The Brennen Siding Trilogy

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The Brennen Siding Trilogy

The complete Brennen Siding Trilogy is now available in a single volume. Brennen Siding, a hamlet on a small tributary of the famous Miramichi River, is home to an unforgettable crew — Dryfly and Palidin Ramsey and Dry’s friend Shadrack Nash; Shirley Ramsey, Dry and Pal’s homely, destitute mother, and Nutbeam, the floppy-eared hermit she marries; the American sports who come to the Cabbage Island Salmon Club to fish; and the “lads” who guide them.

Dry, Shad and Pal, young teenagers in The Americans Are Coming, make some headway into maturity in The Last Tasmanian. By the end of The Lone Angler, when Palidin realizes what will happen to his beloved Atlantic salmon if he sells his secret of catching a fish on every cast, all three have launched themselves into adulthood. The boys’ adventures gently lead the reader to reflect on the nature of humans and the place of humans in nature. Running through it all is the magical, mysterious river and the legendary Atlantic salmon.

The Last Tasmanian won the 1992 Thomas Raddall Award and was a finalist for a Commonwealth Book Prize. The Americans Are Coming is a successful stage play.

AUTHOR

Herb Curtis

David Richards has written two historical novels for young adults, Soldier Boys (Thistledown Press, 1993) and Lady at Batoche (Thistledown Press, 1999) and The Plough’s Share, a historical novel set in late nineteenth century England and detailing Canada’s Barr Colonist experience. David Richards lives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Reviews

Brennen Siding, a hamlet near the famous Miramichi River, is home to an unforgettable crew — Dryfly and Palidin Ramsey and Dry’s friend Shadrack Nash; Shirley Ramsey, Dry and Pal’s homely, destitute mother; Nutbeam, the floppy-eared hermit she marries; the American sports visiting the Cabbage Island Salmon Club; and the “lads” who guide them.

Dry, Shad, and Pal, young teenagers in The Americans Are Coming, make some headway into maturity in The Last Tasmanian. By the end of The Lone Angler, Palidin realizes what will happen to his beloved Atlantic salmon if he sells his secret of catching a fish on every cast, and all three boys have launched themselves into adulthood. Running through the trilogy are the magical river, the legendary salmon, and the feelings they evoke about the nature of humans and the place of humans in nature.