Leaving a mark on history is usually the result of courage, but it always starts by simply making a stand.
Since 2009, Australian journalist Michael Burge has written about single-minded individuals who faced fear, grief and oppression, yet went through with defiant acts of social and cultural rebellion.
Many of them got a very bad name in the process, or had their motives shrouded in mystery.
Pluck is Michael’s re-examination of several divas, dilettantes, groundbreakers, chameleons, rebels and heroes faced with crossroads, comebacks and reinventions.
From international cultural figures such as Whitney Houston, Meryl Streep and Angela Lansbury, and writers E. M. Forster, Agatha Christie, William Shakespeare and Helene Hanff; to lesser-known artists such as Australia’s unsung costume designer Orry-Kelly and England’s wayward Brontë brother Branwell, Michael digs deep into extraordinary lives.
Along the way, he records encounters with people whose courage put them in the line of critical fire, through coming out, such as Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe; and through making a stand for the sake of their working style, like Australian actor Judy Davis.
This fascinating collection reveals new perspectives on fame but also sheds a timely light on lives which may never be acclaimed, yet went where angels fear to tread.
Jadual kandungan
Don’t fuck with Judy Davis Mrs Christie would kill for a holiday Shakespeare – a farmer who cultivated words Matthew Flinders – navigating prejudice Carbon Cate’s direct action on the cultural cringe Orry-Kelly – the costume King from Kiama The false start we gave Ian Thorpe Alan Bennett – the mystery boy Katie Webb and the Cave Girls Tony and Bern Sutton – equality people Dymphna Cusack & Florence James – literary chicks Margaret Betts – tree planter Lottie Lyell – the sentimental girl Janet Mays – forging independence Angela Lansbury – the sharpest battleaxe Helene Hanff – lady of letters Annie Lennox – tarnished angel Grit & Gentility Nellie Melba and the daffodil farmer The soul searching of Whitney Houston Branwell Brontë – literature’s never-was Beryl Guertner – decor queen Sumner Locke Elliot – loved us and left us
Peter Allen – the jazziest bush poet The wilderness years of Meryl Streep The writer’s block of E. M. Forster
Mengenai Pengarang
Michael Burge is an Australian author and journalist who lives at Deepwater in the New England region of NSW with his husband and their dogs. After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Michael undertook media studies in the United Kingdom. His non-fiction debut ‘Questionable Deeds: Making a stand for equal love’ lifted the lid on familial and institutional homophobia in Australia during the marriage equality campaign. Michael has written, edited, directed and broadcast for Fairfax Media, Intermedia, United News & Media, Margo Kingston’s No Fibs and a range of lifestyle mastheads. He is director of the annual High Country Writers Festival in Glen Innes. His complete works can be found at www.burgewords.com. ‘Tank Water’ is his first novel.
Lebih banyak ebook daripada pengarang yang sama / Penyunting
47,207 Ebooks dalam kategori ini
