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Anne Deveson Anne Deveson i(A31139 works by)
Born: Established: 19 Jun 1930 Kuala Lumpur,
c
Malaysia,
c
Southeast Asia, South and East Asia, Asia,
; Died: Ceased: 12 Dec 2016
Gender: Female
Arrived in Australia: ca. 1942
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Works By

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1 6 y separately published work icon Waging Peace : Reflections on Peace and War From an Unconventional Woman Anne Deveson , Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2013 Z1932762 2013 single work autobiography

'Looking back on a long and active life, Anne Deveson draws on a rich vein of public and private experiences to reflect on what made her the bold social commentator she became. Central among her lifelong preoccupations have been the questioning of war, and the promotion of peace.


Deveson describes her childhood during the Second World War in Britain, which prompted her family's evacuation to Malaya just before invasion by the Japanese, and further evacuation to Australia as refugees in 1942. At the end of the war, they returned to a devastated London to find people lining the pavements begging for food and, during the coldest winter on record, sleeping in the streets.

Returning to Australia in 1956, Deveson built a career (unusual in the 1960s for a young mother) as a provocative commentator on issues of social justice and equality, and, as a member of the groundbreaking and controversial Commission into Human Rights, she argued passionately for the disadvantaged.


We share with her, through dramatic filming experiences in Africa, horror at the traumas of conflict and the need to understand its resolution. Deveson reflects on human yearning for a peaceful space in which ordinary family life may be lived - often taken for granted, too often lost.


Deveson's unique voice, her humour and humility shine through this memoir of experiences and ideas. She argues persuasively that, were we to wage peace with all the resources and passion that we wage war, differences could be resolved, and peace restored. (Publisher's blurb)

1 Show Me, She Said Anne Deveson , 2009 single work autobiography
— Appears in: Grandma Magic : True Stories by and about Grandmothers 2009; (p. 283-295)
1 Coming of Age Anne Deveson , 2008 single work autobiography
— Appears in: Growing Old Disgracefully : 35 Australians Reflect on Life over 50 2008; (p. 89-98)
1 Foreword : Good Times, Bad Times Anne Deveson , 2007 single work column
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian Magazine , 3-4 February 2007; (p. 12)
1 The Man Who Escaped Anne Deveson , 2005 single work essay
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 65 no. 2 2005; (p. 60-70) The Best Australian Essays 2006 2006; (p. 51-62)
'This is a story about survivor guilt: the guilt of a complex and troubled man, who felt he should have become a prisoner of war, even though he was a civilian. It is also about my father.' (Author's note)
1 Legacy of Love for a Lost Son Anne Deveson , 2004 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 18-19 December 2004; (p. 13)

— Review of Jem : A Father's Story John Little , 2004 single work autobiography
1 On My Bedside Table : Anne Deveson Anne Deveson , 2003 single work column
— Appears in: The Age , 6 September 2003; (p. 6)
1 7 y separately published work icon Resilience Anne Deveson , Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2003 Z1042708 2003 single work autobiography

'Some people find the resilience to overcome adversity and suffering while others are overwhelmed and despair. Anne Deveson wanted to understand better why, and how, individuals and communities develop resilience.

Anne's long career as journalist, documentary-maker and social-justice activist offered rich insights into the stories of the many spirited people and groups she has encountered in spheres such as disaster aid, war, mental illness, family breakdown and human rights. From her own life experience, she draws on vivid personal memoir (often refreshingly candid, such as the surprise of falling in love at nearly seventy, only to lose her soul-mate to cancer, which happened during the course of writing the book). In addition, Anne marshals information and recent research that has shed new light on her own understanding of resilience.

Her exploration is an engaging intellectual and personal journey, bringing together factual research, memoir and reflection, with wisdom and gritty humour. It will be an inspiration to all victims of life's 'slings and arrows', as well as to those hoping to nurture in the young, or in their community, the resilience demanded by times of relentless change and growing insecurity.' (Allen & Unwin)

1 Postcards from Over the Edge Anne Deveson , 2003 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 17-18 May 2003; (p. 14-15)

— Review of Recovered Not Cured : A Journey Through Schizophrenia Richard McLean , 2003 single work autobiography
1 9 y separately published work icon Lines in the Sand Anne Deveson , Ringwood : Viking , 2000 Z343163 2000 single work novel

'In 1975, at the age of twenty, Hannah Coady thinks she can change the world. Fiery and idealistic, she proves her mettle as a journalist in the terrible famine in Ethiopia, and is changed forever by the experience. But it's not just the starvation and the politics that change her, it's the beginning of a great love for two remarkable men: Waldo, a cynical but endearing British filmmaker, and Ezekiel, a Rwandan radical whose fervour is a match for Hannah's own.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

1 Please Releash Me Anne Deveson , 1998 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 7 November 1998; (p. 11)

— Review of Walking Ella : A Dog-Day Dossier Robert Drewe , 1998 single work prose
1 Back on the Campaign Trail Anne Deveson , 1998 single work column
— Appears in: Australian Author , April-July vol. 30 no. 1 1998; (p. 4-5)
1 Editorial : Open Debate is Critical Issue Anne Deveson , 1997 single work column
— Appears in: Australian Author , Summer vol. 29 no. 3 1997; (p. 4)
1 A Year of King Tides Anne Deveson , 1997 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australian Author , Autumn vol. 29 no. 1 1997; (p. 7-8)
1 What Price Poetry? Anne Deveson , 1996 single work column
— Appears in: Australian Author , Summer vol. 28 no. 3 1996; (p. 8-9)
1 1 Arts Money is About Excellence, Not Making a Living for Writers Anne Deveson , 1995 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Australian , 8 November 1995; (p. 25)
1 Council Should be Wary of Efficiency Before Effectiveness Anne Deveson , 1995 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 20 November 1995; (p. 15)
1 [Untitled] (from Tell Me I'm Here) Anne Deveson , 1994 extract autobiography
— Appears in: Images and Reflections : Exploring Australian Non-Fiction 1994; (p. 56-59)
1 5 y separately published work icon Tell Me I'm Here Anne Deveson , Ringwood : Penguin , 1991 Z941274 1991 single work autobiography

'This is the compelling story of Jonathan, a charming teenager who turns into a fearful and tormented young man; it is also the heart-rending story of a mother facing the realisation that her child is going mad. First published in 1991, this book has become a classic, and is as moving and as relevant today as it ever was. This 1998 edition has been updated with a new Foreword from the author detailing the effects this book has had on society, both in Australia and worldwide; a new Afterword which discusses the advances in treatments for schizophrenia and developments in community attitudes and programs for mental illnesses in general; and a new, up-to-date section on Where to Go for Help.' (Publication Summary from revised 1998 edition)

1 form y separately published work icon Do I Have to Kill My Child? Anne Deveson , Donald Crombie , ( dir. Donald Crombie ) Australia : C. I. D. Productions Nine Network , 1976 7388987 1976 single work film/TV

'A disturbing drama about a young mother who bashes her baby. The woman is lonely, cannot cope with her domestic responsibilities, and does not want her third baby. She desperately needs help, but her mother, husband, doctor, neighbour and clinic sister do not understand - until the baby ends up in hospital with a fractured skull.'

Source: Screen Australia. (Sighted: 22/5/2014)

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