Diving into Glass by Caro Llewellyn

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir | Reading Level: 3

Caro Llewellyn's family was unconventional from the beginning. Her parents met in hospital, where her father, confined to an iron lung after contracting polio, seduced his nurse and married her. Growing up, Caro watched her father embrace life, undaunted and ingenious in the face of his severe paralysi s. From him, she learned courage; from her writer mother independence. She fell in love with literature and writers; when she was asked by Salman Rushdie to direct a festival in New York, she felt she'd been offered the life of her dreams. Until one day, jogging through Central Park, she lost all feeling in her legs. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Caro's world shattered. She knew all too well what life in a wheelchair meant, and, faced with her own mortality, that she must look back at her father's exemplary fortitude and grace to find a way forward. An at times emotionally brutal memoir of family, vulnerability and purpose, Diving into Glass is a smart, often funny portrait of the realities of disability and an intimate account of three lives filled with astounding vigour and audacity. ...Show more

No Friend but the Mountains by Behrouz Boochani ; Omid Tofighian (Translator)

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

Where have I come from? From the land of rivers, the land of waterfalls, the land of ancient chants, the land of mountains... In 2013, Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani was illegally detained on Manus Island. He has been there ever since. People would run to the mountains to escape the warplanes and f ound asylum within their chestnut forests...  Laboriously tapped out on a mobile phone and translated from the Farsi. It is a voice of witness, an act of survival. A lyric first-hand account. A cry of resistance. A vivid portrait through five years of incarceration and exile. Do Kurds have any friends other than the mountains? PRAISE FOR NO FRIEND BUT THE MOUNTAINS "A chant, a cry from the heart, a lament, fuelled by a fierce urgency, written with the lyricism of a poet, the literary skills of a novelist, and the profound insights of an astute observer of human behaviour and the ruthless politics of a cruel and unjust imprisonment." Arnold Zable, author of the award-winning Jewels and Ashes and Cafe Scheherazade "In the absence of images, turn to this book to fathom what we have done, what we continue to do. It is, put simply, the most extraordinary and important book I have ever read." Good Reading Magazine "Not for the faint-hearted, it's a powerful, devastating insight into a situation that's so often seen through a political - not personal - lens." GQ Australia "It is an unforgettable account of man's inhumanity to man that reads like something out of Orwell or Kafka, and is aptly described by Tofighian as 'horrific surrealism'. It is clear from Boochani's writing that he is a highly educated and philosophical man; he segues effortlessly between prose and poetry, both equally powerful." -The Australian Financial Review Magazine "Behrouz Boochani has written a book which is as powerful as it is poetic and moving. He describes his experience of living in a refugee prison with profound insight and intelligence." Queensland Reviewers Collective ...Show more

Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody

$19.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

'You are here for the rest of your life. Do you understand? You are not leaving Iran. You are here until you die.' Betty Mahmoody and her husband, Dr Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody ('Moody'), came to Iran from the USA to meet Moody's family. With them was their four-year-old daughter, Mahtob. Appalled by the sq ualor of their living conditions, horrified by what she saw of a country where women are merely chattels and Westerners are despised, Betty soon became desperate to return to the States. But Moody, and his often vicious family, had other plans. Mother and daughter became prisoners of an alien culture, hostages of an increasingly tyrannical and violent man. Betty began to try to arrange an escape. Evading Moody's sinister spy network, she secretly met sympathisers opposed to Khomeini's savage regime. But every scheme that was suggested to her meant leaving Mahtob behind for ever... ...Show more

The Power of Hope by Kon Karapanagiotidis

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

A powerful, inspiring memoir from Kon Karapanagiotidis, founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, which argues that by putting community, love and compassion at the centre of our lives, we have the power to change our world. 'I hope you take from this book the message that we all matter. That there is a place for all of us. That once we know our own voice, live the values close to our hearts and follow our dreams, we can be unstoppable. Hope is only exhausted if we forsake ourselves, otherwise no one can take hope away from us. It is both our sanctuary and our destiny to live a life with love, belonging, connection and community.' A powerful, heartfelt and inspiring memoir from one of Australia's leading human rights advocates, Kon Karapanagiotidis, The Power of Hope tells the story of how Kon overcame his traumatic childhood of racism, bullying and loneliness to create one of Australia's largest and best-loved human rights organisations, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, which has gone on to transform the lives of thousands of refugees and has helped build a movement. An audiobook about how love, compassion, kindness and courage can transform our communities and ourselves, The Power of Hope shows us in times of darkness, both personal and political, that if we stand as one we can shine brightly and fiercely - as together we are powerful. ...Show more

The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective: Secrets and Lies in the Golden Age of Crime by Susannah Stapleton

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

Maud West ran her detective agency in London for more than thirty years, having started sleuthing on behalf of society's finest in 1905. Her exploits grabbed headlines throughout the world but, beneath the public persona, she was forced to hide vital aspects of her own identity in order to thrive in a c lass-obsessed and male-dominated world. And - as Susannah Stapleton reveals - she was a most unreliable witness to her own life. Who was Maud? And what was the reality of being a female private detective in the Golden Age of Crime? Interweaving tales from Maud West's own 'casebook' with social history and extensive original research, Stapleton investigates the stories Maud West told about herself in a quest to uncover the truth. With walk-on parts by Dr Crippen and Dorothy L. Sayers, Parisian gangsters and Continental blackmailers, The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective is both a portrait of a woman ahead of her time and a deliciously salacious glimpse into the underbelly of 'good society' during the first half of the twentieth century. ...Show more

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir | Reading Level: 4 Non Fiction

For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission. Her goal, as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has been to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, invest in women. In this candid and inspiring book, Gates traces her awakening to the link between women's empowerment and the health of societies. She shows some of the tremendous opportunities that exist right now to "turbo-charge" change. And she provides simple and effective ways each one of us can make a difference. A personal statement of passionate conviction, this book tells of Gates' journey from a partner working behind the scenes to one of the world's foremost advocates for women, driven by the belief that no one should be excluded, all lives have equal value, and gender equity is the lever that lifts everything. ...Show more

Roar: Thirty Women. Thirty Stories. by Cecelia Ahern

$29.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

'These stories sing and cry and shout and whisper from the page. They're sharp, clever, witty...a joy to read.'Donal Ryan, international bestselling author of The Spinning HeartFrom much-loved, international bestseller Cecelia Ahern come stories for all of us: the women who befriend us, the women who en courage us, the women who make us brave. From The Woman Who Slowly Disappeared to The Woman Who Returned and Exchanged her Husband, discover thirty touching, often hilarious, stories and meet thirty very different women. Each discovers her strength; each realizes she holds the power to make a change. Witty, tender, surprising, these keenly observed tales speak to us all, and capture the moment when we all want to roar.'These stories sing and cry and shout and whisper from the page. They're sharp, clever, witty...a joy to read.'Donal Ryan, international bestselling author of The Spinning Heart ...Show more

In Extremis - The Life of War Correspondent Marie Colvin by Lindsey Hilsum

$49.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

** BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK ** 'It has always seemed to me that what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed to the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars.' Marie Colvin, 2001 Marie Colvin was glamorous, hard-drinking, braver than the boys, with a trou bled and rackety personal life. With fierce compassion and honesty, she reported from the most dangerous places in the world, fractured by conflict and genocide, going in further and staying longer than anyone else. In Sri Lanka in 2001, Marie was hit by a grenade and lost the sight in her left eye - resulting in her trademark eye patch - and in 2012 she was killed in Syria. Like her hero, the legendary reporter Martha Gellhorn, she sought to bear witness to the horrifying truths of war, to write 'the first draft of history' and crucially to shine a light on the suffering of ordinary people. Written by fellow foreign correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, this is the story of the most daring war reporter of her age. Drawing on unpublished diaries and notebooks, and interviews with Marie's friends, family and colleagues, In Extremis is the story of our turbulent age, and the life of a woman who defied convention. ...Show more

Becoming: Michelle Obama by Michelle Obama

$49.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States   In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America--the first African Americ an to serve in that role--she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.   In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her--from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it--in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations--and whose story inspires us to do the same. ...Show more

Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens after the Worst Day of Your Life by Leigh Sales

$34.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

As a journalist, Leigh Sales often encounters people experiencing the worst moments of their lives in the full glare of the media. But one particular string of bad news stories--and a terrifying brush with her own mortality--sent her looking for answers about how vulnerable each of us is to a life-chang ing event. What are our chances of actually experiencing one? What do we fear most and why? And when the worst does happen, what comes next? In this wise and layered book, Leigh talks intimately with people who've faced the unimaginable, from terrorism to natural disaster to simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Expecting broken lives, she instead finds strength, hope, even humor. Leigh brilliantly condenses the cutting-edge research on the way the human brain processes fear and grief, and poses the questions we too often ignore out of awkwardness. Along the way, she offers an unguarded account of her own challenges and what she's learned about coping with life's unexpected blows. Warm, candid, and empathetic, this book is about what happens when ordinary people, on ordinary days, are forced to suddenly find the resilience most of us don't know we have. ...Show more

Autumn Light: Japan's Season of Fire and Farewells by Pico IYER

$29.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein

$32.99 AUD

Category: Biography & Memoir

Before she was a trauma cleaner, Sandra Pankhurst was many things: husband and father, drag queen, gender reassignment patient, sex worker, small businesswoman, trophy wife... But as a little boy, raised in violence and excluded from the family home, she just wanted to belong. Now she believes her clie nts deserve no less. A woman who sleeps among garbage she has not put out for forty years. A man who bled quietly to death in his loungeroom. A woman who lives with rats, random debris and terrified delusion. The still life of a home vacated by accidental overdose. Sarah Krasnostein has watched the extraordinary Sandra Pankhurst bring order and care to these, the living and the dead--and the book she has written is equally extraordinary. Not just the compelling story of a fascinating life among lives of desperation, but an affirmation that, as isolated as we may feel, we are all in this together. Sarah Krasnostein is a writer and a legal researcher with a doctorate in criminal law. She was born in America, studied in Melbourne and has lived and worked in both countries. Her first book, The Trauma Cleaner, won the Victorian Prize for Literature and the Prize for Non-Fiction in the 2018 Victorian Premier''s Literary Awards as well as the Australian Book Industry Award for General Non-Fiction. Sarah lives in Melbourne and spends part of the year working in New York City. ''Amazing...I couldn''t put this book down, and I can''t wait to recommend it to everyone I know.'' Readings ''Written with sensitivity, insight and warmth...Krasnostein has pieced together a compelling history through careful research and interviews. The Trauma Cleaneris no ordinary trauma narrative: we see how the infliction of multiple traumas has left this fascinating woman uniquely placed to restore order among the despair of others, and it is with similar care that Krasnostein has produced this book.'' Books + Publishing ''This is a book which resists the temptation to fill in the gaps. In that sense, it enacts trauma itself. Krasnostein doesn''t try and insist that all the details of these complex lives add up - she merely describes them vividly, lovingly and respectfully to make a single statement: this is a life.'' Judges'' Report, Victorian Premier''s Literary Awards, 2018 ''A book that is as hard to read as it is hard to put down. A story of pain and loss and loneliness, of trauma and transformations and sassy humour. And cleaning...It is a hilarious and poignant tale of a woman who defies all labels...Krasnostein is a very fine writer. Her debut book is a compelling and honest story of human survival, and love.'' Janet Albrechtsen, Australian ''An extraordinary life story superbly retold.''Tim Gott, Devonport Bookshop ''It''s a truly remarkable story.'' Joan Mackenzie, Whitcoulls ''The most original non-fiction book of the year...Written with warmth, humour and sensitivity, The Trauma Cleaneris utterly fascinating.'' Page & Blackmore Booksellers ''Krasnostein''s playful yet heartfelt debut is one of the most arresting works of biography you will read in a long time.'' Guardian ''Krasnostein is an astute observer of human nature and her understated yet elegant prose is reminiscent of Helen Garner.'' Readings ''Krasnostein has done a clean-up of her own, untangling the narrative behind Pankhurst''s own cluttered memories...She lets Pankhurst''s courage, humanity and sheer decency shine through. It''s a fascinating read.'' SA Weekend ''Surely the most original non-fiction book of the year...Written with warmth, humour and sensitivity, The Trauma Cleaneris utterly fascinating.'' Page & Blackmore NZ ''A wondrous portrait of an inspiring character.'' Saturday Paper ''[Sandra] is one of the most extraordinary characters you will ever find in a work of non-fiction...The Trauma Cleaneris a disturbing and fascinating read with a heavy, beating heart at its centre...[Krasnostein] shows how a writer can empathise and engage with a subject yet still paint a realistic portrait.'' Australian ''An anomalous, indelible treasure...Krasnostein allows Sandra''s story room to breathe and expand, to quietly but confidently stake its claim to the reader''s heart.'' Kill Your Darlings ''[Pankurst''s] story is probably one of the most touching, thoughtful and thought-provoking you will ever read...Sarah Krasnostein tells it with moving compassion, even love.'' New Zealand Herald ''Krasnostein creates a humane portrait of a woman has somehow found fertile ground in the mess of life. A brutal, heartbreaking and utterly moving story of survival - and a quiet kind of triumph.'' Better Reading ''An extraordinarily impressive debut, in terms of both quality of writing and treatment of the subject matter...Krasnostein handles her material with respect, grace and compassion.'' Sydney Morning Herald ''Sarah Krasnostein does a marvellous job of illuminating Sandra Pankhurst the person...it''s the vignettes of Pankhurst''s early life and upbringing in Melbourne, interspersed throughout the book, that make for compelling reading.''Readings Best Non-Fiction 2017 ''Compelling reading...This book reads like an unabashed love letter to Pankhurst with the first-time author, embedded for years in her subject''s life, effusive in her adoration.'' Courier-Mail ''Compelling, compassionate, questioning and fascinating enough for at least four sequels--the reasons you finishing reading may not be the reasons you started. Stunning.'' Fullers Bookshop ''A superbly written book about the re-doutbable Sandra Pankhurst and her work as a trauma cleaner...This is the startling life story of Pankhurst, a trans woman with a heart the size of Uluru, written in Krasnostein''s irresistibly warm, frank, intelligent voice as she describes site of sadness and horror that take the reader straight to the dark heart of the human condition.'' Kerryn Goldsworthy, Best Books of 2017, Australian Book Review ''The Trauma Cleanerby Sarah Krasnostein is hard to describe, but will delight anyone who reads it - it is that good...The stories of the hoarders and Sandra''s compassion when dealing with them that will have you transfixed. Promise.'' InDaily ''Deep empathy for complex individuals...Explore[s] the best and worst of who we are.'' Graeme Simsion, Sydney Morning Herald''s Year in Reading 2017 ''The remarkable story of super cleaner Sandra Pankhurst who cleans up crimes and squalor with rare compassion and kindness.'' Adelaide Advertiser, Favourite Books of the Year ''One of the strangest, most fascinating books I''ve read, and a standout of the year. Krasnostein''s command of language is exquisite, and the complexity of Sandra Pankhurst''s life story unfolds seamlessly with the current-day narrative of her unique business and the people she meets with it.'' Feminist Writers Festival, Favourite Reads of 2017 ''The Trauma Cleanerpays tribute to a person who''s an absolute life force even among the death and decay and squalor and stench that she works in every day and the crushing difficulties of her own past. And it''s a story told more beautifully than you can possibly imagine.'' Radio National, 2017''s Best Summer Reads ''Deeply moving...The book reads as a love letter from Krasnostein to Sandra...I treasured every word.'' Sofie Laguna, Australian Women''s Weekly ''Sarah Krasnostein has written the story of her friend Sandra in a respectful way, detailing every reinvention Sandra made in her personal and professional endeavours. Readers will find Sandra''s story emotional, shocking and triumphant. It is the true story of a remarkable and resilient human being.'' Good Reading '' [A] one-of-a-kind biography.'' Marilyn Stasio, New York TimesBook Review Summer Reading Guide ''Absolutely stunning.'' Popsugar ''Through countless encounters with the fetid, the neglected, and the downright tragic, Pankhurst has found meaning and peace, and [author] Krasnostein a singular subject whom she approaches with well-deserved awe.'' Booklist(starred review) ''A transgender former prostitute cleans up the fetid houses of the psychotic, the hopeless and the murdered. Sounds like some dubious TLC special, but it''s a fascinating bio of Sandra Pankhurst... Revelatory.'' People ''Compelling and fascinating'' Oxygen ''Pankhurst is an engaging, sympathetic, and fascinating person, and Krasnostein does an excellent job of balancing Pankhurst''s personal story with those of her clients.'' LitHub, Crimereads ''Intriguing...A complex protagonist makes for engaging material.'' Publishers Weekly ''Within the pages of The Trauma CleanerKrasnostein has given us an extraordinary gift of humanity, life, and determination while carefully guiding us through the unspeakable conditions in which people find themselves in the face of trauma. Through sublime writing, Sarah Krasnostein expertly renders an unforgettable portrait of Sandra, one of the most compelling people I have ever read. I found myself constantly walking the line between frustration and utter love for this woman and I haven''t been able to stop thinking about her and the life she has lived. Krasnostein is a master storyteller of creative non-fiction and ...Show more