Jane Austen: Writer in the World

Written to commemorate two hundred years since the death of Jane Austen in 1817, Jane Austen: writer in the world edited by Kathryn Sutherland, discusses the status of Jane Austen's writing during that time. The book consists of a series of chapters by different writers who evaluate aspects of Jane Austen's life and work based on artifacts held in special collections and museums.

The first section concerns life in Georgian England and has chapters discussing Jane Austen's early, unpublished work, the importance of music in Georgian society, costume - including a pelisse-coat once owned by Jane Austen, plus the art of letter writing and the importance of correspondence in telling Jane's story. Section two, the Novelist in the World, has chapters on women writing during the time of war (particularly the Napoleonic wars), how Jane Austen wrote her books and a study of novels in 1817. Jane Austen Imagined investigates the few possible portraits of Jane Austen while the last chapter looks at the significance of Jane Austen's legacy after two hundred years, not just in England but throughout the world.

Jane Austen: writer in the world provides interesting background material for those interested in the novels of Jane Austen and life in Regency England. Each chapter contains photographs and illustrations of objects and artwork relating to the content. There area detailed notes for each chapter plus a list of other relevant books and an index.

Jane Austen's Bookshelf: the women writers who shaped a legend

American rare book dealer, Rebecca Romney, provides an insight into the work of female authors whose books were probably read by Jane Austen (1775-1817). Jane Austen is celebrated as an author of novels set in Regency England but there were a number of other female authors who were respected writers for a time. Why did Jane Austen become even more popular over time while the work of other female authors has largely been forgotten?

 In Jane Austen's Bookshelf, Rebecca Romney looks at the work of female authors who are mentioned in the work of Jane Austen or in Jane Austen's correspondence or who may have written books read by Jane Austen. These authors are Frances Burney (1752-1840), Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823), Charlotte Lennox (c1729-1804), Hannah More (1745-1833), Charlotte Smith (1749-1806), Elizabeth Inchbald (1753-1821), Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi (1741-1821) and Maria Edgeworth (1768-1849).

This book provides an overview of fiction written by female authors during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The author provides an overview of the struggles faced by women to have their work published and read by the general public. Jane Austen was known to be an avid reader and would have read the works of fellow female authors. Careful reading of Jane Austen's work at time shows where she has been influenced by writers of fiction popular at the time.

Rebecca Romney set out to recreate a library of books that Jane Austen would have read. She not only collected fiction titles of the time but also works that discuss individual writers and their works. An appendix contains detailed descriptions of some of the works mentioned in this book. There is also a bibliography and detailed list of notes. There is some repetition in this work but overall  it provides an informative and important insight into the development and influence of the work of female authors.

Backstage

In 2023 I read a collection of short stories, Wandering Through Life, written by Donna Leon, concerning life experiences. In Backstage, Donna Leon provides us with another collection of short stories providing the background to her love of books and music plus life experiences which have influenced how and why she creates her characters and writes her novels.

Authors that Donna Leon refers to include novels by Ruth Rendell, Ross Macdonald, Reginald Hill, Charles Dickens, Patrick O'Brian, Sir Walter Scott and Jane Austen plus some of the works of playwrights and poets from Ancient Greece and Rome. Guido Brunetti often refers to works of literature when he is trying to relax at home. 

Some of the excerpts in the book explain the research undertaken when writing her novels including writing the initial chapter of a book and also researching the background for some of the characters and crimes. 

Backstage by Donna Leon is an interesting collection of short stories that the reader can dip into and gain additional information about Donna Leon and her world of writing.

The Elements of Marie Curie: how the glow of radium lit a path for women in science

As regular viewers of Pointless we often encounter questions relating to the often weird and wonderful names on  the Periodic Table. The Elements of Marie Curie by Dava Sobel explains how some of the elements came to be named and the work that went into identifying many of the elements relating to radioactivity. At school we learned a little about Marie Curie and her work. One year I was even awarded a copy of the book, Men and Women Behind the Atom by Sarah Reidman as a school prize. 

In this book, the author provides not just a biography of the life of Marie Curie and her family but also an introduction to the science that captured Marie's imagination. As well as an introduction to an aspect of science, The Elements of Marie Curie provides an important insight into the scientific community at that time which was run by men. Women were barely tolerated working in science areas except in minor roles. Marie Curie worked hard to change this philosophy, not just in the original scientific work that she undertook but also through the employment and encouragement of women in senior roles in her laboratories. 

For many years Marie Curie and her husband worked together on their scientific projects. However after Pierre's death Marie took charge of their laboratory and ensured that each year talented women worked with her investigating radioactivity and its possible uses. During the First World War Marie promoted the use of X-rays to isolate metal in the bodies of wounded soldiers.

In 1903, Pierre Curie, Marie Curie and Henri Becquerel won the Nobel Prize for Physics for their initial work with radioactivity. In 1911 Marie won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the discovery of radium and polonium. In 1935 Marie and Pierre's daughter, Irene Joliot-Curie and her husband, Frederick Joliot-Curie jointly won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

The Elements of Marie Curie will also appeal to those interested in the social history of the twentieth century. It is definitely a book worth reading. The glossary of chemical terms plus the radioactive decay series and notes at the end of the book are also useful.

The Girl who Touched the Stars

Let's paddle around Australia on a surf ski. This is what Bonnie Hancock did in 2022. It took her 254 days including occasional breaks on land to break the record. She also broke the record for covering the greatest distance in 24 hours - 235 km. The Girl Who Touched the Stars is Bonnie Hancock's account of her journey.

In the book Bonnie tells how the expedition came about, discusses the assistance she received from many people to achieve her aim, writes about the loyal teams of people who accompanied her on all or some of the trip, the encouragement that she received during the journey, not just from her team but also people that she met along the way.

Bonnie was not alone on her journey. There was a motor vehicle following her progress on the road. There was a catamaran or other craft close by at all times and there was also a jet ski ridden by members of her team offering her encouragement when conditions allowed. Her husband, Matt, gave up his job to accompany her on the trip and ensure that everything went smoothly. COVID restrictions still existed for part of the trip which presented additional challenges. Other team members who stayed with her for the entire trip included Brad, Jaime and Ben while her coach, Mike, came out for part of the trip. The experiences of the voyage were filmed to be included in a film launched this month.

When writing the book, Bonnie Hancock is very frank about her experiences and thoughts during the trip. There were numerous times when she thought about giving up. When the seas were rough she was constantly seasick. For much of the journey she was paddling into the wind. She was also aware that for part of the journey she was paddling through waters inhabited by sharks, crocodiles and sea snakes. Her back ached and her hands became raw from paddling. The weather was very cold for part of the trip and very hot at other times. However there were also good experiences that she would never forget including real friendship as well as coming in close contact with the natural environment.

This is a book about facing challenges and testing oneself to achieve something that you really want to do. Bonnie had one chance to undertake this challenge and she was determined that despite the odds that she, with the help of her team, would achieve.

Super-Infinite: the transformations of John Donne

John Donne (1572-1631) led many lives in his fifty-nine years. In Super-Infinite, Katherine Rundell describes John Donne:

Sometime religious outsider and social disaster, sometime celebrity preacher and establishment darling. John Donne was incapable of being just one thing. He reimagined and reinvented himself, over and over: he was a poet, lover, essayist, lawyer, pirate recusant, preacher, satirist, politician, courtier, chaplain to the King, dean of the finest cathedral in London.[page 5]

In this biography of John Donne, the author sets out to examine all the facets of Donne's life from the limited surviving sources plus his poems, sermons and other writing. Quotations from Donne's work and the writings of others who knew him appear extensively throughout the work. In reading this book, the reader learns not just about the life of John Donne and of his writing but also some of the social history and politics of the time that form an important part of Donne's story.

When writing, John Donne also loved to create new words, many of which appear in the book. Katherine Rundell provides an example:

He loved to coin formations with the super-prefix: super-edifications, super-exaltation, super-dying, super-universal, super-miraculous. It was part of his bid to invent a language that would reach beyond language, because infinite wasn’t enough: both in heaven, but also here and now on earth, Donne wanted to know something larger than infinity. It was absurd, grandiloquent, courageous, hungry. [page 14]

At the end of the book there is a list of further reading, notes, picture credits and index. Pictures of engravings of portraits of John Donne and other people mentioned appear throughout the book.

Wandering through life: a memoir

In Wandering Through Life Donna Leon recounts a number of events and describes some of the people who have been a part of her life. Donna Leon was born in the USA in 1942 and is the well known author of the Commissario Brunetti series set in Venice - 32 books so far.

Donna Leon lived in Iran, China and Saudi Arabia teaching English to tertiary students before moving to Venice in 1981 where she lived for thirty years. She now lives in Switzerland. In Wandering Through Life she tells thirty short stories relating to her life. She starts with her family who came from different parts of Europe and Ireland before describing living in the Middle East and China. Part three of the book contains stories relating to Italy, particularly Venice. One chapter contains a copy of the letter that is handed out to visitors visiting the Questore looking for Commissario Brunetti and his colleagues. Part four contains stories of life in the mountains of Switzerland plus reflections on her life. Throughout the book the author's love of classical music is shown.

Wandering Through Life provides glimpses into the life of Donna Leon, an important contributor to modern crime fiction.

One life: my mother's story

Nance Russell would have liked to have been a writer but apart from one letter published in the Sydney Morning Herald this aspect of her life did not eventuate. After her mother's death, Australian author, Kate Grenville, discovered a number of notebooks and papers on which Nance had made notes about her early life. These form the basis of her mother's story.

After leaving school Nance became an apprentice pharmacist and eventually a pharmacist, on two occasions managing her own pharmacy. Much of the book involves the challenges of a young mother attempting to work when she has a young family to care for. Nance had married Kenneth Gee but although he appreciated the extra income brought into the family by his wife, which allowed him to go off on a tangent and follow his own pursuits, he was oblivious to the additional strain placed on his wife. 

Once again this is a biography demonstrating the challenges faced by women in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s when attempting to lead rewarding professional lives. Many years later Nance was able to follow some of her dreams including completing an Arts Degree and becoming a teacher. She was also able to travel overseas on several occasions. She must have been a strong and independent woman.

Did I ever tell you this? a memoir

Nigel Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1947. When he was seven the family moved to New Zealand where he changed his name to Sam. Breaking into the film industry via New Zealand was difficult, as at the time films were not being made there, so he began his career learning to make documentaries. Eventually he decided to try his luck in Australia and over the years found himself making films and television productions in countries throughout the world, including New Zealand.

In Did I ever tell you this? a memoir, Sam Neill takes on the reader on a journey into his world mentioning some of the many films he has made and some of the actors with whom he has worked. When he wrote this book Sam was receiving treatment for blood cancer so he decided to write the memoir as a record of his life. The result is a largely entertaining, sometimes rambling, account of Sam's adventures in the entertainment industry and how he came to make some of the films. 

As well making films Sam also owns several vineyards and this has proved to be another successful project. He also has dabbled in architecture, particularly designing family homes in Australia and New Zealand. Reading this memoir allows the reader not only to get to know Sam Neill as a person but also to gain an overview from an insider into the making of films.

And Away

In Australia we primarily know Bob Mortimer from his appearances on the television show - Would I lie to you? However his occasional appearances on this show make up only a fraction of of his show business life.

Problems with his heart in 2015, resulting in surgery, prompted the the author to reflect on events in his life as a shy, insecure, lad who studied to be a solicitor only to eventually become a successful comedian, especially when performing in partnership with his friend, Jim Moir (Vic Reeves).

Two chapters of the book have the chapter heading, 'Would I lie to you?' allowing Bob to recount stories that may, or may not, have happened during his life. The reader is left to decide the possible validity of each story.

Essentially this is the story about how a shy person learned to deal with life through forming close friendships and learning to make the best of opportunities that came his away. As you would expect humour is an essential part of the writing of this autobiography. The book also provides an outline of some British comedy shows over the years.

Just Ignore Him

For years we have enjoyed Alan Davies in shows such as Jonathan Creek and as the regular panellist on QI where he is known for his laconic humour and quick wit. However reading this memoir about his childhood provides a graphic and horrifying depiction of his early years.

Alan was six when his mother died. His brother was eight and his sister was three. It was therefore left to his father to bring up the three young children. Generally people felt sorry for the man left with this difficult task. Unfortunately Alan's childhood was anything but happy as he suffered both physical and sexual abuse at the hands of his father. He was, of course, told not to tell anyone. The father seemed to leave the other children alone. Alan got along well with his father's brother, Uncle Pat, but the uncle did not know what his brother was doing. Alan had little support from other family members.  

In 2017 Alan's step-mother gave him a folder of pornography that his father had down-loaded from the internet. There were also some photos taken by his father. Looking through this material caused Alan to understand the extent of his father's sexual interests, particularly with boys, and also better understand his father. It led Alan to review the events of his early life and record them in this memoir. 

This is not a chronology of Alan's childhood but instead each chapter deals with everyday topics such as Gardens, Lanterns, Animals, Buses, Stamps etc allowing Alan to recall events and feelings at the time in order to better understand his past. Consequently there is some repetition in the book as memories are recalled. Alan did go to the police with the folder his step-mother had given him and a case was prepared, however his father was too old and infirm to stand trial.

Although this is a grim account of childhood assaul,t it is told with strands of humour, especially when Alan recalls some of his other exploits as a child causing adults to use the phrase, 'Just ignore him', on numerous occasions. Alan will never forget the abuse he suffered and the fear that his father may also have shown interest in other boys. Despite this he has survived to have a successful career entertaining others and also has his own family to now care for.

A spanner in the works

The extraordinary story of Alice Anderson and Australia's first all-girl garage is the subtitle of this book by Loretta Smith. I had heard of Alice Anderson and her garage, possibly when I worked at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria in 1995 and again from 2002 to 2011. We may have received an enquiry about Alice and her garage though one of the members of the RHSV, Mimi Colligan, had researched the life of Alice Anderson and published chapters in books on the topic - Double Time Women in Victoria 150 years edited by Marilyn Lake in 1985. Chapter 6 of Eat My Dust: Early Women Motorists by Georgine Clarsen (2008) is based on research undertaken by Mimi Colligan. The topic may have therefore come up in conversation with Mimi.

Alice Anderson was born in Australia in 1897, the daughter of Irish parents. Her father was a talented engineer who at one time worked with John Monash, however his temperament made him difficult to work with and he was frequently in financial trouble. The family moved to New Zealand for a time and then returned to England and Ireland, before, once again, settling in Australia. Alice's education was interupted though she did complete the equivalent to year 10. Automobiles were growing in popularity and when her father decided to run a business transporting passengers between Healesville and Alexandra Alice joined him. Eventually Alice decided to run her own business and, after overcoming a variety of obstacles, established the Miss Anderson's Motor Service staffed exclusively by women. Alice loved driving and earned money driving  groups around Melbourne and to the Dandenongs, plus some interstate trips to New South Wales and Tasmania. The garage also provided driving instruction for ladies as well as training for women to be mechanics. In 1926, Alice and Jessie Webb drove from Melbourne to Alice Springs in a small car to prove that it could be done. Alice was also interested in aviation and had plans to learn how to fly a plane. Alice's death, aged 29, in 1926 left lots of unanswered questions. Friends ensured that her business continued to operate until the early 1940s.

As well as being the story of Alice's short life, this book is a study of the changing role of women in the early twentieth century plus providing an account of the growth and acceptance of the automobile industry in Victoria. This is the story of a determined young woman trying to make a living in a 'man's world'.

Detailed notes and bibliography are included.

How Australia's female garage owner Alice Anderson helped change social attitudes

The story of Alice Anderson and Australia's first all-female garage

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Alice Anderson 

The Ravenmaster

This book has the subtitle My life with the ravens at the Tower of London and it is written by Christopher Skaife, Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, the Tower of London.

The author has been the Ravenmaster at the Tower of London since 2011, in charge of a team responsible for the welfare of the seven ravens currently in residence. He has been a Yeoman at the Tower of London since 2005. Christopher Skaife obviously loves the ravens in his charge though he treats each individual bird with great respect.

Christopher Skaife outlines the personalities of the current raven population at the Tower of London. He also describes what is involved in looking after the ravens each day as well as the other duties involved in being a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London plus the prerequisites for such a job. As well as learning about the lives of the ravens and their role at the Tower of London we learn about the life of Christopher Skaife including his twenty-four years in the the army as well as some of his adventures with the ravens.He also discusses the legend of the ravens and the Tower.

At the end of the book there is a list of resources on ravens and another list on books relating to the Tower of London for those who want to do additional reading.

Kindred: a Cradle Mountain love story

The story of Gustav Weindorfer and Kate Cowle is told by Kate Legge. Gustav was born in Austria in 1874 and came to Australia in 1901. As a naturalist and conservationist he enjoyed exploring the bush, especially mountain areas, of his his new country. It was at the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria that he met Kate Cowle who also enjoyed climbing mountains and bushwalking. Gustav and Kate married in February 1906 and they purchased a farm at Kindred, near Devonport in Tasmania. Kate's family owned another property near by. Gustav was eleven years younger than Kate but they became inseparable due to their mutual love of exploring the Australian bush.

In 1909 an expedition was arranged to explore the area now known as Cradle Mountain and Gustav became determined that it should become a national park. As well as being interested in the natural environment they were also very aware of Aboriginal connections to the region. In 1912 Gustav began building the chalet that became Waldheim so those visiting the area had a base with somewhere to stay. Kate died in April 1916. Gustav sold the farm and worked from Waldheim as a ranger. He died in 1938.

Kate Legge also enjoys mountain climbing, exploring Cradle Mountain National Park in 2015 where she first heard of Gustav and Kate. Two years later she climbed the mountain. Kate Legge set out to find all she could about Kate and Gustav's story and the result is this book. At the end of the book are extensive notes plus an index. The book also contains photographs of Kate and Gustav and of course the area they loved at Cradle Mountain.


Waldheim Chalet - History 

Companion to Tasmanian History - Gustav Weindorfer and Kate Lowe

Cradle Mountain Lodge

 Gustav Weindorfer - Australian Dictionary of Biography

England's Queens: the biography

Elizabeth Norton provides a chronological record of the queens of England from Boudicia to Elizabeth II.

The titles of the chapters are: Early and Mythical Queens; Anglo-Saxon Queens; Norman Queens; Plantagenet Queens; Lancastrian Queens; Yorkist Queens; Six Wives of Henry VII; Tudor Queen Regnants; House of Stuart; Hanoverian Queens; From the House of Hanover to the House of Windsor. The book is illustrated, has a collection of genealogical tables plus a list of sources and bibliography.

As many of their husbands spent time fighting wars for long periods of time it was often left to the early queens to look after their husband's interests while they were away, often giving the women considerable power. This book provides an interesting account of the history of England through the lives of women who were queens.

Where shall we run to?

This memoir by the author, Alan Garner, provides memories of a collection of incidents that occurred in his childhood in Cheshire during the Second World War. Alan Garner was born in  October 1934 so he was almost five at the commencement of the war. As well as memories of his schooldays and friends at this time there are frequent references to the war - wearing gas masks, fathers being away from home, children evacuated from Guernsey to Cheshire, finding unexploded devices.

Alan Garner describes life in the area around Alderley Edge where he grew up and where his family lived for many generations. Many of his books are set in this area of Cheshire and the chapter, Widdershins, provides a description of the region with many familiar names for readers of his books. Descriptions of some of the locals in the village plus the school staff are also provided. We also learn a little of the early childhood of Alan Garner including stays in hospital due to illness. He was, however, an inquisitive child who enjoyed the freedom of exploring his terrain, often with a friend.

The last three chapters of the book provide an update to stories told during the main section of the work. All in all this short work provides an account of life in part of rural England during wartime as well as an insight into the early life of an English author.

Interview - Alan Garner 'I just let the voice settle and I listened' (The Guardian 5 August 2018)

Review - Vignettes of a bygone English childhood (The Spectator 2018)