AustLit

'The subtitle promises “the remarkable life” of Edith Coleman, but remarkable how? As Danielle Clode tells it, it comes across as remarkable in the sense of noteworthy, rather than extraordinary. Which is fine – by all means, let’s take note – but is there a book in it?' (Introduction)

'Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia is a mosaic, its more than 50 tiles –  short personal essays with unique patterns, shapes, colours and textures – coming together to form a powerful portrait of resilience. Some contributors, such as footballer Adam Goodes and opera singer Deborah Cheetham, are well known, others less so. Editor Anita Heiss has also included the stories of educators, journalists, military veterans, musicians, elders and students, many of whom are here published for the first time. Some had happy childhoods and others nightmarish ones, some grew up in their own families and others were stolen from them. They describe different paths to Aboriginal identity against the background of a nation that has yet to come fully to grips with a legacy of massacre, dispossession and persistent racism.' (Introduction)

'In her poem “Simply Yarning”, Charmaine Papertalk Green writes:

'Yarning is a beautiful conversation / From that moment / That space / That time / Yarning puts us on common ground.

'Her co-author John Kinsella responds warmly with his own hymn to the art of yarning:

'How can I but take up the call, / Charmaine, and yarn right back at you / – it’s what we do when we connect, / have a yarn about this and that.' (Introduction)