The Chook Book
The Chronicles of Reginald. The Greatest Cock to Ever Live.
By J.C Kimberley
At the heart of his kingdom stands Reginald, the Greatest Cock to Ever Live. A glorified alarm clock, a mad over-pecker of lower-ranked chooks. Resplendent with a crown-comb, an inflated ego, a talent for humiliation, and a bloodstained stump he calls his throne.
Pre-order now, expected to ship early September, 2026.
Expected to ship September 2026
"Darkly funny, viciously sharp, and uncomfortably familiar, this is the modern-day fable for our time: a story about power, rebellion, and the dangerous moment when a whole system breaks down."
On a sunburnt Australian farm, deep in the outback, a ruthless pecking order dominates the chook shed.
At the heart of his kingdom stands Reginald, the Greatest Cock to Ever Live. A glorified alarm clock, a mad over-pecker of lower-ranked chooks. Resplendent with a crown-comb, an inflated ego, a talent for humiliation, and a bloodstained stump he calls his throne.
Surrounding Reginald are his flock of sycophants, dreamers, schemers, philosophers, and poor bastards searching for scraps, dignity, and hope.
Who is Jason Kimberley?
Jason Kimberley is a self-taught, instinct-driven author whose work explores power, personality, and the quiet absurdities of life. Guided by a simple philosophy — resist the obvious, trust the detail, and let characters lead — his writing blends dry humour with emotional restraint, inviting readers to slow down, look again, and recognise themselves in the unexpected.
He is the author of Australia Exposed (2003), praised for its observational voice and its ability to capture the character of a country without sentimentality, and Antarctica: A Different Adventure (2005), a firsthand account of a sixteen-day expedition at 80 degrees south that combines endurance, reflection, and sharp-eyed storytelling. Together, these works established Kimberley as a writer interested not in spectacle, but in people, their resilience, contradictions, and capacity for humour under pressure.
Drawing on decades of observation, often in remote, uncomfortable, and overlooked places, Kimberley writes with a laconic clarity that favours people over grand statements. Whether documenting explorers at the edge of the world or the small dramas of everyday life, his stories find meaning in the quiet moments where humour and humanity intersect.
Join the expedition and get unfiltered stories from the uncomfortable, overlooked, and utterly remarkable corners of the world.