Reviewed by Rod McLary The final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was handed down in December 2017. For many people, it was perhaps the first time that the extent of child sexual abuse in trusted and respected organisations was exposed. The Royal Commission conducted 57 case studies and
Reviewed by Clare Brook Whatever Next? Lessons from an Unexpected Life is a memoir of a privileged life by Anne Glenconner. Born Lady Anne Coke, the eldest daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester in 1932, she grew up at Holkham Hall in Norfolk, England. This is her second memoir, the first published in 2019,
Reviewed by Ian Lipke To write a biography of any person is a major undertaking; to write a biography of such an important figure as George Kennan who led much of the thinking about the Cold War and played a major role in containing the influence of the Soviet Union and its allies after World
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Great Australian Places contains funny, curious and downright astonishing stories from across a big country, so the cover of this book tells me. The cover also depicts travelling in the outback from a time mid last century and has the original Australian lifesaver superimposed on the scene. Inside the book can
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Told in the first person, this book covers the life of a young Korean girl who came to Australia for her education and ended up a singing sensation. Eight pages of photographs divide the book into two sections. The first part highlights her life before she reached the grand final of
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke The Wonder of Little Things is the life story of Ngadjuri Elder, Vince Copley, who in his 85 years helped make life a little better for First Nations people. At the urging of his wife, Brenda, he embarked on this writing with the help of Irish-Australian Lea McInerney who also grew
Reviewed by Norrie Sanders Tim Faulkner is one of those blokes in the green gear who mesmerises kids with his stories about Australian wildlife, while demonstrating how to milk a venomous snake or grab an enraged croc. He channels decades of similar characters – from Harry Butler to Steve Irwin and Ranger Stacey – who
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This 29×26 cm hard covered book with dust jacket is a life in pictures and words from the Banjo Paterson Family Archive. All types of personal memorabilia have been brought together for the first time by Banjo’s great-grandson, and sole executor of the poet’s literary estate, Alistair Campbell, with intimate commentary
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve From the very beginning, the poor yet colourful way of life in nine-year-old Javier’s village in El Salvador paints a vivid picture. Yet he longs to escape to Los Angeles to reunite with his mother and father, whom he hasn’t seen for years, merely spoken on the phone. They had travelled
Reviewed by Ian Lipke The Naturalist tells the story of Allan Riverstone McCulloch, who worked for the Australian Museum across the decades leading to 1925. McCulloch was immensely talented. He was scientifically able, demonstrated artistic talents way above the ordinary, and possessed organisational skills that were a credit to his department. He wore the badge
Reviewed by Claire Brook First time author, Aticia Grey, writes an account of her life on the land, learning how to train Australian Kelpies under the tutelage of Neil McDonald. Aticia and her dog Gossip Girl appeared in the ABC television programme, Muster Dogs, in 2020. Along with four other farming families, Aticia took on
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend Like a sponge, a child soaks up other people’s realities. The blank canvass of life is painted on by another’s brush. (p. 257) The front cover and title, Sex, Drugs and a Buddhist Monk, along with a run-on sub title: A stepping stone towards a silent mind, really does give the
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Bruce Pascoe reminds Frank Byrne’s readers that “this is a very strong story of survival. A tragic reminder of the harshness and unfairness of the mission era but also the toughness and determination of our people”; while Jo Dutton writes that “Frank Byrne was a gentleman in every sense. He spoke softly
Reviewed by Ian Lipke The name Andrea Wulf has the hearts of both publishers and reviewers pumping at increased velocity. She is an author who was born in India, moved to Germany, but now lives in England. She is the author of several highly acclaimed books, the winner of numerous international awards, and most importantly,
Reviewed by Ian Lipke Lucy Worsley has recently produced a biography of the writer, Agatha Christie, in which she shows unequivocally that the world in which her subject was born in 1890 had rules that defined what women could and could not do. Christie’s world, for example, frowned severely on women who had the temerity