Taranaki has experienced a goodly share of characters since its early days of settlement, but few have matched the extraordinary Felix Tanner's colourful nature, determination, exuberance and unbridled self-confidence. Margaret de Jardine began researching this subject in the 1970s and with typical thoroughness presents a striking portrait of a person who attracted attention wherever he went throughout New Zealand and Australia, where he was born. Was he just a madcap inventor, a "Blondin from Down Under", master of fasting, balloonist, mariner or diver? You must judge for yourself.