Nino Culotta (1907–1981)

Sequel to "they're a weird mob"

Totally enjoyed this Australian Classic! At times it was a little dated but it took nothing away from the sheer joy of the story. Nino isn’t perfect but he makes the perfect New Australian.

Very entertaining, highly readable and extremely pleasant to read. I needed exactly this heading into a cold, dark winter - lots of laughs, a classic fish out of water story. Beautifully written and makes me want to visit Australia, or at least talk to Ross on the cricket team about his home country.

I enjoyed this light-hearted glimpse of the culture of working-class 1950's Australia. The characters are caricatures rather than stereotypes, especially the Italian narrator, so don't expect realism. Instead, prepare for something short, easy to read, and funny.

Surprisingly, there are a few moments of depth addressing racism and anti-immigrant bigotry interwoven with the book's humor, and they're appropriately tasteful.