Book Reviews
For CLAN members, if you have enjoyed a particular book, please let us know by writing a review to appear on the web site and/or our newsletter. Featured below, some Book reviews received todate.
|
Review by Denise Brooks (ex Goodwood Orphange Resident, SA) Title: Forgiveness and Other Acts of Love By Stephanie Dowrick How could I be surprised that such and insightful and nourishing book would be written by a person who has been to hell and back in their own life? To my amazement about half the way through this book I found out on pages 170, 171, 172,17 |
|
Review by Dee Michell, CLAN member Title: Mothering Overselves By Evelyn S Bassoff My mother abandoned six of us. My foster mother used me like a servant, emotionally and verbally abused me. So it was with some trepidation that I read "Mothering Ourselves. Help and Healing for Adult Daughters" by Evelyn S Bassoff (Plume. NY 1991). |
|
Review by Di Chapman, CLAN member Title: A Start in Life - The history of the William Thompson Masonic School 1922-1988 By Beverley Earnshaw Just a short review of the book - a Start in Life! First let me say that I learned a few things about the place which I didn't know before. |
|
Review by Denise Brooks Title: The Golly in the Cupboard By Phil Frampton Phil Frampton has a great command of the English language and tells a very spirited and passionate story. He provides a context about the social circumstances relating to the conception of baby boy. Conceived by a mother a white English Music student/ Tea |
|
Review by Denise Brooks Title: Women on the Move By Anne McLay Mercy's Triple Spiral - a history of the Adelaide Sisters of Mercy, Ireland to Argentina 1856 - 1880 to South Australia 1880 |
|
Review by John Dunne, NSW Title: Nightmare at Neerkol By Garnett Williams Nightmare at Neerkol is a book based on the author's own experiences at Neerkol. John Dunne, who wrote this review, was at Neerkol from 1933 to 1947. |
|
Review by Kerry, CLAN member NSW Title: Unseen, Unheard, Unknown By Sarah Hamilton-Byrne She was adopted as a baby, and systematically abused, beaten, manipulated with drugs and starved - all under the guise of spiritual advancement via a religious cult known as 'The Family' |
|
Review by Bill, CLAN member Title: The Long Way Home By Kate Shayler This has to one of the best and most honest books I have ever read, with a nice, easy literary style. I left Burnside about the time Kate arrived, and although being in the Boys' section which was not quite the same, I was able to relate to everything |
|
Review by Elaine Herman, CLAN member Title: The Envelope By Maurice Wills I thoroughly enjoyed "The Envelope", it is a great book. Ted is the narrator, unfolding this story, he has crystal clear recall of his many years, at an orphanage. It is breathtaking reading, his meticulous eye to detail is amazing |
|
Review by Dorothy Harrison (nee Byfield), CLAN member Title: The Bean Patch By Shirley Painter The full horror of this book's title only becomes clear towards the end. Shirley chose to write her memoir to present the reader with the same gaps, the same clues and the same dilemmas as she had, so the effect would be the same. |
|
Review by Trish Harley, CLAN member Title: Suffer little children By Dereck O The truth behind the cover-ups not only by the church but the Irish Government, are finely revealed. This is the inside story told by the victims who experienced a life of fear and brutality in Ireland's reform schools, Industrial schools, orphanages |
|
Review by Barbara Maison, CLAN member Title: Out of darkness By Ivor A Knight Ivor Knight's story is comparable to the other expos I have read; 'When Innocence Trembles' and 'Empty Cradles' [both in the CLAN library], all full of similar details of physical, psychological, emotional and sexual abuses perpetrated |
|
Review by Laurie, QLD CLAN member Title: Getting the Love you want By Harville Hendrix "Getting the love we want" is a very easy read and does explain many of the reasons as to how and why we make decisions. We all have experiences as young and often as very young children, which in later years affect our decision making, "good or bad" |
|
Review by Frank Golding, CLAN member Title: Freedom of Angels By Bernadette Fahey With this excellent book you get two stories for the price of one. The first is Bernadette's vivid memories of life in an Irish orphanage run by the Sisters of Mercy. She was taken there at the age of seven by her mother and stayed until she was sixte |
|
Review by Frank Golding, CLAN member Title: Forgotten Children By Christian Wolmar This is a book about a series of scandals that occurred in children's homes over the past 30 years. It focuses on the UK but the book touches lightly on similar scandals in countries like Australia and Canada. |
