Aged 16, Ian Parkes left the city for a stint as a jackaroo on a merino stud. A lifetime later, as accomplished with a pen as a stockwhip, he writes fondly of the love for the outback that found him as a young man, and never left.
Visit Boffins next Friday from 12:30pm to have your copy of A Youth Not Wasted signed by Ian. Plus: identify Ian's mystery item and win a $50 Boffins voucher - see below for more details!
About Ian Parkes and A Youth Not Wasted
"People who truly live in the outback listen to it. What they hear, I do not know ... What the country says is beyond words.” In the early 1950s, Australia was riding on the sheep′s back and no-one doubted the wisdom of making a life in the wool industry, certainly not sixteen-year-old Ian Parkes. Having grown up with his grandfather′s stories about the bush, he was eager to earn his way on sheep stations in the Australian outback. But he had no idea that the country would creep inside him and take root.
Tough yet tender, funny one moment, poignant the next, A Youth Not Wasted is the story of a life lived on the land and for the land. It was a time when a young lad starting out might work side-by-side with Aboriginal stockmen, when a big social event was a day at the races, followed by a game of two-up. And a time when a young man might discover a love of books, camped out under the stars.
Identify the mystery object and win a $50 voucher Even if you can't make it to the signing, be sure to take a look at our window display if you're in the Perth CBD. Ian has been kind enough to loan us some authentic pieces of 1950s Australian outback history, which will be on display in the window all of next week. 
One item in particular is sure to pique your interest. Pictured above, it's about 120cm long, and made of wood...can you identify it? If you know what it is, send an email to info@boffinsbookshop.com.au or drop a form in the box on the ground floor of our store. The first correct entry drawn will win a $50 Boffins book voucher.
