The Curse of the Radiant Opal, by Anskar Thorston Minnesotan, Anskar Thorston, just out of college in 1965, took a year off to visit Australia before settling down as a high school music teacher. Starting with little money he hitchhiked to San Francisco and worked for passage on a German freighter, scrubbing latrines and peeling potatoes. Then, after working on a dam project in the Snowy Mountains, he had enough money to travel. Passing through the small mining town of Wallangulla in the Outback, where black opals are found, he "noodled," (poked around in the tailings) looking for nobbies the old miners had missed and had the good (or bad) luck to find one small stone. Then another. He was hooked and became obsessed with digging for black opals, the rarest, most beautiful, most precious gemstone in the world. So rare that most people have never heard of them, let alone seen one. His mania grew and he became impassioned with the pursuit of the rarest stone of all, the Radiant opal, also known as the "fatal stone." It is said that to hold one in your hand is to touch the stars. Here, amidst numerous insects and the most poisonous snakes in the world, he noodled and dug, sleeping on the ground and eating three day stew. Add to this the heat of 130F and the danger of getting the "wallies," the crazies which affected many miners who had lived isolated under difficult conditions for too long, and you will get some idea of life in the Outback and meet interesting characters, like: Two Bob Bobby, who would rather starve than part with his Radiant opal. Niggly Neville whose sense of justice goes far beyond the law. The bush nurse who encounters and treats a wider variety of medical problems than most doctors. The Professor who, after a few drinks, lectures all and sundry. Helga, the lady tourist from the Swedish embassy, who is in search of a wounded Viking, Bruno, the stupid, worthless, good for nothing mutt who becomes Anskar's mate. Dynamite Dan, the Mad Pom, the Scots, the Bingo Brothers and many more, all individuals pursuing their fortune, or demise, alone, struggling in a difficult environment that can bring fortune or death. Come with Anskar as his obsessive passion takes him from the heights of ecstasy to the gates of madness. http: //www.thorstonbooks.com