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Let's. Take a look. To take a look inside the book. Take a look...
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Hello and welcome to Hear This. I'm Frances Keyland, and you're listening to the Vision Australia Library radio show, talking about wonderful books in the Vision Australia Library collection. Today is no exception. We've got some wonderful samples, so I hope you enjoy the show.
Let's start off today with a couple of... tributes. The first one is to... Barbara Blackman, who recently passed away. Barbara Blackman was one of the founders of radio 2RPH. And she passed away on the 4th of October, 2024 at the age of 95. I'm reading here from the 2RPH website.
In her early 20s, Barbara was diagnosed with a degenerative condition, leaving her legally blind and after a period of despair. Barbara worked through the depression to reconcile with blindness, which she later described as a gift and a different kind of seeing. She was married to the famed Australian painter Charles Blackman for 27 years, with a second marriage to French philosopher Marcel Veldhoven. So 50 years ago, in a key turning point for broadcasting in Australia, the Whitlam government issued the first licence for community broadcasting, opening up the use of radio for a myriad of new purposes. And always the activist Barbara saw an opportunity.
Professor Neil Runcie was chair of Australia's first FM radio station and the second community radio licensee, the classical music station 2MBS-FM in Sydney. Barbara approached Neil with the idea of using radio as a way of giving people who are blind or with vision impairment access to published material, newspapers, books and magazines. Runcie took up the challenge, researched similar stations that had emerged in the US, and started a community based lobbying campaign for what was then called Radio for the Print Handicapped. 2RPH broadcasting. Radio reading services began in 1983.
Blackman was appointed officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 under her maiden and married name, Barbara Patterson Blackman, with the citation for distinguished services to the arts and to the community. As a supporter of artistic performance through philanthropic contributions, and as an advocate for people who are blind and partially sighted. We have a couple of Barbara Blackman's memoirs in the library: Certain Chairs and also Glass After Glass, Autobiographical Reflections that was published in 1997.
So in Glass After Glass, the uncompromising and perceptive autobiography of Barbara Blackman, poet, blind woman, wife and mother, the wife of Charles Blackman and friend of Joy Hester recounts her life amid a generation of artists and free spirits, revealing herself to be a woman of wisdom, humour and strength. Let's hear a sample of Glass After Glass by Barbara Blackman. It's narrated by Lisa Rogers.
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Four Oaks catered for a clientele of decent living, unattached gentlemen and ladies. Three only my mother, my aunt and me maintained in our corner wing to give an air of gentility to the house. We spent the war years there from Dunkirk until just after D-Day. There was a wide linoleum passageway straight down the middle of the house, between front and back doors that were never shut except on days of strong westerly wind and probably had no keys. The evening newspaper boy did a quick run through slipping telegraphs under the doorways of regulars and doing a bit of passing trade with the casuals sitting about on the low front porch or high back flight of steps and managing three evensong blasts of whistle in transit at one minute to six. Some 25 persons weighted, washed and dressed behind their closed doors.
At 6:00 precisely the dinner gong sounded. The residents burst like rabbits from burrows. At 6:01, every chair at table was taken and argument in progress as to which soup of the day it was Monday, Windsor soup. Tuesday. Cream of chicken. Wednesday. Tomato. Thursday Mulligatawny Friday. Cream of celery with sippets. Saturday. Pea and ham. Mrs. Cox, the landlady, kept a good table and a clean house. She had come to town from out west with three grown up sons, one lucky, one handsome and one crippled. She had been a station cook and cooked abundantly, with particular reference to the dessert section of the women's pages. Every evening there was a choice. Either or.
And every evening for five years, I ordered 50 over 50 indulging in such combinations as caramel pie with passion fruit, velvet magic lemon pudding with roly poly spotted dick with orange surprise, College pudding with jelly delight. And on Sundays, always plum pudding and fruit salad.
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And that was Glass after Glass by Barbara Blackman. Barbara is [spells name]. And that book goes for 13 hours and 45 minutes and I'm sure we'll hear a lot more. Barbara, Barbara Blackman donated her papers to the National Library of Australia. And I'm going to read here from a website called Deutscher and Hackett dot com - deutscherandhackett.com ...It's an auction site... but one of their catalogue texts... has this which I thought is really interesting.
Barbara was declared legally blind in 1950, and as her sight deteriorated, Blackburn was increasingly drawn into the world of words and literature by reading aloud to her. Blackman first encountered Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland as a talking book on Barbara's new talking book machine, resulting in the artist's celebrated Alice in Wonderland series from 1956 to 1957, full of distortions of scale and physical space, and the couple appear in the series as Carroll's key players, with Barbara as Alice and Charles as the White Rabbit. As Felicity, Saint John Moore has observed listening to the story again and again, he was struck by the parallels between the fabulous Alice and the real Barbara, including her distorting body image and her increasing spatial disorientation to which they were both then trying to adjust. A big round of applause and veil to Barbara Blackman
And we lost another... Australian identity and fabulous journalist, George Negus through the week. Another really sad one, especially remembering him as the robust and very masculine reporter on the ABC and on 60 minutes and SBS Dateline. There are a couple of books in the library by George Negus, and I'll play a sample of The World from Italy.
In early 1999, George Negus signed off from ABC TV's Foreign Correspondent program and took a much publicised year off in Italy with his journalist partner Kirsty Cockburn and their two young sons, Ned and Serge, trading their bush retreat in Bellingen for an apartment in San Giovanni Valdarno, a village high in the Tuscan hills outside Florence. Negus and his family absorbed themselves completely in the rhythms of Italian life. One of their forays into the bustling daily markets of Florence, they bought a t shirt which bore the words football is life. All the rest is mere detail.
So began Negus's journey into the heart and soul of Italian daily life and the holy trinity of football, food and politics. The world from Italy, football, food and politics uncovers a side of Italy that you won't find in guidebooks or Italian travel memoirs, and offers some thought provoking and challenging insights on how the world works today, how it could work, and how, despite their mad rush to nowhere in particular, the Italians still managed to go their own wonderful way. Let's hear a sample of the world from Italy by George Negus. It's narrated by Mike Bishop.
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The best question any journalist can ask: Why trust the Italians in their own delightful way to confuse the issue? Their word for why is perky. It's one of the first words you learn as you muddle your way through the early pages of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Teaching Yourself Italian. They also used the same word for because an instantly apparent contradiction that only the perspicacious Italians could possibly justify. But could they be on to something? The yin and yang of language, perhaps, or even the yin and yang of a lot more than just language.
This curious thought struck me back home in Australia in late 1998, when, with great monotony, friends and acquaintances were asking more or less the same quite reasonable question why? Why shoot through from the legendary lucky country, from God's own Paradise, even for a limited period. After all, if you believe most Australians, it's the greatest bloody joint on the face of the earth. If you have to leave at all, why Europe, and of all the places the remarkable continent of Europe has to offer, why Italy? Widely regarded as one of the world's more unaccomplished shambles? As a professional question asker and political journalist, I had to admit they weren't a bad set of questions.
On the other hand, the answers, most of them opening with perky, could leave a sufficiently large number of one eyed Australia philes offended enough for them to demand my family and I hand in our cherished and heavily stamped Australian passports. To be absolutely honest, the combination of Italian food, wine, music, art, architecture, language, people and culture, football that astonishingly ubiquitous global game at the very heart of Italian life, love, politics and culture.
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And that was the world from Italy by George Negus. George is [spells name]. There's a couple of other books by him that look really interesting as well. So The World from Italy is available in Braille as well as in audio. And then there is The World from Down Under - a Chat with Recent History, which is available in Braille and in audio... and that's where he talks about Australia. He talks about people as famous as Al Gore, Bob Geldof, Mikhail Gorbachev, Colonel Gaddafi, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and many more. Locking horns with the world's movers and shakers, he looks affectionately, if a bit skeptically, at how the land down under its politics, its people and its culture fits or doesn't fit into the wider global scheme of things.
So that is George Negus The World from Down Under. Also in Braille only, there is The World from Islam - a Journey of Discovery through the Muslim Heartland, which would be a really great thought-provoking book. The World from Islam, only available in Braille. So wishing a fond farewell to George Negus.
The next lot of books I'm going to play samples of are fairly recent releases into the library. The first one is by Judi Dench with Shakespeare, the Man Who Pays the Rent. This was published in 2023, and it's written in conjunction with Brendan O'Hare, taking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig, cavorting naked through Warwickshire countryside, painted green, acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head. These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare. For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra, In a series of intimate conversations with actor and director Brendan O'Hare.
She guides us through Shakespeare's plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters and backstage shenanigans. Interspersed with vignettes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, she serves up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare's most famous scenes, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour. Striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now.
Let's hear a sample of Shakespeare The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hara. There is a foreword narrated by Brendan O'Hare and Judi Dench, but the voice of Judi Dench. It's narrated by Barbara Flynn.
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In this book, there is a willow grows aslant the brook. The choses hoar leaves in the glassy stream there with fantastic gardens. Digicam Ophelia. Ophelia was your first professional role as an actor. How did you get the part?
At the end of my final year at Central School of Speech and Drama, we presented a showcase at the Wyndham's Theatre. There were a number of industry people there from different theatrical managements, one of whom was Julia Wootton. I think she was Michael Bentley's secretary, who at that time was running the Old Vic. I did, alas, now pray you work not so hard. Miranda's speech from The Tempest and a scene from Three Sisters, which I can't remember. Anyway, I was asked the following day to go and see them at the Vic. I thought it was to audition for a walk on part, or if I was lucky, to understudy.
After the audition, Michael took me aside. He was such a nice man, so softly spoken, and he said, I'd like you to come back tomorrow. Having learnt Ophelia's speech "Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown." So I returned the next day, performed the speech. He asked me my height, then said, I'm taking a huge risk. But I'd like you to play Ophelia. He swore me to secrecy. The only people I told were my parents.
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Do you remember the first day of rehearsal?
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God, I was terrified. Absolutely petrified. Because you don't know anything about anything. Especially when you're starting out. You just follow the herd, don't you? But it was also very exciting because we all knew we were there for the season. That's a whole year playing all sorts of parts in different plays and understudying. We met in the rehearsal room at the Old Vic, which was up at the top of the building. The previous company had just come back from an American tour and they were wearing great big badges saying, I love Elvis. And the rest of us had no idea who or what Elvis was.
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So that was a sample of Shakespeare, the Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hare. Judi is [spells name]. And that book goes for 12 hours. And I don't know if there's a mention of the late, great Maggie Smith in the book, but they were friends, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's... some mention of Maggie Smith in the book. There's also by Judi Dench, And Furthermore - which is another memoir, and that's also available in audio in the collection, written in conjunction with John Miller.
Another fairly new book in the library collection is The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83.25 years old. This is by Hendrik Gruen. Hendrik Gruen is 83.25 years old, and he has decided that it is time to make something of his life. He may be rich in years, but he refuses to give in to all the trappings of old age just yet. Hendrik's hilarious and touching diary documents his life as an OAP, living in a care home when he recruits some similarly young at heart friends to join his old but not dead club. Hendrik proves that love can blossom, rules can be broken, and fun is within reach even at their age. So begins a charming, poignant and moving novel that reminds us not to underestimate the oldest amongst us. Let's hear a sample of The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83.25 years old. It's narrated by Derek Jacobi.
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Sunday, the 13th of January. Last night, ever tossed six pink fondant fancies into the fish tank on the second floor? The goldfish gorged themselves silly. Their corpses are floating up there among the cake crumbs. All hell has broken loose. Everett simply excused himself during after dinner coffee, announcing he was going to the loo, then climbed the stairs, peering around to make sure no one saw him, and chucked the cakes he'd been hiding under his jacket into the water. He deposited the plastic wrapper neatly in the wastepaper basket. Not such a bright way to dispose of the evidence, I suppose, but luckily the cleaner has already been round to empty the bins. The fish tank is tucked away in a rather dark corner, so no one noticed anything last night.
The operation wasn't without risk. If he'd been nabbed, he'd have been obliged to call in the moving van, perhaps somewhere deep down. He doesn't care if he gets caught, even though whenever he's in a tight spot, he'll lie through his teeth and rant and rave, swearing he had nothing to do with it. That's how the game is played, he says. His philosophy the only point of being alive is to kill time as pleasantly as possible. The trick is not to take anything too seriously. I envy him, but I'm a fast learner. I myself was rather on edge yesterday because Evan had told me about the attack beforehand so that I could prepare a foolproof alibi for myself. It wasn't easy. I had to hang about in the conversation lounge until finally, a couple who live on my floor stood up to go upstairs. I'll walk with you for some company, I said. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs did give me a rather funny look.
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That was a sample of The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83.25 years old by Hendrik Groen. Hendrik is spelt [spells name]. And what a wonderful narration by amazing Derek Jacobi, the British actor. Penguin Australia called this book The new life-affirming, hilarious and heartwarming fictional diary from the beloved octogenarian and internationally best selling author. And it fits so well into... a lot of books that have been coming out, which are fabulous about... people rebelling against the conformity and rules of aged care living, and slyly and playfully playing on people's low expectations of what they're capable of.
And if you're wondering how real the book is, or how much it's based on real life, Hendrik was born in 1952, so he's a Dutch man of 72 years, and he started this pseudonymous diary on literary website Torpedo magazine. And he says about his first novel, There's not one sentence that's a lie, but not every word is true. And Hendrik Groen is the pseudonym of Peter De Smet, and he really did try to stay out of the limelight. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. People tried to find out the real author for a long time. It was published in the Netherlands in 2014. So just to repeat, it is a fictional novel, by... so Hendrik Groen is a character.
Now to a mystery. And this is by Dervla McTiernan. And it is What Happened to Nina? Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love until they leave for a weekend at his family's cabin in Vermont. And only Simon comes home. What happened to Nina? Nobody knows. Simon's explanation about what happened in their last hours together doesn't add up. Nina's parents pushed the police for answers, and Simon's parents rushed to protect him. They hire expensive lawyers and a PR firm that quickly ramps up a vicious nothing is off limits media campaign.
Soon, facts are lost in a swirl of accusation and counter-accusation. Everyone chooses a side and the story goes viral, fueled by armchair investigators and wild conspiracy theories, and illustrated with pretty pictures taken from Nina's social media accounts. Journalists descend on their small Vermont town, followed by a few obsessive fans. Nina's family is under siege, but they never lose sight of the only thing that really matters finding their daughter. Outgunned by Simon's wealthy, powerful family, Nina's parents recognise that if playing by the rules won't get them anywhere, it's time to break them.
Let's hear a sample of What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan. It's narrated by numerous narrators. There are multiple characters in this book, so everybody gives their points of view.
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My name is Nina Fraser. There's a good chance that you know who I am. You've probably seen my picture online and heard my story. And if you have, I guess you've already judged me. I mean, not in public, because victim blaming is a bad look, but in the privacy of your own head. Some quiet part of you probably thinks I was stupid or weak or both. Maybe you think that if I'd just stood up for myself. If I'd just walked away, everything would have been okay. I'm not going to argue with you or try to convince you that you're wrong. I just want to say a thing can be crystal clear with hindsight, but just about as clear as mud when you're actually living it. Also, sometimes it's the walking away that gets you in trouble.
So like I said, I'm Nina. I'm 20 years old. I have a sister, Grace, and two parents, and I'm a climber. You know all of that already. If you've read my story online. Here's some stuff people don't know. I have calluses on my fingertips, a scar on my knee and another on my elbow, both from falls. I love to climb. When I'm on the mountain, I can't think about anything except my fingers wedged into a crevasse and my feet balance just so. And the route ahead. I never think about what lies beneath me. When I reach the top, I sit and I breathe. And I look out over the valley. I look back over the route and I work out how I could have climbed it better.
If you know anything, you know that I have a boyfriend named Simon Jordan. Simon and I met in school when we were five years old. In middle school, we became friends. When we were 16, we fell in love. It's important to me that you know that it was really good between us. I won't say that Simon was perfect because no one on this earth is perfect. But if there were such a thing as a perfect first boyfriend for an awkward girl who did not know who she was, than he was that he laughed at my jokes.
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That's a sample of What Happened to Nina by Dervla McTiernan. Dervla is spelt [spells author's name]. And that book goes for ten hours and 50 minutes. Dervla McTiernan is a very popular mystery author. She is also the writer of The Ruin, which was part one in the Cormac Riley series of mysteries. And there's part two, The Scholar and part three The Good Turn. So that's three books from the Cormac Riley series. And there's also The Murder Rule, another standalone mystery novel, as her name would suggest. Dervla McTiernan is an Irish author, but she now lives in Western Australia and has won quite a few awards here in Australia.
And she says, and I'm reading here from Dervla McTiernan dot com - and as usual, if you do enjoy her books, as with any of the authors that you read or listen to, it's always a good idea just to send them, if you're so inclined, send them a message. Most writers just love to hear from people who just enjoy their books for whatever reason. And that feedback is is quite valuable. Often writing can be a lonely process, and getting positive feedback can be motivational for writers to keep going and what they're doing. And we can thank her move to Australia for her writing career.
A question is asked on her website here: You emigrated to Australia in 2011. Did that move affect your writing? And she says, Absolutely. I don't think I would be a writer today, and I wouldn't have a book deal if I had stayed in Ireland. I studied law at university, and though I knew from day one that it wasn't right for me, I stuck it out through two degrees and the global financial crisis decimated my legal practice. And then I saw Tana French speak about her book Broken Harbour, which is set in one of the ghost housing estates that was left in Ireland after the property crash. So that was the beginning of her thinking. I will write a book.
And Broken Harbour is in the library collection by Tana French, and it's part four of the Dublin Murder Squad series. But the first book is In the Woods - a Dublin Murder Squad part one, In the Woods by Tana French.
Thank you so much for joining us on Hear This today. I'm Frances Keyland, and thank you for any of the suggestions that you're forwarding through. I will have them on the program and welcoming any others that you can think of. Any books that you... really enjoy? I'd love to hear about those. If you would like to join the library, or find out more about the sorts of books or what library events are on, through Zoom or online events, you can call the library on 1300 654 656. That's 1300 654 656. Or you can email the library at Vision Australia dot org - that's library@visionaustralia.org ... Have a lovely week and we'll be back next week with more Hear This.
