Kathryn's Inbox

Wiradjuri author Anita Heiss has created a powerful historical fiction novel shaped around true events with Bila Yarrudhanggalanghuray. A story of home and belonging, the novel opens with an event that should be known to many Australians, the great flood of 1852 that almost destroyed the town of Gundagai and the local Wirajuri man, Yarri who saved the lives of many locals in his boat, working tirelessly to rescue all who were stranded. In  Bila Yarrudhanggalanghuray the author blends fact with fiction to tell the story of Wagadhaany, the daughter of Yarri who survives the flood.  Wagadhaany is working as a domestic servant for the powerful Bradley family. The Bradley family's ways are not like hers. They have imported many customs and traditions from England and believe their ways to be superior to the Wiradjuri people. Steadfastly ignorant and arrogant, they rename Wagadhaany "Wilma" pay her in rations for her services and leave her to sleep in a windowless room, w...

From the moment that I picked up my copy of Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms, I was utterly hooked. Not only is it a love story, it's a story set in Australia during World War Two from the perspective of people that this particular part of history often glosses over.  The novel opens with Hiroshi, a Japanese POW living in Australia. Along with many of his fellow prisoners, he manages to escape ... and finds himself alone--and ashamed--in a strange country that he does not understand but knows that he is the enemy. Through chance, he finds himself on Erambie Station, an Aboriginal mission, and he encounters Banjo Williams--a good, honest family man and member of the community, who knows the difference between right and wrong. With the help of his family, and some other members of the community, Banjo helps to hide Hiroshi, sharing what little they have, in a time of war when their people are not recognised as citizens and have few rights. Soon, Banjo's oldest daughter, Ma...