AustLit

'Creswell John Eastman AO is the Clinical Professor of Medicine at Sydney University Medical School, Principal of the Sydney Thyroid Clinic and Consultant Emeritus to the Westmead Hospital. Eastman is an endocrinologist and has directed or conducted research and public health projects into elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, several Pacific Islands, Hong Kong, China and Tibet and Australia. For his work in remote areas of China, he has been dubbed the âman who saved a million brainsâ.

'In 2013 Eastman expressed concern that IDD may be affecting Australian children's ability to perform at school and reiterated that view in 2016. While the initial focus was mostly on indigenous children, he recently expanded it to include all children.

'Cres was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia in 1994 for his contributions to Medicine, particularly in the field of Endocrinology, and was awarded the Premierâs Gold Service Award in 2002 for development of the NSW Forensic DNA service laboratory.' (Publication summary)

'John Albert Long is an Australian paleontologist who is currently Strategic Professor in Palaeontology at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. He was previously the Vice President of Research and Collections at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He is also an author of popular science books. His main area of research is on the fossil fish of the Late Devonian Gogo Formation from northern Western Australia. It has yielded many important insights into fish evolution, such as Gogonasus and Materpiscis, the later specimen being crucial to our understanding of the origins of vertebrate reproduction.

'His love of fossil collecting began at age 7 and he graduated with PhD from Monash University in 1984, specialising in Palaeozoic fish evolution. He held postdoctoral positions at the Australian National University, The University of Western Australia and The University of Tasmania before taking up a position as Curator in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the Western Australian Museum and then as Head of Sciences at Museum Victoria.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'A single moment has the power to change any life, forever. This is a story about what happens next.

'On 1st March 1999, Dom Frawley was a rural general practitioner, providing medical care to a few hundred families through a small cottage practice. He and his wife Maggie were due to deliver their fourth child any day. Dom worked daily with people at their most vulnerable: sick, powerless, and often fearful or distressed. His job was to help carry them through.

'By nightfall on 2nd March, Dom and Maggie were the ones needing help. Their newborn child was critically ill, flown by helicopter to an intensive care unit in Sydney. The baby’s life rested in the hands of Dom’s former colleagues.

'Malachy had a major heart defect, making him a ‘blue baby’. His family were forced to experience the medical system from the patient side, walking with Malachy in a prolonged struggle with severe disability.

'Fear for the future stalked enjoyment of the present. Drawing on Maggie’s love, his passion for philosophy and innate optimism, Dom navigated a slow path to equilibrium. A deep father-son bond developed, enriching the lives of both.

'Malachy’s heart disease inspired Maggie and Dom into activist roles with 'HeartKids'. Their involvement with the cause risks dominating their lives.

'Meanwhile Malachy had taken up activism for the HeartKids movement and became an inspiration amongst his peers, and to many who crossed his path. The burden of heart disease brought a certain type of meaning and definition to our lives. All the while we had to balance the cause against the needs of three other children, and the demands of work and daily life.

'Then Malachy died. Life changed again.

'The carefully built framework of family life, Dom’s beliefs and ability to cope came up against life’s irresistible, final challenge.

'Malachy explores the bond of love between a parent and their child. It is a reminder of how treasured and important all children are. It is also a story about living with the agony of loss. The story touches what it means to love and be loved, to stare down hostile fate with a sense of humour, and to embrace life with courage and resilience.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Marija lives in a small village on the idyllic island of Korcula off the coast near Split in the country now known as Croatia. At 18 years of age she agrees to a proxy marriage to a 27-year-old sugarcane farmer in Far North Queensland who had left the village as a small child with his family in the 1920s.

'The couple do not know each other, having only exchanged photographs and a handful of letters, but this marriage is Marija’s escape from a traumatised post-war Europe.

'Her childhood is scarred by constant fear, with death and brutality stalking the island after it is occupied, first by the Italian army and later by the Nazis. Marija’s older sister joins the Partisan rebels as a codebreaker for General Tito, while Marija and her younger sister and father secretly help the Partisans hiding in the hills, with intelligence on the enemy. At one stage, her beloved father is taken by the Nazis, only to return at the end of the war grateful to be alive. Bitter ethnic battles accompany this war and many from her village are tortured and killed.

'A life in Australia with a husband she does not know is a risk worth taking. She travels by ship to Australia along with hundreds of other young men and women seeking escape from poverty and despair in the old world to the promise of adventure, love and a better life.

'Finding herself sharing a farmhouse with a hostile father-in-law far removed from neighbours, in the midst of cane fields in tropical Queensland, was only bearable as she fell in love with her devoted husband, created her own family and with it, a future for the next generations in the new country.

'At 62, Marija is diagnosed with cancer so returns one last time to Korcula to farewell her family. However, Yugoslavia is imploding, and she finds herself once again fleeing tanks in the midst of a war.

'Shortly after returning from her trip, she passes away, surrounded by her Australian family in the country she has come to feel is truly her home.

'This is the migrant story of Australia, of courageous individuals taking the biggest risk of their lives often with little or no English. Their determination and hard work enable them to live with their sacrifices and overcome the profound loneliness of homesickness. The result is the rich diversity of our modern multicultural nation.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

'The fourth book is about Gisela Kaplan, one of Australia’s leading bird and primate scientists, whose love for animals has seen her care for and rehabilitate numerous species.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

'The fifth book is about Eddie Woo, the teacher extraordinaire whose ‘WooTube’ channel has been helping students to find the magic in maths since 2012.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

'The sixth book is about Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.'

(Source: publisher's website)

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

'The second book is about Munjed Al Muderis, a refugee to Australia who went on to become the world-leading pioneer of surgical osseointegration.

'“I admire the way Munjed works tirelessly to give back to others less fortunate than himself. I hope that by sharing ways Munjed has over-come obstacles in his life journey, that readers will be inspired to seek ways to remain positive when they are also faced with hardship.” ~ Dianne Wolfer, author'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

'The second book is about Georgia Ward-Fear, a reptile biologist and explorer well-known for her pioneering work with cane toads.

'“I strongly believe that increasing the capacity of female scientists to engage at the environmental leadership table could alter our planet’s future. I also want girls to grow up in a world knowing they can work with reptiles, get their clothes dirty, drive ATVs, be passionate and assertive AND be just as likely to direct federal environmental policy as men.”  ~ Georgia Ward-Fear'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Aussie STEM Stars is an inspiring children’s series that celebrates Australia’s experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

'The first books is about Fiona Wood, Australia’s leading burns specialist and inventor of spray-on skin.

'“Fiona has this incredible aura of energy and determination. She’s revolutionised treatment and outcomes for burns patients around the world – and she continues to work tirelessly in this area, striving for a better future. I think everyone she meets comes away affected and uplifted by her spirit, stamina, generosity and courage. It was an extraordinary honour to work with Fiona to tell her story.” ~ Cristy Burne, author'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Mother, wife, partner, daughter, sister, niece, grandmother: every woman is a VICTRESS in her own unique and special way. 

'This book is an ode to some of Australia’s most cherished female athletes who, not just through achievements in their chosen sport, but through their unwavering conviction and commitment to women’s sport, blazed a trail for their sisterhood. 

'From legends like Dawn Fraser and Cathy Freeman, to the new breed of powerful sportswomen like Ellyse Perry, Tayla Harris and Ash Barty, each athlete is honoured and celebrated, thanks to Hobart Hurricanes Women’s Big Bash League cricketer Corinne Hall’s unique artistic talents. 

'Inspired by these incredible women, Corinne takes readers on a journey into the lives of each athlete through both her stunning drawings and her authentic tales. 

'From personal interactions with the athletes, to recalling where she was when watching some of the iconic events that made them household names, Corinne provides a fresh but relatable perspective on how each has left an indelible mark on the exponential growth of sport for women. 

'Kindness is key for Corinne, who has ensured funds from the book will be directed back into grassroots women’s cricket, along with helping charitable organisation, The Kindness Factory, spread its positive message. 

'In keeping with the kindness theme, athletes have provided their own stories of kindness, unearthing the special role simple acts have played in their lives.' (Publication summary)

'Two antique cars, a few old mates and the journey of a lifetime.

'Take a couple of vintage cars and their owners’ determination to drive them on a pilgrimage from Australia to Finland and you have a fascinating story told through photos and the distillation of blogs and diary entries by some foolhardy, adventurous blokes.

'Starting out from Thailand, their travels took them through Laos, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Russia and Finland – a six-month journey spread over two legs in successive years.

'Told in an engaging, self-deprecating and personal style, the reader enters the journey, every step of the way: following the ancient Silk Road route into the mountains of south-west and western China and the Tibetan Plateau where Muslim and Buddhist communities have lived for centuries, through the ‘-stans’, and beyond.

'Many an adventure, impossibly sticky situations, near misses and regular mechanical breakdowns were inevitably resolved with the support and civility towards this motley group of travellers in their ancient cars, by locals renowned for their hospitality. Nothing was ever too much trouble.

'They had no sponsor, no professional photographer or filmmaker, no journalist to publish the story, no ‘name’ to add fame and celebrity, no contract in the pocket for a coffee table book with quality photos and deep, or informed historical and cultural insights, and no travelling mechanical workshop. There was just a determination to get each of these old cars to Helsinki in one piece and smell the roses along the way.' (Publication summary)

'The Tiniest House of Time covers the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim in 1998 and the consequent riots, and also a lost history of an unknown exodus of Indians from Burma to India when Rangoon was bombed by the Japanese in 1941. Told from the point of view of two young women of their time, it touches on what we let go, and how, when we face death.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'An exquisite portrait of growing up Aboriginal on the fringes of outback towns in New South Wales in the mid-twentieth century. The Cherry Picker’s Daughter is a window into the day-to-day lived experience, a profound insight into the extraordinary strength, resilience and ingenuity of Aboriginal families, of women in particular, to survive and overcome seemingly insurmountable adversity: extreme poverty, persecution, racism and cultural genocide.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Optimism, resilience, audacity, hope, surviving daily challenges for themselves and those they love; carers embody all of these qualities. Cheryl Koenig’s fifth book, a memoir, deals with all those human qualities necessary to not only survive a life-threatening diagnoses and a subsequent insidiously painful disease, but to thrive in spite of them.

'Cheryl’s is a story about never giving up, nor giving in. Most importantly, however, it is a love story that knows no limits. It is the sequel to her fourth book, With Just One Suitcase, where she met her soulmate, Rob, at fifteen and is still happily married to him after a turbulent life where hers, and her eldest son’s mortality was questioned.

'With her fearless spirit, Cheryl reveals the mindset that helped her survive, along with some courageous admissions regarding her perceived character flaws. But despite her frankness in discussing life after blood cancer, she is not a victim. Indeed, many of time’s greatest achievements are unknown to others. The world is full of unknown achievers who have found a way to stay hopeful despite being fractured on life’s battlefields. They each demonstrate that the path of a champion lies within. They each are resilient.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In 1977, Melbourne nursing sister and mother of four, Sue Course, discovered a box of airmail letters in the dark recesses of a cupboard, written in German.

'Her German was rusty, but she could see that most were from her parents and grandparents and were written from the time of the Nazi invasion of Vienna in 1938. The letters revealed a gripping tale of their war and that of their extended family, the stories of those who escaped and eventually resettled across the globe, and their experiences in that process.

'The story was fleshed out through the later discovery of diaries and far-flung family members’ war memoirs. Lost Letters from Vienna provides a unique social history and insights into the lives of Sue’s wealthy Viennese Jewish family who, despite the centuries of persecution, managed to develop global businesses and achieve privileged lifestyles, enriched by the magnificent cultural and intellectual life that Vienna had become famous for. For Sue’s family, their entitlement to be remain a part of Viennese society and a citizen of the Austrian nation itself was lost when the Nazis annexed her country.

'Sue was just four when she arrived in Australia with her family, too young to appreciate the penurious circumstances of their life at a time where German-speaking foreigners were viewed as ‘enemy aliens’, and where there was little immediate opportunity for non-English-speaking professionals to find respect or employment in their professions. Antipodean life was a far cry from the genteel experience of being raised in Vienna, and this story documents superbly the displacement, dislocation and immense struggle for those who have had to flee their countries, with its destructive consequences: loss of identity, culture, career, family and social networks, or any acknowledgement of value to the host society.

'Growing up in suburban Melbourne, Sue became a nurse and activist, leading the 37-year reclamation process of the Darebin Parklands. Sue’s life has had its challenges, but it’s also been long and fulfilled. As one of the last remaining members of the Jewish families born in pre-war Vienna, she’s taken on the mantle of telling her family’s unique story.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Years ago, three young men, fired with idealism for Palestine’s second Intifada and fuelled by hashish, ventured on a clandestine transaction that left just one of them standing. Guns from Israel — bound for Gaza — in exchange for Egyptian hashish.

Many years later, the fight for freedom from Israel’s brutal occupation flared into another Israeli onslaught — another ‘war’. Amidst the bombardment of Gaza in 2014 — dreams and miracles were shattered for Farida and Fathi, caught in the clash of religious ideologies and the struggle to wrest or retain power.

At the same time angels brought two hearts together and when these lovers met, as in the Arabic phrase, their eyes saw no flaw. In their first pre-dawn encounter at a checkpoint queue, Adnan and Linah, on opposite sides of authority, had their minds convulsed and their eyes bloodied as a delirious young man was gunned down in the yellow-lit darkness of the night. She was an Israeli soldier on guard, he was a Palestinian commuter. While love blossomed, his friend Ali was served the cruellest of fates to embark down the long dark road of revenge.

What is Past is Dead, Twenty-two Years to Life and The Palace of Angels are stories of fighting for freedom by fighting with our defined selves. Behind Palestine’s struggle for self-determination are beautiful faces, not normally revealed in war. We are made to question how we find out who we really are and what we wish to become. They are the stories of the seeds of peace and co-existence, yearning to come to life on both sides of the fence, to break through the overburden of noxious politics.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'With her career down the toilet, a husband who was never home, a baby screaming non-stop and her cries for help falling on deaf ears, Megan Blandford spent years saying, “I’m fine”.

'Spoiler alert (not really): she wasn’t fine.

'I’m Fine (and other lies) is a touching true story of motherhood: the challenges it presents, and the hope that can be found within it.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The memoirs and paintings that Rod Moss has produced during the last 35 years are unique in their dramatisation of the lives of his trusting Aboriginal family and have been critically acclaimed nationally and internationally. In his third memoir we follow the nurturing of the curiosity and openness that has fastened him to the luminous power of Central Australia and its First Peoples. From the foothills of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges and his city-based art education, we are taken to arid-zone Victoria where he first embraces the climate most conducive to his well-being. He returns to the city and is invited to participate in Melbourne’s dynamic experimental small school movement. Then there’s a year in the USA studying the ‘spiritual’ teachings of Gurdjieff in a Shenandoah farm setting. Travel necessarily widens perceptions and continues to pique his curiosity. A trip to a Pilbra Indigenous community opens the door on the Aboriginal world that he will spend the rest of his life coming to terms with.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.