Harry Dwight and the Quest for Mayoralty

About the Book

This tells the story of Harry Dwight, resident of a fictional town named Rollingdale, set somewhere in the Australian countryside, but close to a large city. Harry makes his living by selling water in a time of extended drought, helped by his close friend, Leo the Lump. One of his customers is Mayor Zwoke, prominent local politician and owner of a pie factory. He requires a regular supply of water, but when it is revealed that he is cheating Harry, Harry takes steps to disrupt the mayor’s garden party by hiring a bunch of porcupines to undercut the lawn where the party is held. The resulting disaster is a huge embarrassment for the mayor who is in quest for higher office. When he finds out that Dwight caused the mess, he instigates a virtual feud between the two. As the feud develops Harry decides to run for council in order to combat the mayor politically. Much of the book then details the manoeuvrings of the various sides, the campaigns they run and how the mayor humiliates Harry, only finally to be defeated when Harry wins a seat on council. I am not sure where it could be placed generically. It is certainly not a political thriller. Rather, it depicts slapstick comedy within the development of a series of political themes.

About the Author

Greg Bailey is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Program in Asian Studies, La Trobe University, Melbourne. He has published translations and studies of the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Bhartṛhari’s Śatakatraya and books on the god Brahmā, early Buddhism, contemporary Australia, and many articles on Sanskrit literature. At present he is working on the relationship between early Buddhism and the Mahābhārata.