AustLit

'The extraordinary life story of a woman who is not only an outstanding athlete but a committed and articulate advocate for Aboriginal rights.

'Nova Peris's first memory is of Cyclone Tracy, and her life has been stormy ever since. A child of the stolen generations, she began carving out her own path from the time she was eighteen, when she went to Perth as a single mother with a two-year-old daughter, determined to become a champion athlete.

'She is the first track and field athlete to win international gold medals in two different sports; first in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a member of the Australian women's hockey team, and then in the 200 m and 4 x 100 m in the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

'She has always been a forceful advocate for Aboriginal rights, and is proudest of being Australia's first runner in the 2000 Olympic torch relay, running barefoot from Uluru.

'Nova is the many-faceted story of a complex, determined woman, who has achieved a great deal for herself, for her own people, and for Australia. It covers not only her brilliant athletic career, but also the often heartbreaking stories of her family, including her first meetings with her natural parents, her abusive first marriage, the media fuelled rivalry between herself and Cathy Freeman, her passionate belief in reconciliation and a treaty between Aboriginal and white Australians.

'Above all, this is the portrait of a woman who says: "I don't have tickets on myself, but I will back myself."' (Publication summary)