The Fat Man
by Maurice Gee
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Description
In 1933, Herbert Muskie returns to his rundown hometown of Loomis, New Zealand, and uses a combination of cunning and psychological threats to take control of the lives of twelve-year-old Colin Potter and his family as part of a plan to get even for the mistreatment he suffered as a schoolboy.Tags
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Member Reviews
Wow, quite freaky as you start to think about the people in your neighbourhood who fit the description of Herbert Muskie - the fat man. This book is about a skinny boy, Colin Potter, and a nasty, bitter fat man (neighbour) called Herbert Muskie. Herbert wants revenge, he hates the townspeople and he makes Colin Potter his target for revenge. Colin begins to live in fear and no one believes him.
When people like Herbert Muskie take up residence in your mind, there's nothing you can do to get them out as Colin finds out. A dramatic encounter down at the creek forges an unhappy alliance between the vindictive man and the fearful child. But who is the fat man and why does he hate the people of Loomis? What guilty secrets are hidden in the show more past and why are Colin's parents such special targets? show less
When people like Herbert Muskie take up residence in your mind, there's nothing you can do to get them out as Colin finds out. A dramatic encounter down at the creek forges an unhappy alliance between the vindictive man and the fearful child. But who is the fat man and why does he hate the people of Loomis? What guilty secrets are hidden in the show more past and why are Colin's parents such special targets? show less
Good plot. Some interesting themes. Y9+
A poor New Zealand boy is terrified of the Fat Man, who disappeared years ago and has come back for his revenge.
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Author Information
45+ Works 2,439 Members
Maurice Gee of New Zealand is a novelist and author of children's books. Gee's first book, The Big Season, was published in 1962. He has since produced nearly two dozens novels and collections of short stories and his work has appeared in such publications as Arena, Mate, Landfall, Islands, and Listener. Gee received the New Zealand Book Award in show more fiction in 1979 for Plumb, in 1982 for Meg, and in 1991 for The Burning Boy. Going West won the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Award in 1993. In 1995 The Fat Man won the AIM Children's Book Award for Junior Fiction, as well as The Esther Glen Award, given for the most distinguished contribution to New Zealand literature for children and young adults. He had previously received The Esther Glen Award in 1983 for Motherstone. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Fat Man
- Original publication date
- 1994
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 78
- Popularity
- 404,882
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.42)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 1
