AustLit

Lily Bragge grew up with her siblings in the suburbs of Melbourne and in small rural towns. In the words of reviewer Kate Holden, her upbringing 'involved almost every kind of catastrophe that may befall a young woman in suburban Australia: sexual abuse, parental violence, emotional instability, depression, drug addiction, ill-fated romances, unexpected pregnancy, cancer, bereavement, domestic violence, loss of custody, suicide attempts, a great deal of partying.'

In her memoir, A Dirty Shiny Life, Lily tells the story of how she went from stealing coins and singing songs, to becoming a heroin addict in trouble with the law. The memoir also recounts how she became the mother of a much-beloved child, a short-lived career as a stand-up comedian, and her recovery from drug-addiction.

Bragge works as an arts reviewer.