The Crooked Stick by Rolf Boldrewood

The Crooked Stick is a poignant tale of love, loss, and resilience that follows a soldier turned squatter as he confronts bushrangers, leading to tragedy and a widow's struggle for survival amidst the harsh realities of life in the Australian bush.

By Rolf Boldrewood · First published 1891 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure · 12 chapters · 74,130 words

First lines

The time, the close of a lurid sultry February day, towards the end of a long, dry summer succeeding a rainless winter, in the arid region of West Logan. A blood-red sun sinking all too slowly, yet angrily, into a crimson ocean; suddenly disappearing, as if in despotic defiance of all future rainfall. A fiery portent receding into the inferno of a vast conflagration, was the image chiefly presented to the dwellers in that pastoral desert, long heartsick with hope deferred.

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What this Textopian page supports

The Crooked Stick is listed on Textopian as a novel by Rolf Boldrewood, dated 1891 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Rolf Boldrewood
• Date: 1891 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Drama, Romance
• Length: 74,130 words
• Structure: 12 chapters, 902 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Crooked Stick by Rolf Boldrewood
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Similar titles

• Plain Living by Rolf Boldrewood
• The Squatters Dream by Rolf Boldrewood
• Nevermore by Rolf Boldrewood
• The Castle Inn by Stanley J. Weyman
• Driven Back To Eden by Edward Payson Roe
• Asa Holmes Or At The Cross Roads by Annie Fellows Johnston

Genres

• Literary Fiction — The book explores complex characters and themes, focusing on human experiences and societal issues.
• Historical Fiction — Set in a specific historical context, it reflects the social and cultural dynamics of the time.
• Adventure — The plot involves elements of adventure and exploration, central to the narrative.
• Drama — The story contains dramatic elements, focusing on conflict and emotional depth.

Tags

Australian literature · 19th century · novel · Rolf Boldrewood · bush life · colonialism · adventure · humor · social commentary · character study · landscape · identity

Contents

• CHAPTER I
• CHAPTER II
• CHAPTER III
• CHAPTER IV
• CHAPTER V
• CHAPTER VI
• CHAPTER VII
• CHAPTER VIII
• CHAPTER IX
• CHAPTER X
• CHAPTER XI
• CHAPTER XII

More by Rolf Boldrewood

• Shearing In The Riverina, New South Wales (1864)
• A Sydney-Side Saxon (1888)
• Robbery under Arms (1882)
• In Bad Company (1889)
• Morgan the Bushranger (1885)
• How I Became a Butcher (1892)
• Moonlighting on the Macquarie (1890)
• An Australian Roughriding Contest (1890)
• All works by Rolf Boldrewood