Dustjacket synopsis:
"C.J. Dennis (1876-1938) was a born writer and a natural humorist. He loved words - the sound of them and the power of the emotions they could evoke.

"Although he defended the purity of the English language - from pomposity on one side and debasement on the other - he stretched it to great lengths in his writing. His classic works, including The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, The Moods of Ginger Mick and Doreen, saw his masterly use of the larrikin argot of the streets in the Melbourne of the 1900's.

"His newspaper characters, like Ben Bowyang, Bobby J., Jas. James and Miss Mix also had peculiarities of language, which not only placed them in Dennis' great spectrum of Australian types, but gave him immense word-twisting fun.

"His newspaper people have, unfairly, languished in shadows, but they were well known to readers of The Herald, Melbourne, as 'Den' daily produced an outpouring of prose, poetry, comment and comic skits.

"The range and consistent quality of his work - especially considering his physical frailty and the odd human weakness - is amazing. Garrie Hutchinson has selected from the mass of his 'forgotten' material, so that we can enjoy anew the work of the prince of Australian writers.

"His involvement with people, his interest in popular pastimes and the foibles of men and women, his sympathy with the battler and, most of all, his love of nature and the bush, remain crystal clear."

Contents:

INTRODUCTION:
A Prince of Australian Writers by Garrie Hutchinson

FROM THE BUSH
Flavour of Tadpoles
Bowyang is Candid
The Cool Change
Song of the Songless Shearer
Two Men
The Brotherhood of Earth
Floodbound
Bowyang's Bridge
Mount Tanglefoot
Respite
The Economics of Applecrop
The Last Sundowner
Tall Timber
A Bush Christmas

THE SPORTING LIFE
Ben Bowyang Engaged for the Test
Bowyang's Selection
Bowyang's Test
Ben at the Test
Ben Finds Excuses
Ben Reveals Secret Mission
Ben's Defence
Put On Ben Bowyang
Ben Finds It Dull
Ben Says Goodbye
Bowyang at Home
The Game
The Barracker
The Comment Ironic
Definitions
A Post Cup Tale
How We Backed The Favourite
Galloping Horses
The Nark
My Racing Problems(1)
My Racing Problems(2)
Ben at Flemington
Bowyang's Philosophy
Strictly Business
Ben at the Big Fight
Ben Bowyang on 'Rastlin
Snookered

JUST MISS MIX
Tittle Tattle
Polly Dibbs
Doogan
Pitcher Show
Cr. Kidd
Billy Dibbs

IN TOWN
Easy Street
Creative Urge
The Modest Australian
Lines Written in Depression Near Fawkner Park
The Surrender
Bottle-O-Benny
Snapshots
Walking in the Rain
The Fairy Policeman
Concerning Sweepers
Lay of Olden Layers
Flapper Fantasia
The Two Bees
Prejudice
The Gnu
Heredity
The Thief
Corroboration
Dooley

DITTIES OF DEBUNK
The Operation
Mrs Dozenbury
Feed The Brute
Diplomacy

CULCHER AND LINGO
A Free Verse Review
Lingo
Bowyang's Grand Opera
An Invitation to Song
My Scenario
Culture on the Farm
Nuthinoo
Ballade of Captious Critics
Autumn Obsequies
Two Gentlemen of Footscray
Sling It

ANZAC
Armistice
A Message
A Song of Anzac

BLOKES
'Erb
Fred
Gus
Bert

IN THE GARDEN
Beggars of the Bush
Reverie in a Garden
Dahlias
Warmbats
Birdland on the Dole
Grey Thrush at the Door
The Amende Honorable
Rhodoodendrons
Spring Poem

OLD TOWN TYPES
The Old Town
Red Matt
La Di Dah Lane
Sergeant McGillicuddy
Mrs Felix Donnett
Mr Blades the Butcher
Mr Bodge the Banker

BOBBY J. AND MR SHAKESPEARE
Romio and Julia
Dotty Mr Hamlet
Bobby J. on Macbeth
Bobby J's Modern Othello

EPISTLES TO AB
The Farm and Fortunatas
Some Pills for the Prodigal
Concerning Dress Suits
Great Decisions

From the Child & Associates hardback edition, 1989.