Warning: This post contains references to Aboriginal people who are now deceased. The books and links referred to in this post may also contain references and images of deceased Aboriginal people. Each July, book blogger Lisa Hill encourages bloggers to review books written by indigenous authors from around the world. She chooses 'Indigenous Literature Week' to coincide with … [Read more...] about A Lesson in Life: Book Review of Auntie Rita
Aboriginal
Second-Hand Bookshopping in Brisbane
Hubble and I enjoy rummaging through second-hand bookshops. They are treasure troves. I buy some new books, but I am building up my Australian history collection by finding out of print, sometimes obscure gems in second-hand bookshops. Often these books are hard to find in a library near me - particularly if they solely relate to a state other than the state in which I live. I … [Read more...] about Second-Hand Bookshopping in Brisbane
National Reconciliation Week Review: Pictures from my memory
It is Reconciliation Week this week. An important aspect of the act of reconciliation in Australia is non-indigenous Australians listening, pondering and accepting the experiences of the first Australians. There are many ways we can participate. I chose to read the recently published memoir of a woman from the centre of Australia - Lizzie Marrkilyi Ellis. Lizzie Marrkilyi … [Read more...] about National Reconciliation Week Review: Pictures from my memory
Anzac Day: Reflecting on Australia’s Diverse Experiences of War
I have written several posts over the years about the origins of Anzac Day from the Anzac Day celebration in South Australia in 1915 and the solemn commemoration in Brisbane on 25th April 1916 marking the first day that the Australian and New Zealand troops, together with large numbers of troops from other countries in the Allied forces attacked the Ottomans on the beaches of … [Read more...] about Anzac Day: Reflecting on Australia’s Diverse Experiences of War
Review: Finding Eliza by Larissa Behrendt
Larissa Behrendt has written a nuanced and engrossing book about colonial attitudes as they operated through a particular Australian colonial ‘captivity tale’. Using the story told by Eliza Fraser who was helped by the Aboriginal people of Fraser Island after surviving a ship wreck in 1836, Behrendt turns the colonial gaze back on itself to examine the motives, the fears and … [Read more...] about Review: Finding Eliza by Larissa Behrendt