I was first introduced to Tim Winton this year by a book seller in Australia. He said it would be just what I was looking for; I certainly was not disappointed. Winton writes with such an eloquence that I was hard pressed to leave the book alone.Set mainly in Perth, WA it follows the story of two families brought together by chance bundled into either side of a big rambling house in Cloud Street.Beginning with where and why they came from, it tells of how they endeavoured to cope with their 'lot'. Filled with pain, hope, love, remorse, sadness, happiness and much more, it is a fabulous read for both men and women. He is truly a great story-teller - in fact, the best I have come across for a number of years.I would recommend this book exceedingly highly.