Personally I've never read any book more than once, we agree Graeme, except for a service manual.
Jerry, the Robert G Barrett / Les Norton books are a good laugh and make reference to a lot of Sydney's past " Underbelly " type charactors.
Mr Barrett is a fellow member along with my brother of Tamarama surf club in Syd's eastern suburbs, quite a charactor himself.
He's a similar vintage to Firko, I'd be very surprised if they haven't crossed path's at some stage, even on the footy field, but maybe not, RGB is a leaguie and MF is an elbow patcher.