Want reading suggestions? Look no further!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BLOG WAS CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

This guide contains information about a collection of stories, selected to encourage the older community. To let them know that they still can have a voice in today’s society and their wealth of experiences can still contribute. These titles may also provide inspiration to the younger generations, to show them what may be achieved through perseverance and hard work and also provides a small window into the modern history of our nation. This collection features a number of well-known Australians who have influenced Australian society in their own way and continue to do so by being a mentor for the younger generations. This list is only the tip of the iceberg.

For further reading suggestions, please see one of the friendly team members at your local library.

Monday 30 April 2012

Australian Story: Stories of Courage, Determination and Love by Graham Bauer



Title: Australian Story: Stories of Courage, Determination and Love
Author: Graham Bauer
ISBN: 9780733329906
Number of Pages: 320
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers Australia
Place of Publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2012
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 23.4 x 15.3
Audience: General

Description:  Number four in a series of book titles based on the popular ABC television series Australian Story. Featured in this volume are a number of Australians who stories inspire and encourage, including Teddy Sheean and Captain Hec Waller, two WWII veterans; Jan Cameron, an advocate for ethical animal treatment in factory farms and Sam Goddard, who wakes from his coma for an hour every day.

"I am amazed that people remember the smallest details of the stories that have most touched them and which, in a surprising number of cases, have altered their own attitudes and choices in life" Caroline Jones

Other titles in the Australian Story book series

Publisher's Website




Margaret Whitlam by Susan Mitchell


Title: Margaret Whitlam
Author: Susan Mitchell
ISBN: 9781741664874
Number of Pages: 416
Publisher: Random House Australia
Place of Publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2007
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 19.7 x 13.0 x 2.9
Weight (kg): 0.3
Audience: General

Description: Margaret Whitlam has been a popular public figure for many years, including being known as the wife of a very vocal Prime Minister. An authorised biography, Mitchell had access to both Whitlam and her personal collections of letters, diaries and other paranperphinalia. From Bondi girl to Australia’s First Lady, Whitlam influenced a great many people and is considered one of Austrlia’s treasures – even now moreso since her recent passing.

"I came to represent all the ungainly people, the too-tall ones, the too-fat ones and the housebound as I had been, who'd never get the chance to go to China or Buckingham Palace and experienced it all through me" Margaret Whitlam

Author's Website




 

Letters to my Daughter by Sir Robert Menzies and Heather Henderson




Title: Letters to my Daughter
Author: Sir Robert Menzies and Heather Henderson
ISBN: 9781742669687
Number of Pages: 320
Publisher: PIER 9/Murdoch Books Pty Limited Australia
Place of publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2011
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 210 x 135mm
Audience: General

Description:  Personal letters written from former Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies to his only daughter during her lifetime. These letters themselves tell the story of a political heavyweight in Australia’s history and expose Menzies to not only be a great leader but a man of great intelligence and wit. Discover what was going through the mind of this man during his time in the spotlight.

‘Menzies was a very accomplished writer and the combination of geniality and acerbity is winning.’ The Age


Author Information

Publisher's Website





Hazel: My Mother’s Story by Sue Pieters-Hawke



Title: Hazel: My Mother’s Story
Author: Sue Pieters-Hawke

ISBN: 9781742611471
Number of Pages: 400
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia Pty, Limited
Place of publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2011
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 24.4 x 15.8 x 3.5
Weight (kg): 0.848
Audience: General

Description:  Authored by Sue Pieters-Hawke, the daughter of ex-prime minister Bob Hawke and his then wife, Hazel, this is the story of the woman who supported her husband during his time of rising through the ranks of the Australian Labor Party to become Prime Minister. Then, despite their marriage publically falling apart, Hazel continued in her community work role, supporting many organisations that support the underprivileged. Written from the position of daughter, this is the story of one of Australia’s well-loved women and her multiple roles as wife, Australia’s first lady, community work advocate and Alzheimers sufferer.


Author's Website


Publisher's Website





Thursday 19 April 2012

A Cook's Life by Stephanie Alexander




Title: A Cook's Life
Author: Stephanie Alexander
ISBN: 9781921382789
Number of Pages: 368
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Place of Publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2012
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Weight (kg): 24.0
Audience: General

Description: From librarian to au pair, restaurateur to cookbook author, Stephanie Alexander is one of Australia’s most popular chefs. Penning a number of titles including The Cook’s Companion, Kitchen Garden Companion and Kitchen Garden Cooking with Kids, Alexander’s books are seen in many home kitchens around the country. A personal account of her growth to fame, her struggles and successes, A Cook’s Life may be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys fine food, and enjoying the edible fruits of their labours.


Author's Website

Publisher's Website




Wednesday 18 April 2012

Pole to Pole: One Man, 20 Million Steps by Pat Farmer


Title: Pole to Pole: One Man, 20 Million Steps
Author: Pat Farmer
ISBN: 9781742377841
Number of Pages: 352
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Place of Publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2012
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 23.5 x 15.5
Weight (kg): 0.525
Audience: General

Description:  Widower, Australian politician, Australian Achiever of the Year 2000, Pat Farmer ran 21,000 kilometres through 14 countries, from the North Pole to the South Pole, in what took almost a year. Pole to Pole is a personal account of the journey. Facing temperature extremes, wild animals and a number of injuries, Farmer continued to run against the odds until the end. Gain an insight into how an individual faces daily challenges to complete a mammoth task, through determination and perseverance.

Pat Farmer has run a number of other marathons for charity including: raising over $3 million for Diabetes Australia, Lifeline, Careflight International and the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research. Farmer also ran 14,964 kilometres in the Centenary of Federation run, around Australia in 1999, a record-breaking achievement.

Author's Website

Publisher's Website





Tuesday 17 April 2012

I'm Over All That and Other Confessions by Shirley MacLaine



Title: I'm Over All That and Other Confessions
Author: Shirley MacLaine
ISBN: 9780857204400
Number of Pages: 224
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Limited
Place of Publisher: Sydney, Australia
Year: 2012
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 13.2 x 1.9
Weight (kg): 0.219
Audience: General

Description:  Not one to shy away from sharing her experiences or opinions, Shirley MacLaine is among a select group of long-standing Hollywood actors who have “been there and done that”. Filled with little anecdotes on the trials of getting older in age and yet still feeling young, MacLaine has an opinion on everything. If you enjoy this one, there’s a number of other titles all penned by MacLaine that are sure to impress and inspire as well.


Author's Website

Other books by Shirley MacLaine