The Ballad of Desmond Kale

The Ballad of Desmond Kale

First edition
Author	Roger McDonald
Language	English
Genre	Novel
Publisher	Vintage, Australia
Publication date	2005
Publication place	Australia
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	638
ISBN	1-74166-114-5
OCLC	225200464
Preceded by	Mr Darwin's Shooter
Followed by	When Colts Ran

The Ballad of Desmond Kale is a Miles Franklin Award-winning novel by Australian author Roger McDonald.^[1]

Dedication

For Lorna McDonald
with love and thanks
for gifts of conversation, friendship, and example
over a lifetime

Synopsis

Desmond Kale escapes from his detention at Botany Bay and heads into the bush to look after a flock of Merino sheep. Meanwhile the wardens at the prison seek his re-arrest.

Critical reception

Luise Toma on "MC Reviews" noted:

McDonald tells his epic with opulence and a humour so understated you may find yourself laughing pages after you have read a joke because a regular brain is unable to process the author's quick wit at appropriate speed. Capturing the lingo of the times and circumstances, in a way that makes me wonder whether the man might have a time machine stowed away in his estate's stable, McDonald evokes a rich cast of foul-mouthed convicts and stiff officials, bumbling beaurocrats [sic] and long-suffering mothers, missionaries, indigenous folk, idiots and bush-philosophers. All of them come to life so easily and in such a convincing manner, the novel reads almost like a giant story board for something of the likes of Nick Cave's The Proposition.^[2]

Awards

• Miles Franklin Award, winner 2006^[3]
• International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, longlisted 2007^[3]
• Festival Awards for Literature (SA) Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature — Award for Fiction, winner 2008^[3]

See also

• 2005 in Australian literature

References

1. "Austlit - The Ballad of Desmond Kale by Roger McDonald". Austlit. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
2. "Literature: The Ballad of Desmond Kale by Roger McDonald". MC Reviews. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
3. "Austlit - The Ballad of Desmond Kale - Awards". Austlit. Retrieved 20 July 2023.