Mr Wigg

I really enjoyed this lovely debut novel Mr Wigg by Inga Simpson.  It is set in a regional area of Australia in 1971.  Mr Wigg, aged in his 80s, has been widowed a year earlier.  He's still coping with his chores but with some difficulty.  His house is on a small acreage as the bulk of his property was sold off with his son and daughter dividing the proceeds.  His son would have preferred to work the family property but his daughter didn't think that was fair.  Mr Wigg's two grandchildren, his son's children, spend a lot of time with him and their interaction is delightful.  He looks after his orchard and uses his produce for cooking and preserving.  His new neighbour who bought the property is putting in grape vines for wine production.  We are reminded of the Vietnam war when his neighbour's son's number comes up.  I look forward to reading more from this talented young writer. 41/2/5