The Stove and the stage is the tale of Danny Mulligan who arrives in Constant Bay, Charleston in the early 1870s.  But Danny doesn’t arrive for the gold; Danny is an entertainer, and seemingly escaping a shady past in Ireland.  He is the narrator of the story and writes in a rollicking style and at pace.  His story includes the Fenian Riot at Addison’s Flat, the arduous life of the miners and those establishing towns to support them, the difficulties of travelling around the area at the time (he moves to Reefton where much of the story is set), and the extremes of weather and natural disasters.  It is not sophisticated writing – but Danny isn’t a sophisticated bloke, and is well drawn enough that I knew I wouldn’t like to have him around to dinner!  The book is full of characters, incidents and is rich in detail, it even has a bit of romance.  A light read with a lot of heart.