JO: THIS IS MY
BEAUTIFUL LIFE BY JESSICA ROWE (2015)
This is Jessica Rowe’s story. She was a Channel 9 presenter who is married
to Peter Overton. Jo said she was a beautiful girl. Jo said that you wouldn’t realise she had so
much sadness. The stories are
lovely. Jo enjoyed it. She said it was a
well written beautiful story.
KERRY: TITANIC,
STORY OF EVELYN BY LISA WILKINSON
There were six Australian on board the Titanic and only one survived,
Evelyn. Lisa got the original documents
and did the research on Evelyn. Her
story would fit onto a pamphlet. She was
a stewardess, not a passenger. She was
born in 1883. She learnt to ride and to
row. She loved the physical life. She rowed against the tide on the Murray
River. She studied nursing and was also
employed as a companion to a lady doing a trip on a ship. In London she started her career and married
a doctor. They travelled the world on a ship watching the Titanic being
built. She gets accepted as a
stewardess/nurse on the Titanic. The themes of the book are rowing against the
tide and women’s roles. There were suffragettes on board. The story highlights
class differences, heroism and sacrifice, survival and its aftermath. Kerry
enjoyed it as she has always been interested in the story of the Titanic.
VAL: BLOWING MY OWN
TRUMPET. THE ADVENTURES OF A VIRTUOSO MUSICIAN BY JAMES MORRISON
Val had seen him at a twilight concert at Taronga Zoo. She was very impressed. He was in a school band at primary school
playing the cornet. They were astounded
by his playing. There are many amusing
stories. He played with Ray Charles and
Quincy Jones and he travelled extensively.
He married Judy Green, a former Miss Australia and actress. They had
three boys. He is a pilot, a sailor and
a triathlete. It’s “tongue in cheek” all
the way through. Val said he is a very good storyteller. He has a wonderful attitude to life and Val
enjoyed reading the book.
DIMITY: THE HAPPIEST
REFUGEE BY ANH DO
She decided to read the book as she had been to see his show. She liked
the book. Some parts are sad and some
are funny and he always has a bit of a cliffhanger. It filled in a few gaps for Dimity about what
was going on in the 70’s and the trip over on a boat from Vietnam to a new
life. The family were saved by a cargo ship. The rest of the story is about
growing up in Australia in the 70’s and 80’s.
She said it was an inspiring book.
MARGARET: AIN’T
NOBODY’S FOOL, LIFE AND TIMES OF DOLLY
PARTON BY MARTHA ACKMANN
The title comes from a song she sang (but did not write) This Dumb Blonde
Ain’t Nobody’s Fool.
She had an impoverished childhood in Tennessee growing up in a large
family. There was a lot of fun amongst
the hardship and she was the first to graduate from high school. She was very
ambitious to be a singer/songwriter from a very young age so when she met her
long-time husband, Carl, they agreed she would pursue her career. Record companies turned her down, so she did
duets and harmonies on television for 7 years.
After financial ups and downs, she became quite astute and built a
fortune. When Colonel Parker wanted her song “I will always love you” for Elvis
Presley, she held on to the rights of it and other songs she wrote. She was also a philanthropist, giving to many
worthy causes. It’s not brilliantly
written and a bit heavy, but her life was very interesting.
JUDY A: GHOST
STORIES: A MEMOIR BY SIRI HUSTVEDT
This is quite a moving memoir about Siri Hustvedt’s 43 year long
relationship with her husband, the writer, poet and filmmaker, Paul Auster, who
died in April 2024 from non small cell lung cancer.
This book is a patchwork of memories interspersed with emails to friends
from the time of diagnosis, letting them know of his progress, as well as other
letters, poems and seven letters Auster penned to his grandson Miles, born on
New Years Day, 2024, 4 months before Paul died.
There are also musings about the current state of the U.S. Siri Hustvedt is a well known novelist in her
own right. She is quite an intellectual
writer, but Judy did like this book. She liked reading about their relationship
which is steeped in the world of books and other writers. These sorts of books always make me ponder
and appreciate my own marriage.
BEV: WOMAN IN THE
MISTS BY FARLEY MOWAT
This story traces Dian Fossey’s journey from an American hospital worker
to a solitary figure in the Rwanda’s misty Virunga mountains, where she built
trust with elusive gorillas. They
accepted her and put their arms around her.
She made a lot of enemies, including the police. There were a lot of poachers in the area. She
was very protective of the gorillas in the nineteen years she was there. It was very cold in the mountains and there
was a lack of food. Bev said it was very interesting but dragged on a bit.
DEBRA read Angela Merkel’s
biography. She enjoyed it. She said Angela Merkel was very intelligent
and resilient, a very interesting woman.
She would recommend this book.
ED: DANCING IN SMALL
PLACES BY LESLIE A. DAVIDSON
Leslie and her partner Lincoln were great adventurous travellers, spending
more than two years travelling the world, hiking, kayaking and canoeing. Eventually they returned to Canada, got
married and bought a house. She was a
teacher; he was a librarian. They had
two daughters and four grandchildren. Even after Lincoln retired, he was still
adventurous. He then develops night
terrors, which over the next few years descends into Lewy Body Dementia. He has bouts of paranoia. Eventually he is
placed in care. Leslie is also diagnosed with dementia and has her own
struggles. It is a lovely heartwarming
story and sometimes funny.
JUDY J: I AM MALALA:
THE STORY OF THE GIRL WHO STOOD UP FOR EDUCATION AND WAS SHOT BY THE TALIBAN BY
MALALA YOUSAFZAI, CHRISTINA LAMB (PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR)
For nearly 75% of the book, it covers the history of Pakistan from its
beginnings in 1947. What a sad and
unsettled story it is. Prime Ministers were murdered, there were uprisings in
the army, waring between the political parties and religions. With Afghanistan
on their border they were involved in anything that happened there – the
takeover by the Russians, the rise of the Taliban and then American occupation.
Malala was born close to the border in in they idyllic Swat Valley. She was born in 1997. Her father was a schoolteacher and insisted
she was educated the same as the boys. Malala joined his campaign in fighting
for the rights of girls to have equal opportunities. She had regular interviews on the BBC and
published a diary, under a pseudonym, about life under the Taliban. In 2012 she
was shot by the Taliban. She was 15
years old. She was lucky to survive.
In 2013 the Malala Fund was co-founded with her father to champion safe,
quality education for girls worldwide and in 2014 Malala, at the age of 17, was
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A very interesting book.
KRIS: MEMORIAL DAYS
BY GERALDINE BROOKS A MEMOIR
This was published in 2025. After
the sudden death of her 60 year old husband, Tony Horwitz in Washington DC on
Memorial Day, 2019, Geraldine has no time to properly grieve. There was so much to organize. Their two sons were away, one in boarding
school. The memoir alternates between
the time just after his death in their home of Martha’s Vineyard and Washington
DC and the time three years later, on Flinders Island, Australia where she
retreated to mourn, reflect and work through her grief. Flinders Island was a place she loved, and it
was isolated enough to reflect on their life. It’s a beautiful and heartfelt
tribute to her husband and the story of their deep love for each other and
their sons. I enjoyed the read as she is
a wonderful writer.
LYN: DETENTION BY RALPH JACKMAN (2026)
When Ralph Jackman swapped his career as a sports reporter for life as a
teacher, he expected yard duty and parent teacher nights. Instead, he found himself behind the razor
wire of Melbourne’s Parkville Youth Detention Centre, teaching literacy and
numeracy to some of the nation’s most vulnerable and damaged boys. Lt is a
compelling memoir by a real insider of how Australia is failing some of its
most vulnerable kids by locking them up. Lyn said it wasn’t an enjoyable or
easy to read. It brought up so many
emotions, confronting and sad, but worth reading as she learnt a lot.
JUDY DE: ONE LIFE,
MY MOTHER’S STORY BY KATE GRENVILLE
This is the story of Kate’s mother Nance Russell. Her mother left behind
fragments of a memoir. These were the
starting point for One Life, the story of a woman born in 1912, whose life
spanned a century of tumult and change.
She was exceptional. She trained as a pharmacist and had two successful
businesses while looking after a family and raising children. Judy enjoyed the
story.
HELEN: MOTHER MARY
COMES TO ME BY ARUNDHATI ROY
This book was published in 2025. This memoir examines her complicated
relationship with her mother, Mary Roy who was a trailblazer in education and
fighting for women’s rights, but as a mother, she could be cruel and
violent. She died in 2022. Arundhati is
a highly acclaimed fiction writer, essayist and political activist. Helen said
it was a fascinating read, full of information. It gave a good history of India. Helen enjoyed
the book. It was shortlisted for Women’s Prize for non-fiction.
ROSEMARY: NED KELLY
BY IAN JONES
Rosemary is a Ned Kelly fan and loves colonial history, although this book
is not a light read. It’s an academic
tome. It is a thought provoking look at the underclass of Australia. The Irish and the Catholic convicts were
transported to Australia for very minor offences. Ned Kelly had hard labour at
age 14. There was police corruption and
all of them had a difficult life. Rosemary absolutely loved it.
JOAN: WOMEN AND THE
PIANO BY SUSAN TOMES
This book was published in 2025, written by the Scottish author and
celebrated pianist, Susan Tomes. She has
written eight books. In this book she
traces the piano’s history via potted biographies of fifty extraordinary women
pianists in their times. It is a timely
celebration of women’s music – well researched and written.
PAT: STRANGERS: A
MEMOIR OF A MARRIAGE BY BEL BURDEN 2026
“Great love story – speed of
beginning and speed of ending. He wanted
me and then he didn’t”
During COVID at their holiday place in Martha’s Vineyard Burden finds out
her husband is having an affair. Her
husband admits to it and walks out on their 20 year marriage and their
children. She didn’t have a chance to know why. She got sympathy from female
friends but not male friends. Pat didn’t enjoy it.
TERESA: DEAR FATTY
BY DAWN FRENCH
It is a funny and touching memoir written as a series of letters to all
her friends and family. Dear Fatty refers to her longtime best friend and
comedy partner, Jennifer Saunders. The
stories are very descriptive. Although a little crazy, it is very enjoyable.
She had a wonderful childhood, but her father committed suicide when Dawn was
19. She was devoted to her mum. There
are moments of humour and sadness.
Kris
OCTOBER IS CLASSIC CORNER
