Holden's Performance: A NovelHolden's Performance by award-winning author Murray Bail is the story of Holden Shadbolt, a guileless and matter-of-fact innocent as he passes through the cities and landscape of Australia. His reassuring silent presence and photographic memory make him useful to men of power and women who appear to need his protection. He is surrounded by larger than life figures whose exploits and adventures Holden follows—ex-Corporal Frank 'Bloodnut' McBee, the scrap dealer who woos his mother; his uncle Vern, a shortsighted proofreader who likes facts and eating newspaper with is breakfast cereal; and the crippled artist Harriet, whose twists and curves appeal to Holden as he holds to his own unswervingly straight lines. |
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Adelaide afternoon Alex Screech angle appeared Australia Avro Ansons became began blinking Canberra Colonel colour crowd cul-de-sac dark door driver Drosometers elbow Epic Theatre eyes face figure fingers Flies flight sergeant footpath forward Frank McBee front glanced glass going hair hand happened Harriet head Hoadley's Holden images Karen khaki Kilmartin knew laugh leaning legs light lines listened looked loudspeaker Magill Road Manly Minister Miss morning mother motorbike mouth moving never newsreels night nodded nose noticed pale photographic memory Polaroid Queensland recognised screen seat seemed seen Shad Shadbolt felt Shadbolt saw shadows shirt shoulder Sid Hoadley side smiling spoke standing stared stood stopped streets suddenly Sydney talking teeth tell There's thing throat Tobruk took tram trousers turned uncle usherette Vern Vern's voice wanted watched waving what's Wheelright William Light Wolseley woman words