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amyapple's review against another edition
3.0
Although if is not written very well, the overall story is quite interesting especially if you have no idea what it was like to be of Aboriginal descent in the 60s and before it really.
It starts of very slowly and the pacing does pick up a little but there seems to be a lot of filler and repetition in the book when stories from different people are retold.
Probably some extra editing would have been good but all in all it’s a story that has to be told and Australians should all have a read to understand.
It starts of very slowly and the pacing does pick up a little but there seems to be a lot of filler and repetition in the book when stories from different people are retold.
Probably some extra editing would have been good but all in all it’s a story that has to be told and Australians should all have a read to understand.
cleoharper's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so beautiful! The story is incredible, and one that should be told more often. The colonial aspect is something that hit close to home, and the intertwining stories are just so poignant. Highly recommend this to everyone!
the_cats_pyjamas's review against another edition
5.0
A captivating and heartfelt autobiography that I believe every Australian should read. Sally Morgan is an incredible writer
klemistry's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
The prose in this book isn't nec ssarily perfect but Sally has an extremely engaging voice and a fascinating, albeit upsetting, story to tell. Seems insane to me as an Australian that this book isn't studied or recommended more frequently in schools as it's one of the most emotionally affecting records of the horrible injustices perpetrated against Indigenous Australians that I've ever read. It's also a wonderful glimpse into what it was like to grow up - poor - in the 60s and 70s in Australia.
melodys_library's review against another edition
4.0
The first time I read this, it was required reading for a class I took as a freshman in college. I don’t think I appreciated it enough then.
wetherspoonsgf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
not a huge fan of how this executed its main premise, though interestingly i think it deliberately tries to frustrate you as a reader, which i like.
it feels a little too willing to let 1987-present australia wipe its hands of a lot of racism, and readings where it doesn't do that rely on an amount of faith in the narrative & construction that i can't quite find.
that said, i don't want to place unfair expectations on the book as an object of postcolonial literature, it's not as cut and dry as 'i didn't like it', but also, i didn't hugely like it. justice for nan.
it feels a little too willing to let 1987-present australia wipe its hands of a lot of racism, and readings where it doesn't do that rely on an amount of faith in the narrative & construction that i can't quite find.
that said, i don't want to place unfair expectations on the book as an object of postcolonial literature, it's not as cut and dry as 'i didn't like it', but also, i didn't hugely like it. justice for nan.
nedge's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
5.0
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
I am so glad someone reminded me of this book, it has been on my tbr for a long time.
Although this is a sad book in a lot of ways, there are so many wonderful stories told by Sally's family, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sally Morgan believed that she was part Indian growing up in 1950s Australia, until she did some research (and constantly pestering her mother, Gladys and Nan), she found that she was Aboriginal. She dug deeper to understand her roots.
Although this is a sad book in a lot of ways, there are so many wonderful stories told by Sally's family, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sally Morgan believed that she was part Indian growing up in 1950s Australia, until she did some research (and constantly pestering her mother, Gladys and Nan), she found that she was Aboriginal. She dug deeper to understand her roots.
bookslut007's review against another edition
5.0
Ow my heart. This book was unreal. Fantastically written. I’m kind of speechless I don’t know quite what to say... but what a beautiful spiritual people the aboriginal are. Deeply moving. My heart hurts for the generations of pain these people have endured, yet their spirits stay strong. I hope one day the aboriginal people of this land get the respect they so dearly deserve.