Butchers Parade — David Morisset

Set in the third quarter of the twentieth century, 'Butchers Parade' features the Australian location of Redgate - a meatworks town on the semi-rural western fringe of Sydney. The story is dominated by the hulking figure of Horrie, a young meatworker, who spends his spare time at the Railway Hotel and plays in the front row of local rugby league teams. Horrie loves Redgate and its people but he is conscripted by the army and sent to fight in Vietnam. On his return to Redgate, Horrie is a troubled man, haunted by distorted recollections of brutal battles and caught up in a romance that seems hopeless. David Morisset is an Australian writer, who has published novels, poetry and short stories. His poem, 'Persian Princess', was commended in the John Shaw Neilson Poetry Award (Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards 2009). He is a former diplomat and economist.