Sheilas by Eliza Reilly
Described by author Eliza Reilly as an entertaining romp through Australian history from a woman's perspective, she has admirably set out to set the record straight. The book is full of sarcasm and satire, obviously written by an Australian - cheeky, funny, irreverent and celebratory. Don’t be put off by the coarse language, it is all part of the charm of this book.
The illustrations by artist John Gould (1848), at the beginning of each chapter, add to the book’s allure.
I have selected only some of the heroines mentioned, since there is not time to mention them all. These include:
Mary Ann Bugg – bushranger
Catherine Hay Thornton – asylum visitor
Jennie Baines and Muriel Matters – Australian suffragettes
Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie – Olympic swimmers
Lores Bonney – pioneer aviator
Nancy Wake – World War II spy
Faith Bandler AC MBE – activist and political agitator
Merle Thornton AM – writer, feminist, and academic
Deborah Lawrence – first commercial airline pilot
You can always borrow the book and learn more. I defy anyone to rate it anything less than the five stars it richly deserves, even if you are a bloke.
Christopher (RC)
Format
eAudiobooks
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