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Chasing the McCubbin
The Pines, an outer Melbourne suburb down on its luck. A country in the grip of recession.
Experienced collector Ron senses new possibilities: swift evictions provide hard-rubbish to scour and garage-sales have doubled. There’s only one problem: since losing his wife, Ron has struggled to navigate the suburbs alone. Plus, his deteriorating health slows him down.
This all changes through a chance meeting with Joseph, a troubled, withdrawn and unemployed 19-year old who knows nothing about antiques. As Joseph comes to understand and appreciate Ron’s world of eccentric bargain hunters, and hopefulness, his ability to navigate a history of family violence and to see a future for himself grows. Both come to share the wild dream of finding a rare bargain such as an original Frederick McCubbin painting and making their fortune. So begins an exhilarating adventure and an unlikely and beautiful friendship.
Set against the background of the early 1990s, Chasing the McCubbin is funny and sad in equal measure. A story of loneliness and the ageless desire for belonging, it will be the most heartbreaking yet feel-good novel you will read this year.
Experienced collector Ron senses new possibilities: swift evictions provide hard-rubbish to scour and garage-sales have doubled. There’s only one problem: since losing his wife, Ron has struggled to navigate the suburbs alone. Plus, his deteriorating health slows him down.
This all changes through a chance meeting with Joseph, a troubled, withdrawn and unemployed 19-year old who knows nothing about antiques. As Joseph comes to understand and appreciate Ron’s world of eccentric bargain hunters, and hopefulness, his ability to navigate a history of family violence and to see a future for himself grows. Both come to share the wild dream of finding a rare bargain such as an original Frederick McCubbin painting and making their fortune. So begins an exhilarating adventure and an unlikely and beautiful friendship.
Set against the background of the early 1990s, Chasing the McCubbin is funny and sad in equal measure. A story of loneliness and the ageless desire for belonging, it will be the most heartbreaking yet feel-good novel you will read this year.
272 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2021
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April 23, 2022
Hello Goodreaders,
I thought I'd share the inspiration for my debut novel, Chasing the McCubbin...
My parents have been ‘pickers’ my entire life. A few years ago, I accompanied my dad on his usual Friday picking rounds for the first time. (For the uninitiated, this is when collectors door-knock at addresses of upcoming garage sales. The aim is to get in early and snap up bargains!). To my surprise, I found the whole experience rather fascinating. Melbourne’s collecting or ‘picking’ scene is full of interesting, passionate and sometimes eccentric characters. Beneath the friendly veneer, though, was real competitiveness! It was an intriguing dynamic to observe. Watching sellers part with objects was often quite poignant: the projection of emotions and memories poured into inanimate objects was very notable at times, and watching an invisible attachment break as precious items were sold has always stayed with me.
Given my intrigue, I began to take notes. With a postgraduate degree in anthropology, I suppose I went into, well, ‘anthropologist mode’. Scribbling observations and ideas with no real purpose but to capture and record. I’ve always loved ethnographic research, which centres on observation and immersion, and so, for a while, I was an ethnographer, taking field notes of a subculture with its own unwritten rules of engagement and shared purpose.
Initially, I thought I’d turn my notes into an extended article with a view to pitching it to a magazine like The Age’s Good Weekend.
Then, one day while we were circling the suburban streets, I asked Dad why he did it – picking. It was such an obvious, simple question, which, strangely, I’d never thought to ask. Without hesitation, he replied, matter of fact, 'We're all chasing the McCubbin.'
At that moment, I knew I was going to write a book. I had the title before the story!
Right, ok then, I thought. A novel … Foremost, I needed to decide on the place: The Pines, a disadvantaged outer Melbourne suburb. Next, the era: the 1990s Melbourne antique scene, which was booming at the time. Given the setting and era, I knew the intersecting themes of poverty, unemployment, rigid gender roles, class, isolation, stigma and belonging would underpin the novel. So I wanted to create characters that embodied these core themes through their experiences, beliefs and behaviours. That’s when I conceived the idea of an unlikely intergenerational male friendship. Ron and Joseph differ in age and experience, and these differences provided scope to explore how the themes impact men in different ways.
Yet … despite the story slowly taking shape, I intuitively felt something was missing at a more profound level.
Then, serendipitously, I was in an op-shop and spotted a print of Frederick McCubbin’s famous painting Down On His Luck. At the risk of sounding clichéd, in that moment, the fundamental missing element of the story came to me: Ron is a modern reincarnation of the man in Down On His Luck.
In the 1800s, impressionist painters, such as McCubbin, were promoting the white male narrative through their works – the white man as explorer, worker, prospector, farmer, etc. I imagined the mystery man to be a prospector and wondered what kept him motivated to keep searching for gold. The answer quickly coalesced: he was driven by hope.
Ron and the mystery man both dream of a better life. They are connected through shared experiences of hope, disappointment and persistence. Both long for security and a life without struggle.
And that was it! All my runners and riders were lined up, and I knew I had the story to match the title, Chasing the McCubbin.
Thanks for reading this post, and thanks for reading Chasing the McCubbin.
Sandi x
I thought I'd share the inspiration for my debut novel, Chasing the McCubbin...
My parents have been ‘pickers’ my entire life. A few years ago, I accompanied my dad on his usual Friday picking rounds for the first time. (For the uninitiated, this is when collectors door-knock at addresses of upcoming garage sales. The aim is to get in early and snap up bargains!). To my surprise, I found the whole experience rather fascinating. Melbourne’s collecting or ‘picking’ scene is full of interesting, passionate and sometimes eccentric characters. Beneath the friendly veneer, though, was real competitiveness! It was an intriguing dynamic to observe. Watching sellers part with objects was often quite poignant: the projection of emotions and memories poured into inanimate objects was very notable at times, and watching an invisible attachment break as precious items were sold has always stayed with me.
Given my intrigue, I began to take notes. With a postgraduate degree in anthropology, I suppose I went into, well, ‘anthropologist mode’. Scribbling observations and ideas with no real purpose but to capture and record. I’ve always loved ethnographic research, which centres on observation and immersion, and so, for a while, I was an ethnographer, taking field notes of a subculture with its own unwritten rules of engagement and shared purpose.
Initially, I thought I’d turn my notes into an extended article with a view to pitching it to a magazine like The Age’s Good Weekend.
Then, one day while we were circling the suburban streets, I asked Dad why he did it – picking. It was such an obvious, simple question, which, strangely, I’d never thought to ask. Without hesitation, he replied, matter of fact, 'We're all chasing the McCubbin.'
At that moment, I knew I was going to write a book. I had the title before the story!
Right, ok then, I thought. A novel … Foremost, I needed to decide on the place: The Pines, a disadvantaged outer Melbourne suburb. Next, the era: the 1990s Melbourne antique scene, which was booming at the time. Given the setting and era, I knew the intersecting themes of poverty, unemployment, rigid gender roles, class, isolation, stigma and belonging would underpin the novel. So I wanted to create characters that embodied these core themes through their experiences, beliefs and behaviours. That’s when I conceived the idea of an unlikely intergenerational male friendship. Ron and Joseph differ in age and experience, and these differences provided scope to explore how the themes impact men in different ways.
Yet … despite the story slowly taking shape, I intuitively felt something was missing at a more profound level.
Then, serendipitously, I was in an op-shop and spotted a print of Frederick McCubbin’s famous painting Down On His Luck. At the risk of sounding clichéd, in that moment, the fundamental missing element of the story came to me: Ron is a modern reincarnation of the man in Down On His Luck.
In the 1800s, impressionist painters, such as McCubbin, were promoting the white male narrative through their works – the white man as explorer, worker, prospector, farmer, etc. I imagined the mystery man to be a prospector and wondered what kept him motivated to keep searching for gold. The answer quickly coalesced: he was driven by hope.
Ron and the mystery man both dream of a better life. They are connected through shared experiences of hope, disappointment and persistence. Both long for security and a life without struggle.
And that was it! All my runners and riders were lined up, and I knew I had the story to match the title, Chasing the McCubbin.
Thanks for reading this post, and thanks for reading Chasing the McCubbin.
Sandi x
January 23, 2021
I love Ron! Uncouth, no filter, but a genuine good bloke with a big heart! Reading this book reminded me of simpler, pre-tech times.
It also shows how far we’ve come in the past 20-30 years; some of the language Ron uses would be inexcusable today.
The author also has a deep knowledge of antiques, so would be of interest to any collector or garage sale rummager...
A great read. Highly recommended.
It also shows how far we’ve come in the past 20-30 years; some of the language Ron uses would be inexcusable today.
The author also has a deep knowledge of antiques, so would be of interest to any collector or garage sale rummager...
A great read. Highly recommended.
March 22, 2021
The first thing I noticed about this thoughtful debut novel was the authenticity of the characters in Chasing the McCubbin. Set during the recession of the 1990s when the Centrelink juggernaut did not exist and vulnerable people went for welfare support to the CES (Commonwealth Employment Service), the story features a lost soul called Jo (Joseph) and his unlikely mentor, Ron, an eccentric trader in antiques and (more commonly) junk from garage sales.
Jo's mother Leonie is a lost soul too. With PTSD after extreme domestic violence, she is barely functioning. Jo, setting off for his first encounter with Ron, leaves his mum to sleep and wake and boil the kettle and eat toast and watch daytime television wrapped safely in her fading blue dressing gown.
He sees her body, still and serene, but that is all. She is hollow. It is as though the mother he knew crawled out from her skin long ago, seeking refuge, perhaps escaping to somewhere safer. Usually, when she glances his way, she does not see him. He is a faceless silhouette that no one notices, not even his mum. He is part stranger, part son, part dole bludger, a boy from The Pines: a combination of scattered pieces, and nothing, all at the same time. (p.12)
The Pines is a disadvantaged area within the Melbourne outer suburb of Frankston, and Jo's future looks bleak whether there's a recession or not. But a chance meeting between his mother and Ron in the queue at the CES leads to a job offer of sorts. Not one that pays a salary, not a job that will affect his unemployment benefit, but one based on a share of the money they might make. With the bank about to foreclose on the house, 19-year-old Jo has to step up and do something. Anything...
Ron's wife has died, and he needs someone to navigate the van when he goes 'scrounging' at the garage sales that are proliferating as people try to find ways to make a little money. Jo can't drive because there's no one to teach him and no car to practise in, but he turns out to be good at reading maps and at planning journeys to minimise the cost of petrol. And he's an extra pair of hands to help lug their finds to the van, or to stand guard over some treasure to prevent some other would-be buyer making off with it. He learns to help with sanding old bits of furniture, and over time he begins to recognise items which can be resold to other dealers at a profit.
Reading this novel puts me in mind of The Antiques Road Show and the dumbfounded expressions of people who've discovered the value of something they thought was worth much less than the expert's appraisal. This show probably accounts for the inflated value some of Ron's sources put on their wares.
March 8, 2021
Fabulous book. I thoroughly enjoyed devouring it today-perfect way to spend a public holiday. It has creates such a perfect window into a world familiar but not really known to me. The characters are portrayed with compassion and everything about this book felt honest and real. Beautiful writing. To my fellow bookclubbers -this in my nomination when my month comes round.
April 18, 2021
I wasn’t going to write a review because my mother always told me if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything. However, I feel I need to justify my review of a single star.
Chasing the McCubbin was a book that was given to me to read as a part of a family book club. The blurb promised a really interesting premise and so I was willing to divert from my usual reading appetite. If I wasn’t reading this with family it would have ended up on my DNF shelf.
This book was an incredibly missed opportunity. The author clearly knows what it is like to be a weekend antique hunter and finder of 2nd hand treasures and that knowledge comes across in her writing wonderfully. If the author ever wants to publish a book on bargain hunting and antique shopping I’ll buy it in a heartbeat.
One can’t help but enjoy (despite how repetitive they begin to feel) the competition Ron and Joseph have against other bargain finding ‘professionals’ like Fritz the German, the Crone, Red Wagon and the Tool Men.
However, as a narrative this story fell flat. A story is more then just the sum of numerous ‘scrounging’ vignettes. Her two leading men Ron and Jo come across as two very 2D caricatures without much depth and development as the book progresses. In fact the most character development Jo goes through is in the final 20 pages.
Even though I must heavily fault the book based on this lack of character I do feel as though Scaunich successfully captured the sense of time. She conveyed what it was like in the early 90s extremely well showing readers a time where one had to sneak into the newspaper printing warehouses in order to get ahead of the news cycle instead of quickly googling or utilising sites like eBay.
You can see what the author was aiming for when deciding to begin this story so it’s a shame to see her fall far short of that final destination by becoming distracted by a convoluted journey. If only she had Joseph’s navigations skills to help her find the way there.
Chasing the McCubbin was a book that was given to me to read as a part of a family book club. The blurb promised a really interesting premise and so I was willing to divert from my usual reading appetite. If I wasn’t reading this with family it would have ended up on my DNF shelf.
This book was an incredibly missed opportunity. The author clearly knows what it is like to be a weekend antique hunter and finder of 2nd hand treasures and that knowledge comes across in her writing wonderfully. If the author ever wants to publish a book on bargain hunting and antique shopping I’ll buy it in a heartbeat.
One can’t help but enjoy (despite how repetitive they begin to feel) the competition Ron and Joseph have against other bargain finding ‘professionals’ like Fritz the German, the Crone, Red Wagon and the Tool Men.
However, as a narrative this story fell flat. A story is more then just the sum of numerous ‘scrounging’ vignettes. Her two leading men Ron and Jo come across as two very 2D caricatures without much depth and development as the book progresses. In fact the most character development Jo goes through is in the final 20 pages.
Even though I must heavily fault the book based on this lack of character I do feel as though Scaunich successfully captured the sense of time. She conveyed what it was like in the early 90s extremely well showing readers a time where one had to sneak into the newspaper printing warehouses in order to get ahead of the news cycle instead of quickly googling or utilising sites like eBay.
You can see what the author was aiming for when deciding to begin this story so it’s a shame to see her fall far short of that final destination by becoming distracted by a convoluted journey. If only she had Joseph’s navigations skills to help her find the way there.
April 18, 2022
‘Son, we’re all chasing the McCubbin.’
Set in the outer Melbourne suburb of The Pines during recession in the 1990s, Ms Scaunich’s novel explores loneliness and belonging, chance and opportunity. Unemployment leads to eviction for some in The Pines, forced to leave behind (as hard rubbish) possessions they cannot take with them. Garage sales increase as well and attract plenty of people looking for a bargain. Ron is an experienced collector, but since his wife died, he has struggled. Joseph is a troubled, withdrawn 19-year-old who lives with his mother, Leonie. They are both unemployed. A chance meeting between Joseph’s mother and Ron at the CES leads to Joseph helping Ron. Joseph knows nothing about antiques or how to spot a bargain, nor does not he have a driver’s licence, but he can read a map.
Together, Ron and Joseph navigate the suburbs, hoping to find a rare bargain.
Ron is elderly and unwell. Joseph is insecure and withdrawn. But the two of them look out for each other and Joseph learns more about the world of collecting, of hunting for and finding bargains or at least items that can be resold. Ron is happy to share his knowledge with Joseph and slowly, as trust builds, Joseph shares his interest in computers (an item far beyond his ability to own). Chance may have brought Joseph and Ron together, but they become friends. And Joseph learns to dream, of a life beyond the squalor in which he lives with his mother and the family violence which put them there.
‘He thinks about Ron’s question: what are you going to do with your life.’
You’ll need to read the novel and its epilogue to get the answer to that question. Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Set in the outer Melbourne suburb of The Pines during recession in the 1990s, Ms Scaunich’s novel explores loneliness and belonging, chance and opportunity. Unemployment leads to eviction for some in The Pines, forced to leave behind (as hard rubbish) possessions they cannot take with them. Garage sales increase as well and attract plenty of people looking for a bargain. Ron is an experienced collector, but since his wife died, he has struggled. Joseph is a troubled, withdrawn 19-year-old who lives with his mother, Leonie. They are both unemployed. A chance meeting between Joseph’s mother and Ron at the CES leads to Joseph helping Ron. Joseph knows nothing about antiques or how to spot a bargain, nor does not he have a driver’s licence, but he can read a map.
Together, Ron and Joseph navigate the suburbs, hoping to find a rare bargain.
Ron is elderly and unwell. Joseph is insecure and withdrawn. But the two of them look out for each other and Joseph learns more about the world of collecting, of hunting for and finding bargains or at least items that can be resold. Ron is happy to share his knowledge with Joseph and slowly, as trust builds, Joseph shares his interest in computers (an item far beyond his ability to own). Chance may have brought Joseph and Ron together, but they become friends. And Joseph learns to dream, of a life beyond the squalor in which he lives with his mother and the family violence which put them there.
‘He thinks about Ron’s question: what are you going to do with your life.’
You’ll need to read the novel and its epilogue to get the answer to that question. Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Read
March 20, 2021Evocative of time and place. A quiet story of growing trust and friendship across the generations in amongst the hard rubbish and garage sale 'finds'. Anyone from the SE suburbs of Melbourne will have an extra connection to this book.
March 5, 2021
I was taken away into the 1990s and further back in time by the sounds, sights and smells evoked by the descriptions. A beautifully written, local Melbourne gem!
December 18, 2024
This book is destined to become a classic! There, I've said it!
I rarely read "Literary" fiction (I suppose that's what you'd classify Chasing The Mc Cubbin as) because in my opinion, it tends to be slow and plodding; full of flowery purple prose and introspection, and lacking in dramatic substance.
Definitely not this tale. The author drew me in from the start with colourful character descriptions and settings. As the story progressed, and more backstory gradually unfolded, it just got better and better.
It's difficult to elaborate on the plot without giving away spoilers, but I'll try:
The growing symbiotic relationship between Ron—the ageing collector, and Joseph—his at first reluctant protegé, is the nuts-and-bolts of the story. We're drawn into Ron's world of eccentric dealers and scroungers while at the same time gradually learning what it is that makes Ron and Joseph who they are.
At one point, near the end, I thought I could see the finalé coming, but I was cleverly mislead.
This story alludes to family violence; drug abuse and addiction, poverty and despair, without being over the top. It also shows us that there is always hope. That the human spirit can triumph.
I'm willing to admit it left me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. Highly recommended!
* I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest and unbiased review.
You can check it out for yourself here: https://bookshop.org/a/108464/9781925...
I rarely read "Literary" fiction (I suppose that's what you'd classify Chasing The Mc Cubbin as) because in my opinion, it tends to be slow and plodding; full of flowery purple prose and introspection, and lacking in dramatic substance.
Definitely not this tale. The author drew me in from the start with colourful character descriptions and settings. As the story progressed, and more backstory gradually unfolded, it just got better and better.
It's difficult to elaborate on the plot without giving away spoilers, but I'll try:
The growing symbiotic relationship between Ron—the ageing collector, and Joseph—his at first reluctant protegé, is the nuts-and-bolts of the story. We're drawn into Ron's world of eccentric dealers and scroungers while at the same time gradually learning what it is that makes Ron and Joseph who they are.
At one point, near the end, I thought I could see the finalé coming, but I was cleverly mislead.
This story alludes to family violence; drug abuse and addiction, poverty and despair, without being over the top. It also shows us that there is always hope. That the human spirit can triumph.
I'm willing to admit it left me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. Highly recommended!
* I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest and unbiased review.
You can check it out for yourself here: https://bookshop.org/a/108464/9781925...
January 25, 2021
Loved it! - we all know a bloke like Ron - Dad, Grandad, uncle, or just that man down the road, he is that man who has things hanging from the garage ceiling and never throws anything out!
Need a what-is-it for that machine - go see Ron!
Well written and enjoyable, I would have liked to hear more of Ron's "finds" and adventures, perhaps that will book 2?
Need a what-is-it for that machine - go see Ron!
Well written and enjoyable, I would have liked to hear more of Ron's "finds" and adventures, perhaps that will book 2?
December 28, 2021
Someone put effort into writing this book. I acknowledge that. However, the blurb did it a great injustice promising things that just aren't in the story, such as exhilarating adventure.
I hoped I would enjoy this story, being set in my home town and about a collector of scrounged vintage goods. But it was a cheerless story of past traumas and abuse, addiction, and loss. All of the characters are ineffective, drifting in misery, aimless and hopeless. It is set against a backdrop of rough neighbourhoods, unemployment and recession. It's a depressing story of people with many problems, who are too damaged to try to improve things.
Did not enjoy the repetition of their rushed visits to garage sales, the bleak tone or the strained, mis-matched similes and poorly chosen adjectives or descriptors. The memories were "ironically fleeting". What is ironic about the memories being fleeting? There is nothing to indicate irony in the sentences before or after. Flowers "fumble" in the wind. How do flowers handle things clumsily? I found many adjectives confused me and took me out of the story.
The first three quarters felt slow, like filler, before anything of import actually happened to the characters in the last quarter. The descriptive passages felt forced in their effort to be unique.
It painted an ugly picture I would rather not have seen. The one good thing I can say is that I cared enough to write a review. I was expecting humour and uplifting warmth where there was none. The blurb untruthfully promises "exhilarating adventure", "funny" and "feel good". I don't believe they read this book.
Perhaps it's someone else's cup of tea, but it left me unhappy and unsatisfied.
I hoped I would enjoy this story, being set in my home town and about a collector of scrounged vintage goods. But it was a cheerless story of past traumas and abuse, addiction, and loss. All of the characters are ineffective, drifting in misery, aimless and hopeless. It is set against a backdrop of rough neighbourhoods, unemployment and recession. It's a depressing story of people with many problems, who are too damaged to try to improve things.
Did not enjoy the repetition of their rushed visits to garage sales, the bleak tone or the strained, mis-matched similes and poorly chosen adjectives or descriptors. The memories were "ironically fleeting". What is ironic about the memories being fleeting? There is nothing to indicate irony in the sentences before or after. Flowers "fumble" in the wind. How do flowers handle things clumsily? I found many adjectives confused me and took me out of the story.
The first three quarters felt slow, like filler, before anything of import actually happened to the characters in the last quarter. The descriptive passages felt forced in their effort to be unique.
It painted an ugly picture I would rather not have seen. The one good thing I can say is that I cared enough to write a review. I was expecting humour and uplifting warmth where there was none. The blurb untruthfully promises "exhilarating adventure", "funny" and "feel good". I don't believe they read this book.
Perhaps it's someone else's cup of tea, but it left me unhappy and unsatisfied.
June 2, 2021
An interesting read from a first time author. It has a slow build, with its two main characters gradually building a relationship while struggling with their pasts. The additions to their relationship is slowly tacked on, with the narrative advancing it what seems like a crawl. Then about 170 pages in, the narrative was let of the leash and howled through the last 100 pages. Essentially a redemption piece set in the poor outer Melbourne suburb of The Pines, Ron, professional collector of other peoples thrown out treasure, does a stranger a favour and takes her son Joseph under his wing. They both have baggage, Joseph in particular. Ron has lost his wife; Joseph has lost all but his dysfunctional mother and practices self-harm to ease his mental anguish. Ron is always looking for the hidden treasure that will set him up - chasing the McCubbin of the title, laying about in a garage sale - and without realising it, his young workmate is the treasure he resurrects and eventually provide with the pathway to the treasure he becomes.
April 10, 2021
Chasing the McCubbin is one of the most beautiful, heartfelt books you’ll read this year.
The author has clearly done her research when it comes to bric-à-brac and antiques, but you don’t have to be a lover of a good garage sale to enjoy this book.
At its heart, it’s about a touching relationship between elderly experienced collector Ron, who is struggling after losing his wife, and troubled 19-year-old Joseph who harbours guilt after losing his brother, and pines for the love of his grief-stricken, drug-addicted mother.
The plot really hits the accelerator towards the last third, and while it covers heavy topics, the characters are so lovable, and the stakes so high, it’s impossible to put down.
The author has clearly done her research when it comes to bric-à-brac and antiques, but you don’t have to be a lover of a good garage sale to enjoy this book.
At its heart, it’s about a touching relationship between elderly experienced collector Ron, who is struggling after losing his wife, and troubled 19-year-old Joseph who harbours guilt after losing his brother, and pines for the love of his grief-stricken, drug-addicted mother.
The plot really hits the accelerator towards the last third, and while it covers heavy topics, the characters are so lovable, and the stakes so high, it’s impossible to put down.
January 3, 2022
A good read recommended at my book club. I learned lots about the now, seemingly dying practice of garage sailing. The protagonist, Ron is aging and missing his wife as navigator on his hunting. Joseph is a troubled, withdrawn, unemployed youth who has his own worries and responsibilities in life.
Key themes are loneliness and the ageless desire for belonging. What makes it all the more authentic is that Sandi Scaunich's parents were pickers also - all in search of a McCubbin, an iconic Australian artist whose original paintings may just be found in that next deceased estate or downsizing boomer.
Key themes are loneliness and the ageless desire for belonging. What makes it all the more authentic is that Sandi Scaunich's parents were pickers also - all in search of a McCubbin, an iconic Australian artist whose original paintings may just be found in that next deceased estate or downsizing boomer.
February 27, 2021
This book tells a wonderfully vivid and interesting story of two men, one old and one young, who are brought together by circumstance but form a genuine supportive friendship. Set in the early 1990s in Melbourne during the “recession we had to have”, the author authentically realises the world at that time. The main characters of Ron and Joseph feel real. Their lives are not easy and both face great challenges and trauma, but the story still brings warmth and humour. Who knew the world of garage sales and hard rubbish collections could be so interesting?
September 4, 2024
A bitter sweet tale of life in the suburbs which takes you to a world of garage sales, council clean-ups and house repossesions with verve and insight. All manner of characters frequent the events always on the lookout for a something to repair and then sell as antiques or items from the Depression or something to just brighten up their lack lustre homes.
The novel's protagonists are the young man Joseph and the much older man Ron who takes Joseph under his wing with varying degrees of success. Both men are seeking something better for their lives which up until now have been punctuated by misfortune. How the men live and learn together in an unexpected alliance in such an unusual setting makes for a satisfying read.
The novel's protagonists are the young man Joseph and the much older man Ron who takes Joseph under his wing with varying degrees of success. Both men are seeking something better for their lives which up until now have been punctuated by misfortune. How the men live and learn together in an unexpected alliance in such an unusual setting makes for a satisfying read.
April 19, 2021
This is a magnificent book! A unique and brilliantly told story with so many intricacies weaved throughout the book! The heartfelt characters are completely endearing and the way the author develops their individual stories is genius. Chasing the McCubbin captures from the get-go, it continues to gather pace and ends in an absolute crescendo! I was most disappointed to finish the book! Highly recommended.
April 26, 2021
A lovely story, beautifully written.
This was recommended to me by a trusted friend, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s easy to read and thought provoking.
The characters are wonderfully engaging but troubled. And the author cleverly reveals all their foibles - their luggage, (if you like) and all predominantly inside the world of garage sales!
Yep, garage sales! Remember Trading Post and what an essential paper it once was? Gone!
The story however is timeless and poignant.
And a gentle reminder that I better clear out the garage, as there might be something there someone else wants!!
This was recommended to me by a trusted friend, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s easy to read and thought provoking.
The characters are wonderfully engaging but troubled. And the author cleverly reveals all their foibles - their luggage, (if you like) and all predominantly inside the world of garage sales!
Yep, garage sales! Remember Trading Post and what an essential paper it once was? Gone!
The story however is timeless and poignant.
And a gentle reminder that I better clear out the garage, as there might be something there someone else wants!!
May 30, 2021
Poignant story of an elderly antiques dealer and an aimless young man with no apparent talent. The back story to both characters is distressing but the older man is stronger because of it and the younger man has been crushed by it. Brought together by the skill of one and the the strength of the other, they forge an alliance, motivated by 'chasing the mccubbin' - the dream of finding treasure in someone's junk. Excellent.
July 26, 2021
Oh My ! I have just finished reading this story and it an absolute gem. The story of an unusual relationship between an older collector, Ron and an unemployed 19 year old , Joseph , it stirred such emotion in me that at times I almost cried ,sometimes with sad tears and other times with happy tears. The characters' language was spot on , as was the sense of era and place. This is definitely a book to cherish.
Read
March 17, 2021I really enjoyed this book so if you’re looking for a book to read this is the one! This book is 10 out of 10, 5 star, YOU MUST READ IT!!!!!!
You get lost in the words, as if you’re one of the characters. Once u start reading this book you can’t stop.
You get lost in the words, as if you’re one of the characters. Once u start reading this book you can’t stop.
April 28, 2021
This was a such a rich Melbournian world and a delight to read. The suburban back streets of Melbourne and the politics of garage sale pickers spring to life on every page. It's a beautiful cross-generational story that is rarely seen. Highly recommend.
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May 1, 2021Beautiful, heartfelt read. Believable and entirely lovable Australian characters. It made me laugh and cry. What more do you need in a book?
May 2, 2021
Ebook. Young man with mental health issues finds a friend in old Ron. Together they race around the garage sales, Ron teaching the boy about treasures and life. A story of survival.
August 6, 2021
This is a beautiful read, I adore this warm hearted coming of age book.
September 16, 2021
Absolutely awesome, couldn't put it down
August 27, 2025
A very real story.
August 31, 2025
I wanted to like this more than I did. Rob loved it. Authentic characters and place in time, but I found the grotty junk/garage sales too numerous, which became tedious.
March 15, 2021
Quite flat & plain. An interesting enough story line, but I just didn't feel that well connected to either lead character. Simple writing style. And the pacing was a little odd - sometime months went by with no explanation & it didn't feel as though their relationship had developed much. 2.5 stars
December 8, 2021
Not entirely sold on the characters. At times, they were too blurgh with each other, not worrying about things, dragging about others.
Ron would have been quite the character when he was a younger man, and Joseph was off in his own world, trying to piece together what life means, with a mother who has zoned out of life.
Together, they muddled through the recession in that awful time to become friends.
Ron would have been quite the character when he was a younger man, and Joseph was off in his own world, trying to piece together what life means, with a mother who has zoned out of life.
Together, they muddled through the recession in that awful time to become friends.
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