The Flyaway Highway

by Norman Lindsay

When Egbert Tomkins sneaks into Murial Jane Jones’s garden to steal berries, the last thing he expects to stumble upon is the faun, Silvander Dan. Or to be whisked away on ‘The Flyaway Highway’ to a wonderful land where crazy adventures are common-place.Travelling on the Flyaway Highway, the pair find themselves embroiled in various unexpected exploits including 'The Adventure of the Knightly Deed of High Enterprise’, 'The Adventure of the Scream in the Night’, even ‘The Adventure of the Place where there are no Adventures’, a strange place indeed! Most perilously of all they become suspects in ‘The Heretic Murder Mystery Adventure’, but on the Flyaway Highway this isn’t so bad because anyone suspected of evil deeds at the beginning of a story must be innocent.The Flyaway Highway is a Australian children’s literature classic, written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay, author of the beloved The Magic Pudding.

Genres: Australia

108 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Norman Alfred William Lindsay was an Australian artist. Lindsay was born in Creswick, Victoria. He was a prolific artist, sculptor, writer, editorial cartoonist and scale modeler, as well as being a highly talented boxer.

Norman was the son of Irish surgeon Robert Charles William Alexander Lindsay and Jane Elizabeth Lindsay from Creswick. Fifth of ten children, he was the brother of Percy Lindsay (1870-1952), Lionel Lindsay (1874-1961), Ruby Lindsay (1885-1919), and Daryl Lindsay (1889-1976).

He married Catherine (Kate) Agatha Parkinson, in Melbourne on 23 May 1900. Their son Jack was born, in Melbourne, on 20 October 1900, followed by Raymond in 1903 and Phillip in 1906. They divorced in 1918. Phillip died in 1958 and Raymond in 1960. In the Lindsay tradition, Jack would be prolific as a publisher, writer, translator and activist.

Rose Soady began modelling for Norman in 1902. She would become his second wife, his most recognizable model, his business manager, and the printer for most of his etchings. By the time he left for London in 1909, Rose had supplanted his wife and joined him there in 1910.

He married Rose Soady on 14 January 1920. Their children, Janet and Helen (Honey) were born in 1920 and 1922 respectively. Honey would remain in the U.S. after visiting with her mother to cache her father's works at the beginning of World War II and Jane would acquire the printmaking studio on the Faulconbridge property in 1949 and build a house around it.

He is widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest artists, producing a vast body of work in different media, including pen drawing, etching, watercolour, oil and sculptures in concrete and bronze.

A large body of his work is housed in his former home at Faulconbridge, New South Wales, now the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum, and many works reside in private and corporate collections. His art continues to climb in value today. In 2002, a record price was attained by his oil painting, Spring's Innocence, which sold to the National Gallery of Victoria for $AU333,900.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Didn't you know that bothering your head about things is the reason that things bother you. Just let them happen and they'll happen all right. That's what this Flyaway Highway is here for, just to prove you can have a good time on it by refusing to have a bad time off it." Thus, Silvander Dan (the bloke with cow's hooves) sums up the philosophy - apt for our time - of the Flyaway Highway, the road to Adventure for Egbert, Murial Jane and anyone else who cares to come along. Adventures with post-chaises, murder mysteries (heretic and country house), a knight errant, a baron and Orlando Boop and his bear-waiter excite, confuse and bemuse the trio as they follow the unpredictable Highway.

Written by the notorious Australian artist and author Norman Lindsay, this witty tale could have been the result of a collaboration among Mark Twain, Bret Harte and Lewis Carroll. (Lindsay's own pen-and-ink illustrations reminded me of Tenniel.) It would be fun as an audiobook, with the right reader. Look for it from a used book dealer, or try your library - they'll find it!

(Now it looks like I need to find The Magic Pudding after reading its reviews!)

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly inspired children's fantasy that will deeply amuse adults too. Norman Lindsay was a brilliant humour writer who captured Australia and Australians at the turn of the twentieth century. His illustrations are evocative and add to the humour of the book. Great read.