{"id":92435,"date":"2019-04-17T13:43:27","date_gmt":"2019-04-17T02:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/?p=92435"},"modified":"2019-05-17T15:23:37","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T04:23:37","slug":"peter-fitzsimons-the-catalpa-rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/2019\/04\/17\/peter-fitzsimons-the-catalpa-rescue\/","title":{"rendered":"LISTEN: Peter FitzSimons on The Catalpa Rescue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As one of Australia\u2019s most prominent and popular storytellers, Peter FitzSimons is in the business of captivating readers with incredible true stories. His books are history as good old-fashioned storytelling, putting life and soul into tales of human triumph in the face of adversity, and his latest book, The Catalpa Rescue<\/a><\/em>, is no different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It tells the fascinating story of the rescue of 6 Irish political prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Western Australia in 1874. Enraged by their unjust imprisonment, members of the Clan-na-Gael (agitators for Irish freedom) led by exiled Irishman John Devoy hatched a daring escape plan for these men from half a world away in New York City. It\u2019s an underdog tale of Irish victory that is so fantastic it can scarcely be believed – and most Australians don\u2019t even know that it happened! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peter<\/a>
Peter FitzSimons hard at work signing copies of The Catalpa Rescue<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

According to Peter, this is a story that \u201chas Hollywood written all over it,\u201d and it’s certainly cinematic in scope. It\u2019s a thrilling and triumphant adventure but also an incredibly moving love story, one that Peter is determined to bring to Aussie readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was weeping when I put it together and worked out what happened in the end.\u201d Peter says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s crystal clear to his readers that Peter FitzSimons has an undeniable love of the richness and diversity of Australian history. It\u2019s tragic, inspirational, romantic, and exotic all at once, and more and more Australians are coming to know and appreciate it thanks to Peter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were lucky enough to have him come to Booktopia\u2019s head office yesterday to sign hundreds of copies of The Catalpa Rescue<\/em>, before sitting down with us to have a good long chat about the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to our podcast below to hear all about how Peter delved into his own Irish family history for this book, how Western Australia has all of the best-kept historical secrets, and also to hear a few hints about his next project\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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