Description
Author: Joan Priest, Hardbound, 256 Pages, ISBN: 9780908175246, First Edition, 1981 **SIGNED BY THREE THIESS BROTHERS** Second-Hand book in excellent unread condition !
The pioneering spirit and energies of Les Thiess and his brothers, Darling Downs farm boys in the 1920s, spurred a whole team of men from all walks of life a decade later and permeated the great construction and coal mining company which they founded.
'Mechanical geniuses', 'Australian mavericks', they have been variously named. One thing is certain — the brothers shared an enormous zest and capacity for work and for living. Led by the enterprising, forward looking Les, tramping over red tape, they took up the challenge of getting industry moving again in the post-war years and later played an important role on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Les built up a rapport with the Japanese and a two-way trade in the coal and motor industries. Now Sir Leslie, he is regarded by them as a father figure.
Engineers round Australia say, 'You haven't lived if you haven't worked for Thiess — and most of us have'.
This is a grassroots story of Australian development, inspiring, contentious, of men who wouldn't take no for an answer, in a young nation on the move.
