“This book is a kind of Australian psalm to life …there’s humour, sensitivity and wisdom here.” Faye Zwicky launching the book
“…evocative without descending to mawkishness … a nice blend of humour, sensitivity and realism….” Shirley Zauer Australian Jewish News
“Tolerance and compassion form the twofold themes… a remarkable impression of Sydney in the years immediately preceding World War II, from the viewpoint of a Jewish boy struggling to find his place in Australian society.” Toowomba Chronicle
“…many memorable characters…a strong novel…” John Hanrahan Times on Sunday
“Collins brings to life a period when our changing society, while sheltering the dispossessed, allowed much ignorance and prejudice to flourish. We are … entertained by a rich cast of characters…” Agnes Nieuwenhuizen The Age
“What has been rare if not totally absent is the ‘reffo’ period seen through the eyes of Australian Jews and to fill this gap comes a delightful and poignant new work, ‘The Boys from Bondi’….One of the fascinations of this work is the picture it draws of the casual Australian bigotry towards Jews or indeed all ‘foreigners’…” Susan Bures Australian Jewish Times
“…Collins has not restricted his reading audience, rather the theme becomes a universal concern and for the word Jewish, the reader could insert the name of any one of a number of nationalities or cultures newly arrived in Australia…a skilful blend of dual cultures: Australian and Judaic…” GEC in Fiction Focus
“We are going to publish a hardcover edition … wonderful book. I’ve read it several times and have been impressed by the novel’s depth, great style, insight, and characterizations….Your novel is very moving…” Rosemary Brosnan, Senior Editor Lodestar Books, New York