometimes the comfort of a hug from Mum is invaluable. I remember Dad looking after us when Mum had to go to Perth for a medical issue. I think he only had two things he could cook but we didn't care. So it was easy to empathize with Lockie whilst he was shouldering the burden of supporting his Dad in running the house.
The way that Tim dealt with mental illness and wove Vicki into the issue was intelligent and caring. The weird thought processes of an adolescent boy confused and hurt whilst dealing with his problems were easily recognizable to me. I'm not sure I reacted as maturely as Lockie often did to the situations he faced.
The joy of being in the water with dolphins is a pure and uplifting experience. To end the book with this crazy, rambunctious and ramshackle family together and watching Joy swimming with our flippered friends was an appropriate end to an enjoyable trilogy.
There were so many memories that it evoked from that confusing adolescent period of my life. The joy of going to the back beach in Geraldton for some body surfing on a hot summers Saturday morning, the allure of the girls at school and being awkward and thinking I was madly in love (usually seemingly unrequited) on a regular basis, my own family - Mum smothering us with love and attention and my three younger brothers ensuring life was never dull.
I've read a few of Tim's books and enjoyed them to an extent. He does seem to dwell in the mundane, even grim, aspects of life and I spent too much of my time in my younger years reading pulp fiction with action heroes and happy endings.
Reading the Lockie Leonard series brought everything together. I was reading books that were set in the state I live in and in a town in the south west which was so familiar to me. The country people and their attitudes, the struggles of Lockie to fit in, environmental concerns, teenage love life and angst, embarrassing siblings, surfing, mental illness and human decency.
As the oldest of four boys I felt the responsibility sitting on Lockie's shoulders when his Mum was ill. There is a requirement for your parents to provide the stability for your environment and sometimes the comfort of a hug from Mum is invaluable. I remember Dad looking after us when Mum had to go to Perth for a medical issue. I think he only had two things he could cook but we didn't care. So it was easy to empathize with Lockie whilst he was shouldering the burden of supporting his Dad in running the house.
The way that Tim dealt with mental illness and wove Vicki into the issue was intelligent and caring. The weird thought processes of an adolescent boy confused and hurt whilst dealing with his problems were easily recognizable to me. I'm not sure I reacted as maturely as Lockie often did to the situations he faced.
The joy of being in the water with dolphins is a pure and uplifting experience. To end the book with this crazy, rambunctious and ramshackle family together and watching Joy swimming with our flippered friends was an appropriate end to an enjoyable trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2024
I think all the negative reviews are those of the age group the stories are aimed at. The sad price of fame.
Lots of life lessons again told with lots of humour and pathos. Would have been helpful to have had something like this when I was Lockie's age.
Audio version.
The story teller once again has that schizophrenic magic to pull off all the characters and make them believable.
Thanks Tim
Lots of life lessons again told with lots of humour and pathos. Would have been helpful to have had something like this when I was Lockie's age.
Audio version.
The story teller once again has that schizophrenic magic to pull off all the characters and make them believable.
Thanks Tim
March 18, 2024
💀💀💀
be aware💀....
for u might💀...
not make it alive💀....
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhg
be aware💀....
for u might💀...
not make it alive💀....
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhg
December 23, 2008
yeah, I can hardly remember what happened in these books, but they were good.
January 2, 2011
A short and enjoyable Australian novel.
May 31, 2013
crap.
June 1, 2013
Ok, definatly not my type of book, hardly interesting and just BORING.
I had to read this book for English and was just too simple... Yeah, didn't like this book at all.
I had to read this book for English and was just too simple... Yeah, didn't like this book at all.
June 24, 2013
plain old....BORING
March 11, 2015
awesome
July 20, 2016
I loved this book as a young teen but in retrospect, none of the (few) women and girls in the book get anything resembling character development
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews