Biographers in Conversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, memoirist Lamisse Hamouda chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting The Shape of Dust. Lamisse co-authored this deeply disturbing account with her father Hazem Hamouda. It chronicles Hazem's wrongful arrest in Egypt and Lamisse's desperate 443-day struggle to free him from Tora, one of Egypt's most notorious prisons. The Shape of Dust won the 2024 National Biography Award. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: The meaning of the book's title The Shape of Dust Why Lamisse and Hazem decided to craft The Shape of Dust when it risked triggering the horrific trauma of their experiences Why Lamisse framed the story around trauma How Lamisse navigated multiple languages, cultures and worlds while crafting The Shape of Dust Why Lamisse structured the book in three parts, with Part One comprising first-person accounts of what happened day by day, with Lamisse and Hazem taking it in turns to narrate their experiences Lamisse's literary choices to reduce the terror and brutality of Hazem's experiences for them as the authors and their readers Lamisse's ethical decisions on which aspects of Hazem's story to share The extent to which Lamisse self-censored her commentary about Egyptian and Australian politics; Australia's consular services in Egypt; and Australian journalists How writing The Shape of Dust has changed Lamisse's perception of colonisation and systemic racism in Australia.  

The name Miles Franklin might sound familiar to you. After all, she wrote My Brilliant Career, a debut novel that made her an overnight literary sensation at the age of 21. However, here's the plot twist: just two years after that success, Miles Franklin vanished from the public eye. Where did she go? And what did she do during those ‘lost' years? That's the mystery we're here to unravel in this episode of Biographers in Conversation when Dr Kerrie Davies chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about Miles Franklin Undercover: The Little-Known Years When She Created Her Own Brilliant Career.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Miles Franklin's extraordinary life Kerrie's discovery of an unpublished manuscript that describes Mile's ‘undercover' activities as a domestic servant How Kerrie portrays Miles's evolution from a novelist to domestic servant then women's right activist How Miles's character drives the plot of Miles Franklin Undercover How Kerrie balances Miles's strong literary voice with her own as the narrator How Kerrie contextualises Miles's life and choices within their broader historical, social and cultural landscape The literary devices Kerrie employs to craft captivating narrative while staying true to the historical record The crucial importance of uncovering hidden chapters of history, reminding us that even our celebrated figures have untold stories waiting to be discovered.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the distinguished British biographer Oliver Soden chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about his choices while crafting Jeoffry: The Poet's Cat. Jeoffry was a real cat who lived in a London asylum with Christopher Smart, an 18th-century poet. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: How Virginia Woolf's Flush: A Biography, the imaginative biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's cocker spaniel, influenced Oliver Soden's choices while crafting The Poet's Cat How Oliver cleverly used Jeoffry as a lens through which to explore Christopher Smart's character, personality and often troubled life How Oliver retraced Jeoffry's and Christopher Smart's real and imagined footsteps in 18th-century London, discovering its vibrant cast of characters such as King George, the composer Handel and Samuel Johnson, one of the towering figures of British literature How Oliver balanced fact and fiction given his admission that ‘the dividing line between fact and fiction is necessarily wobbly' in The Poet's Cat, and ‘sometimes one is disguised as the other' How Oliver accessed Jeoffry's interior life and inner monologue, enabling him to write from the perspective of an 18th-century alley cat How Oliver shifted from the traditional, scholarly tone and narrative style of his biographies of the composer Michael Tippett and playwright Noël Coward to the whimsical, witty, affectionate and playful style of The Poet's Cat How Oliver balanced the lightheartedness of Jeoffry's antics with the book's deeper philosophical themes.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the award-winning historian and author Dr Kate Fullagar chats with Dr Gabriella-Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting Bennelong & Phillip: A History Unravelled, the first joint biography of First Nations leader, Bennelong, and the first governor of the British Colony of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Bennelong & Phillip is still so relevant, over 200 years since the events depicted in it occurred Why Kate Fullagar structured the narrative around the intertwined lives of Bennelong and Arthur Phillip rather than crafting separate biographies Why Kate plotted the events in Bennelong's and Phillip's lives in reverse order, starting with the two leaders' funerals How Kate reconciled the literary challenges in crafting events in reverse order How Kate pieced together and interpreted thousands of fragments of evidence that were biased by a colonial lens and lacked an Indigenous perspective The vital evidence that enabled Kate to challenge the prevailing image of Bennelong as a tragic victim and outcast of his community The complexities of intercultural encounters, particularly the power dynamics, cultural misunderstandings and moments of genuine connection that shaped the interactions between Bennelong and Phillip Why deeply researched, revisionist accounts of a life and events are so vital in an authentic portrayal of our nation's history and the individuals who created that history How Bennelong & Phillip encourages us to confront the complexities of the past and engage in ongoing conversations about reconciliation and justice.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the historian Dr Pamela Toler chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting The Dragon from Chicago. The Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany, the biography of Sigrid Schultz, the Chicago Tribune's bureau chief in Berlin during Hitler's rise to power.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Pamela Toler chose The Dragon from Chicago as the biography's title Why Sigrid Schultz's story is still so relevant today How Pamela responded to gaps and misinformation in the historical record How she reconstructed scenes from Sigrid's life that reflected escalating intimidation and imminent danger in Nazi Germany How Pamela balanced her voice as the narrator with Sigrid's voice and point of view How Pamela balanced Sigrid's professional and public life with her human story How Pamela contextualised Sigrid's life and choices within their broader historical, social and cultural landscape.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Ashleigh Wilson chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies me about his choices while crafting Brett Whiteley: Art, Life and the Other Thing, his acclaimed biography of Brett Whiteley, one of Australia's most iconic artists.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: The meaning of The Other Thing in the biography's title Ashleigh's surprise discoveries and how they shaped the narrative How Ashleigh verified the many colourful anecdotes about Brett Whiteley How he reconciled the layers of myth surrounding Whiteley's art and life Why he structured Whiteley's biography chronologically How Whiteley's mercurial character drove the plot How Ashleigh portrayed Whiteley's complex relationship with Australia and his desire to be recognised on the international stage How Ashleigh balanced Whiteley's public persona and human story Ashleigh's ethical decisions when revealing Whiteley's mental health issues and addictions The literary devices Ashleigh employed to balance academic rigour with crafting a captivating and propulsive narrative The extent to which Ashleigh believes he got to the truth of his biographical subject.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Dr Amy Reading chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting The World She Edited: Katharine S. White at The New Yorker, the biography of Katharine Sergeant White, the first fiction editor of The New Yorker, an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Amy Reading's inspiration for crafting The World She Edited How The World She Edited provides a long overdue corrective to the male-dominated lens through which America's literary history during the 20th century and the rise of The New Yorker have been portrayed How Amy portrayed Katharine's challenges, including sexism, misogyny, paternalism and backhanded insults The extent to which Amy interpreted Katharine's correspondence with her authors How Amy narrowed the biographical scope given that the ‘finding aid' to Katharine's archival collection runs to 800 pages How Amy crafted lucid, elegant narrative, evoking the style Katharine infused throughout The New Yorker Why Amy argued for the importance of Katharine's forgotten work and made a larger argument about female readers as the drivers of literary culture.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Patchen Barss chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about his choices while crafting The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius, the biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Roger Penrose.      Here's what you'll discover in this episode:   Patchen Barss's painstaking research strategy   How Patchen grasped complicated information about quantum physics and mathematics   How he crafted erudite, poetic and propulsive narrative from seemingly incomprehensible scientific information and mathematical equations   How he balanced Roger Penrose's scientific, public, personal and inner lives to craft a kaleidoscopic portrait of an extraordinary human being   How he represented Roger's relationship difficulties truthfully and with sensitivity and dignity   How Patchen navigated the perils of writing about a 93-year-old living subject who has a strong autobiographical voice   Patchen's response to the question: ‘Who gets to be a genius, and who makes the sacrifices that allow an individual to be one?'  

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Australia's doyenne of biography, Brenda Niall, chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting: Joan Lindsay: The Hidden Life of the Woman Who Wrote Picnic at Hanging Rock.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Brenda Niall's inspiration for crafting Joan Lindsay: The Hidden Life of the Woman Who Wrote Picnic at Hanging Rock Brenda's meticulous research strategy How Joan Lindsay's character drove the plot How Brenda balanced Joan's public persona with her human story Why Brenda asked penetrating questions throughout the narrative about Joan's inconsistencies and contradictions and the role these questions played in the narrative Why Brenda left a trail of breadcrumbs and clues throughout the narrative How Brenda contextualised Joan's life and her choices within their broader historical, social and cultural landscape How Brenda's psychological acuity enabled her to illuminate the complexities of Joan's character and personality

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the multi-award-winning broadcaster, composer and author Andrew Ford chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about his choices while crafting, The Shortest History of Music. A lively, authoritative tour through 4,000 years of music, this book explores music's role in human society.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Andrew Ford explains how he balanced brevity and intellectual depth while crafting a 200-page book spanning 4,000 years of musical history How he synthesised a multiplicity of musical traditions and cultures into a seamless narrative How he balanced historical accuracy with masterful storytelling Why he examined music from multiple angles: Its fundamental impulses; the impact of notation; music as a profession and commodity; the concept of modernism and the revolutionary effects of recording technology How he skilfully weaved history, culture and personal insight into a tapestry that celebrates music in all its forms.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Dr Kate Kennedy, a distinguished cellist, musicologist, and Director of Oxford University's Centre for Life Writing chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting Cello: A Journey Through Silence to Sound.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Kate Kennedy's inspiration for crafting Cello: A Journey Through Silence to Sound Why Kate chose Pál Hermann, Lise Cristiani, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Amedeo Baldovino as her biographical subjects Why Kate criss-crossed Europe by train with her cello strapped to her back to retrace the footsteps of the four extraordinary cellists Why Kate wrote Cello as an experimental mix of memoir and object, collective and quest biography Why Kate included fascinating interludes, sharing her personal experiences, musings, historical research and a cello's physical and metaphysical characteristics Why Kate introduced various voices into the interludes, including cello makers and dealers, a physicist whose garden houses a cello-turned-bee hive, and cellists such as Steven Isserlis and Christian Poltera The literary devices Kate employed to craft poetic, evocative and at times, electrifying narrative How Kate rediscovered her voice and identity as a cellist by crafting Cello.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, award-winning biographer Dr Bernadette Brennan chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting Leaping into Waterfalls: The Enigmatic Gillian Mears, a literary biography that explores the rich, tumultuous life of Gillian Mears, one of Australia's most celebrated writers.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Gillian Mears's lived and imaginative lives were rich with adventure, risk and often transgressive passion. Her sensuality and sexuality were the driving forces of her life and writing, and her personal and fictional worlds coalesce Why Bernadette Brennan chose the title, Leaping into Waterfalls Why she explored the meaning of the metaphors in Gillian's writing, suggesting what they reveal about Gillian's character How Bernadette took control of the narrative despite Gillian's valiant attempts to curate her image through her annotated archives of 123 boxes of letters, diaries' manuscripts and other traces of her life How Bernadette retraced Gillian's footsteps to create an authentic sense of place How Bernadette balanced Gillian's life story with literary criticism of her oeuvre How Bernadette kept the focus on Gillian while also portraying the historical, social and cultural context of her times, which included prominent authors such as Helen Garner, Tim Winton and Kate Grenville Ethical decisions about what evidence to include, emphasise and suppress given that Gillian's sensuality and sexuality were at the core of her identity and informed her writing.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the acclaimed author and art historian Dr Helen Ennis chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about her choices while crafting Max Dupain: A Portrait, the first biography of the photographer Max Dupain, Australia's most influential photographer of the 20th century.     Here's what you'll discover in this episode:   Helen Ennis's inspiration for crafting Max Dupain: A Portrait   How Max Dupain's photograph ‘The floater' influenced Helen's narrative strategy and the biography's tone   How Dupain's character drove the plot   How the women in Dupain's life and work were instrumental to his success   How Helen achieved a fine balance between Dupain's professional and public life and his human story   How she reconciled Dupain's contradictions and complexity to craft a biography characterised by intense psychological closeness   How she ensured her voice as the narrator didn't overshadow Dupain's voice and artistic vision   The extent to which Helen interpreted Dupain's character and behaviour versus providing clues and leaving it up to readers to draw their own   conclusions.

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies chats with multi-award-winning author Anna Funder about her choices while crafting Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life. Wifedom resurrects Eileen O'Shaughnessy, a brilliant Oxford graduate who married George Orwell in 1936.       Here's what you'll discover in this episode:    Anna Funder's inspiration for writing Wifedom   Why and how Eileen O'Shaughnessy was written out of George Orwell's life story   How Anna restored Eileen's voice and visibility   How Anna challenged the traditional biographical form by blending memoir, biography, literary criticism and feminist polemic   The literary devices Anna employed to craft compelling and at times, gripping, narrative   How Anna retraced Eileen's footsteps through World War Two London and the trenches of the Spanish Civil War   How Anna revealed the systemic biases that have historically silenced women's contributions, especially those of a wife or female partner   Why Wifedom stands as a testament to the importance of re-examining history through a more inclusive lens, ensuring voices like Eileen's are heard and remembered.  

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Jacqueline Kent chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing A Certain Style: Beatrice Davis, A Literary Life, the biography of Australia's doyenne of publishing. .Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Jacqueline Kent's inspiration for writing a second edition of A Certain Style after her first edition won the National Biography Award in 2002.  How Jacqueline structured A Certain Style by bringing together three strands of narrative.  How Jacqueline retraced Beatrice Davis's footsteps when so much of the 1940s and 1950s Sydney landscape Davis knew has been replaced by glass towers and automatic teller machines.  Jacqueline's views on why biographers must avoid making things up.  How Jacqueline navigated the rumours about Davis that flew around Sydney's close- knit publishing circles. How Jacqueline reconciled contradictions in Davis's character and behaviour. The literary devices Jacqueline employed to craft witty, captivating narrative. The extent to which Jacqueline felt she captured the truth of her subject. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: biographersinconversation

Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  In this episode of Biographers in Conversation Ashleigh Wilson chats with Gabriella about his book: A Year with Wendy Whiteley: Conversations About Art, Life and Gardening. Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Ashleigh Wilson shares his inspiration for writing A Year with Wendy Whiteley: Conversations About Art, Life and Gardening and why he refers to the book as a conversational portrait rather than as a biography.  Ashleigh explains why he opened the book with a detailed description of Wendy Whiteley's kitchen table.  He discloses why he framed each chapter around a particular topic and why he kept returning to the kitchen table as the central anchor.  Ashleigh reveals how knowing Wendy Whiteley influenced how he portrayed her and the complexities of writing about a living subject.  He also outlines the novelistic devices he employed to evoke an authentic portrayal of Australia's art world in the 1960s and 70s, and the extent to which he interpreted Wendy's character and behaviour versus providing facts and clues and leaving it to readers to form their own interpretations. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Christie Lowrance chats with Gabriella about her strategy for writing Nature's Ambassador: The Legacy of Thornton W. Burgess, the children's author and naturalist. Christie's book is the first complete biography of Thornton W. Burgess, the preeminent 20th century naturalist, wildlife advocate, children's author and pioneer in environmental education and radio programming.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Christie Lowrance shares her inspiration for writing Nature's Ambassador.  Christie also reveals why she lives in the house in which Thornton Burgess was born. Christie explains her research strategy, which includes a trove of primary source material, with extensive quotations from Thorton's correspondence and interviews with a multiplicity of people.  Christie described how she narrowed the biographical scope to prevent writing a tome, given Thorton's extensive archives.  Christie discloses her strategy for balancing Thorton's professional, personal and inner lives.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Laurie Gwen Shapiro chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica, the true story of Billy Gawronski, a New York teenager who stowed away on a ship bound for Antarctica in 1928. Laurie Gwen Shapiro shares with us her inspiration for writing The Stowaway. Laurie reveals in vivid detail, Billy Gawronski's determination, after three failed attempts, to travel on the first American expedition to Antarctica since 1840.  She also explains why she opened The Stowaway with Billy's plunge into the icy Hudson River in the wee small hours.  Laurie tells us how she portrayed the historical context of Billy's expedition at a pivotal moment in history.  She also outlines her research strategy, including an incredible surprise that profoundly shaped the story.  As a writing teacher, Laurie articulates, in extraordinary depth, tips and tricks for crafting a captivating life story. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with Melanie Nolan about her book, The ADB's Story, the history of the Australian Dictionary of Biography she co-edited with Christine Fernon. Melanie is the general editor of ADB, which is widely recognised as an Australian cultural institution and national treasure. She is also Director of Australia's National Centre of Biography. Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Melanie Nolan introduces us to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, a vibrant and versatile digital tool that enables us to understand our nation's past and to think hard about the present moment and our future as an inclusive nation that celebrates diversity. Melanie reveals why she felt compelled to write The ADB's Story and why it was vital to create it while the ADB team was imagining the next phase of the dictionary's future. Melanie explains why ADB is considered internationally as innovative compared with similar publications in other countries. Melanie shares her vision for the dictionary, which is to showcase the multisensory experiences of Australians at different stages of their life through photographs, audio and video recordings.  She also reveals ADB's ambitions to reimagine itself over future decades by tracing networks and connections between biographical subjects and how these revelations will enable each of us to better understand our past, present and future. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Melinda Ponder shares with Gabriella her choices while writing the biography of the 19th century American poet, writer, teacher and social activist, Katherine Lee Bates. Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Why Melinda Ponder chose the title From Sea to Shining Sea How Melinda represented the historical and cultural context of Katherine Lee Bates's life, which was 19th century America after the end of the civil war.  Melinda describes the literary devices she employed to create a captivating narrative  Melinda also reveals how she balanced  Katherine Lee Bates's personal story with her activism and accomplishments as a poet and teacher.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Judith Brett, the acclaimed political historian, chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing The Enigmatic Mr Deakin. This biography of Alfred Deakin, Australia's second Prime Minister, won the 2018 National Biography Award.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Judith Brett shares with us why she titled her biography The Enigmatic Mr Deakin.  Judith explains why she opened The Enigmatic Mr Deakin with a comparison between the notorious outlaw Ned Kelly and our second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin.  Judith describes her painstaking research strategy and its complexities.  She reveals how she achieved a unique synthesis of Deakin's public life with his beliefs, doubts, private struggles and spiritual wrestling.  Judith also reveals how she balanced technical details of politics and parliament to craft an engaging narrative for readers who might not have a political background. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Joshua Kendall chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while writing The Man Who Made Lists, his biography of Peter Mark Roget, the eighteenth-century polymath who created the legendary Roget's Thesaurus.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Why Joshua felt compelled to write The Man Who Made Lists.  The meaning behind the book's title.  Why Joshua decided to open the biography with a tragic scene involving Peter Roget.  How Joshua crafted a deeply nuanced portrait of Roget's that conveys his complicated personality, relationships and behaviour. How Joshua navigated the complexities of portraying mental illness.  Why Joshua began each chapter with an exhaustive list of synonyms. Joshua's research strategy given Roget lived two centuries ago. How Joshua corroborated the fragmentary evidence he discovered in the archives.  How Joshua reconstructed scenes from Roget's life that overflow with accurate historical details of famous people, events and settings. The literary devices Joshua borrowed from novelists to create a captivating narrative.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Ryan Cropp shares with Gabriella the multiplicity of choices he made while writing Donald Horne. A Life in the Lucky Country, the biography of Donald Horne, a prominent and outspoken Australian journalist, writer, public intellectual and social critic. Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Why Ryan Cropp felt compelled to write a biography of Donald Horne. The meaning behind the second part of the book's title: A Life in the Lucky Country.  Why Ryan opens the biography with a close up view of Horne sitting on a Sydney bus looking out the window while he was being filmed for a current affairs program. Ryan's exhaustive research strategy and how he narrowed the biographical scope to ensure he didn't write a tome. How Ryan incorporated information from Horne's three autobiographies into the narrative, yet avoided serving as Horne's ventriloquist given that memoirists are unreliable narrators of their own life. How Ryan made Myfanwy, Horne's wife and literary partner, a central character  How Ryan represented Myfanwy's point of view given that the wives of prominent men are often invisible in the biographies of their husbands.  How Ryan achieved a fine balance between portraying Horne's public, private and interior lives.  The literary devices Ryan employed to craft an enthralling narrative.  Ryan's beliefs about the role of a biographer. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Marcia Biederman shares with Gabriella the choices she made while writing The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill, Abortion, Death and Concealment in Victorian New England. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Marcia Biederman felt compelled to write The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill The book's relevance today, more than a century after the events occurred.  Why Marcia opens the book with a gruesome finding.  Why she portrays the abortionist Nancy Guilford as an antihero rather than as a villain, heroine or victim.  The meaning underpinning the book's themes, especially hypocritical attitudes to abortion that continue today in some countries.  Marcia's narrative strategy. How Marcia crafted a gripping, propulsive narrative that makes The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill read like a true crime novel rather than a biography.   https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Cathy Perkins chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing The Shelf Life of Zora Cross, her biography of Zora Cross, a prolific writer who caused a literary sensation in 1917 with her provocative series of erotic sonnets that celebrated sexual passion. The Shelf Life of Zora Cross was shortlisted in the 2020 NSW Premier's History Awards and highly commended in the 2021 National Biography Awards. This second edition of the acclaimed biography includes a foreword by Bernadette Brennan, winner of the National Biography Award in 2022.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  You'll meet Zora Cross.  The meaning of the book's title: The Shelf Life of Zora Cross.  Why Cathy opens the book with a scene of a young girl sitting and writing on her family's verandah. Why Cathy includes excerpts from Zora's constant stream of stories published in the ‘Children's Corner' of the Australian Town and Country Journal.  Why Cathy quotes from so many of Zora's 340 lengthy letters to the Sydney publisher George Robertson.  Why Cathy shapes the narrative with a series of self-contained chapters, each of them centered on Zora's relationship with a literary luminary. The novelistic devices Cathy employed to craft lyrical narrative.  The extent to which Cathy believes she captures the truth of her subject Cathy's thoughts on the role of a biographer. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with veteran biographer Carl Rollyson about his two-volume biography of William Faulkner, a giant of 20th century literature who won the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes: The Life of William Faulkner: The Past Is Never Dead and The Life of William Faulkner: This Alarming Paradox. Carl also published William Faulkner Day by Day, which provides a unique insight into the minute of Faulkner's daily life and relationships.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  The meaning of The Past Is Never Dead and This Alarming Paradox.  Why Carl chose to end The Past Is Never Dead in 1934.   How Carl oriented Faulkner within the historical, social and cultural context of his time.   How Carl crafted a portrait of the whole human being by balancing Faulkner's public, professional and personal lives with literary criticism.  How Carl reconciled the contradictory aspects of Faulkner's behaviour.  Why Carl crafted William Faulkner Day by Day and why he wrote the narrative in present tense.  Why Carl argues that Faulkner deserves to be reread as a literary figure and a still-relevant force, especially in relation to issues of race, sexuality and equality. Carl's views on the role of a biographer. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with Sarah George, who wrote GAMU: The Dreamtime Stories, Life and Feelings of Big Bill Neidjie. Known as Kakadu Man, Aboriginal elder Big Bill was instrumental in the establishment of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park and he was deeply committed to preserving his land, culture and mother tongue.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: You'll meet Indigenous elder Big Bill Neidjie  The role of Dreamtime stories in Aboriginal spirituality and culture Why Big Bill wanted Dreamtime stories recorded and shared for future generations of Indigenous people.  Why it is crucial for non-Indigenous people to understand the cultural and spiritual significance of Dreamtime stories.  The meaning of the Indigenous word GAMU and why Big Bill chose this title for his book. Why Sarah structured GAMU around 240 photographically illustrated pages of Big Bill's Dreamtime stories, personal history, and his thoughts and feelings regarding problems faced by Aboriginal communities. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Ann-Marie Priest chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing her award-winning biography My Tongue Is My Own. A Life of Gwen Harwood, the first biography of Gwen Harwood, one of Australia's most distinctive poets. My Tongue Is My Own follows Gwen from her childhood in 1920s Brisbane, to her final years in Hobart in the 1990s.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Ann-Marie Priest felt inspired to write Gwen Harwood's biography. The meaning of the book's title: My Tongue is my Own. How Ann-Marie chose to present Harwood's many conflicting personas and contradictions. How Ann-Marie represented the historical, social and cultural context in which Harwood struggled to forge a career as a poet. How Ann-Marie portrayed Harwood's behaviour as a chameleon and a rebel, one who adopted several pseudonyms and staged several literary hoaxes to highlight entrenched discrimination against female poets.  The ethical decisions Ann-Marie made when deciding whether to reveal secrets and sensitive information contained in previously unpublished letters.   How Ann-Marie balanced Harwood's professional, personal and interior lives. The extent to which Ann-Marie believes she captured the truth of her subject. The literary devices Ann-Marie employed to craft compelling narrative. How Ann-Marie reconciled Harwood's refusal to be bound by conventions, yet at the same time, lived a conventional life as a wife and mother to four children.  How Ann-Marie balanced Harwood's human story with literary criticism. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, the historian Mark McKenna chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while writing An Eye for Eternity, the biography of Australia's legendary historian, Manning Clark. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: The meaning behind the book's title: An Eye for Eternity. How Mark McKenna navigated Manning Clark's painstakingly curated archive of letters and diaries, which included detailed notes and instructions for Clark's  future biographers.  Mark's meticulous research strategy and how he narrowed the biographical scope given the avalanche of primary sources he accessed. How Mark reconciled conflicting views of Clark. Why Mark included details of Clark's adulterous behaviour.  What ethical choices Mark made about information to include, emphasise and suppress given the potential effects of these revelations on Clark's living children and grandchildren. Why Mark made Dymphna Clark, Manning's loyal wife, a central character in An Eye for Eternity and why he represented her point of view so comprehensively.  The extent to which Mark was able to capture the truth of his subject versus the version of the truth Clark wanted him to represent.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Nancy Hurrell, an acclaimed harpist and harp historian, chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while crafting The Egan Irish Harps: Tradition, Patrons and Players. Nancy also plays Carolin's Concerto on her 1820 Egan Irish Harp. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Nancy opened the book with a dramatic scene in 1813 involving the discovery of an ancient Gaelic harp buried in a peat bog.   Nancy's painstaking research strategy, where her research took her and her incredible discoveries along the way.  Nancy's portrayal of John Egan, the nineteenth century musical instrument maker who designed and crafted the Egan Irish Harp.   The historical, social and political context in which John Egan invented the Irish Harp and how this was vital to the harp's success.  How Nancy crafted a vibrant narrative from complex technical and musical  information.  Why Nancy ended The Egan Irish Harps with an epilogue about museum objects of  historical relevance.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Brett Mason chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while writing Wizards of Oz: How Oliphant and Florey helped win the war and shape the modern world.  Wizards of Oz is an account of a friendship between two Adelaide men, the physicist Mark Oliphant and medical researcher Howard Florey and how their scientific discoveries profoundly impacted the course of World War II. It is a gripping tale of secret missions, international intrigue and triumph against all odds.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Brett Mason chose to open Wizards of Oz with an electrifying prologue about Oliphant and Florey's high stakes, top secret missions to gain political and financial support from the American government and U.S. businesses for their scientific projects at a critical stage of World War II. Brett's research strategy and how he narrowed the biographical scope after uncovering an avalanche of primary source material.  How Brett learned about the intricacies of microwave technology, nuclear physics and penicillin research given his background in politics rather than science and medicine.  How Brett translated complex scientific information into a propulsive narrative that keeps you as the reader on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next. The extent to which Brett balanced scientific discoveries and advocacy with Oliphant and Florey's human stories. How Brett crafted a cohesive narrative from the experiences of two brilliant yet very different researchers who worked in disparate fields of science.  How Brett presented Oliphant and Florey's lives with immediacy, so you as the reader feel as if you are Oliphant and Florey experiencing their frustrations, fear and desperation to gain support for their scientific endeavours when the stakes were so high.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Joel Stephen Birnie chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while crafting My People's Songs: How an Indigenous Family Survived Colonial Tasmania, his historical biography of his earliest known ancestral grandmother and her two surviving daughters. These three extraordinary matriarchs fought for the Indigenous communities they founded in Tasmania, sparking a tradition of social justice that continues in Joel's family today.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: You'll meet Tarenootairer, Joel's earliest known ancestral grandmother, and her two surviving daughters, Mary Ann Arthur and Fanny Cochrane Smith. Why Joel felt compelled to write My People's Songs and his goal in writing the book.  Why Joel chose to structure My People's Songs around three self-contained biographies of Tarenootairer, Mary Ann and Fanny and why he shared their stories from their perspective and in their voices.  How Mary Ann's fight for autonomy laid the foundation for contemporary Indigenous politics. How he chose to portray Mary Ann's role as a voice of self-empowerment for Tasmania's Indigenous people.  Fanny's skilled and tenacious political advocacy despite intense opposition from Tasmanian politicians and some sections of the media.  Fanny's challenge to the false declaration of Indigenous Tasmanian extinction and why this was, and still is, crucial.  Joel's research strategy given that few archival records exist of Indigenous peoples' lives in 19th century Tasmania and those that are available lack an Indigenous perspective. They are also tainted by colonial half-truths, interpretations and propaganda.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Nadia Wheatley chats with Gabriella about the choices she made while writing the biography of Charmian Clift, one of Australia's most charismatic writers whose books were often decades ahead of their time.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Nadia Wheatley's reluctance to write Charmian Clift's biography and the vigorous arm twisting that ultimately resulted in her agreeing to embark on the project. Nadia's reasons for opening the biography with her personal story. The meaning behind the book's title: The Life and Myth of Charmian Clift. Why Nadia chose to interpret Clift's life rather than repeat the mythical representations of earlier biographies. The ethical dilemmas Nadia faced when revealing secrets about Clift's personal life.  How Nadia achieved a fine balance between portraying Clift's conflicting roles as a talented author and wife of a prolific writer; a devoted mother; and a feminist decades ahead of her time. The extent to which Nadia believes she accessed the truth of her subject. Nadia's exciting news about publishing an edited version of Charmian Clift's, The End of the Morning, which includes Clift's previously unpublished autobiographical novel and thirty of her essays. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode, Gabriella continues her conversation with Kenneth Miller about his  group biography Mapping the Darkness, The Visionary Scientists who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep. As we learned in the previous episode, a century ago, sleep was widely considered a state of nothingness and a wasteful habit we could learn to overcome. Thanks to the four scientists Kenneth introduced us to in episode one, we now know the truth: that sleep is an incredibly complex phenomenon, central to our physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: How Kenneth captured each character's passion for research and their sense of scientific wonder. How Kenneth portrayed each scientist's quest to uncover the mysteries of sleep. How Kenneth structured the narrative to create a gripping adventure of the human spirit. Details of the famous cave experiment in 1938 when two sleep researchers retreated into the cavernous Mammoth Cave in Kentucky for 32 days to find out when they could switch to a 28-hour sleep cycle after being deprived of environmental cues.  Kenneth's meticulous research strategy and how he grasped complicated sleep science.  How Kenneth transformed thousands of pages of complex scientific information into a propulsive and compelling biography of the quartet of individuals who revolutionised our understanding of why we sleep and how we can get sleep better. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this first of two episodes with Kenneth Miller, Gabriella asks about the choices he made while writing Mapping the Darkness, The Visionary Scientists who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep, the compelling biography of the quartet of researchers who revolutionised our understanding of why we sleep and how we can sleep better. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Kenneth suddenly became interested in the field of sleep science. Why Kenneth opened Mapping the Darkness with the story of a man whose life unraveled because of a sleep disorder. The cast of characters who created the field of sleep science at a time when no-one was interested in the topic and funding for sleep research was non-existent.  The historical, social and political context in which the sleep scientists conducted their research.  The unexpected opportunities that enabled the scientists to gain research funding and recognition for their discoveries. Kenneth's approach to balancing the scientists' professional and private lives to create a kaleidoscopic rather than one-dimensional portrait dominated by their obsession with unravelling the puzzle of sleep. The four scientists' breathtaking discoveries that ultimately shaped the way we understand sleep and its role in our lives. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Matthew Lamb chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while writing Strange Paths, the biography of Frank Moorhouse, a celebrated Australian novelist, screenwriter and journalist.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode:  Why Matthew chose to write Frank Moorhouse's biography in two volumes. Why Matthew refers to Strange Paths as a cultural biography. The meaning of the book's title, Strange Paths. How Matthew distinguished between the legends, myths and facts of Moorhouse's life.  How Matthew navigated the complexities of writing about someone he knew and who was alive during most of the project. Matthew's research strategy and how he narrowed the biographical scope given the tidal wave of primary research material he accessed. How Matthew portrayed the historical, political and social context of the times and how he believes they influenced Moorhouse and his writing.  The ethical choices Matthew faced about revealing secrets. How Matthew navigated the complexities of portraying sensitive information. https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with Bernadette Brennan about her choices while crafting A Writing Life. Helen Garner and her Work, a literary portrait of one of Australia's most vital and revered authors.  Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Why Bernadette Brennan felt compelled to write A Writing Life.  Why Bernadette chose to craft A Writing Life as a literary portrait of Helen Garner rather than as a conventional biography. Why Bernadette opened A Writing Life with a scene in which an agitated Garner is a panelist at a writers' conference. How Bernadette disentangled Garner's human story from her writing given that Garner's life and writing inform and shape each other.  Why Bernadette views A Writing Life as genre-bending. Why Bernadette structured the portrait around literary analysis of each of Garner's books, and why she thinks of the chapters in A Writing Life as rooms in ‘Garner's house of writing'.  Why Bernadette ended A Writing Life with an email from Garner about her Bible reading group and her remark: ‘Our immersion in a (mighty) text brings everyone to his (or her) best self'.  https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation  

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Peter FitzSimons chats with Gabriella about the choices he made while writing The Opera House, the gripping biography of Sydney Opera House, one of the world's most iconic buildings.   Here's what you'll discover in this episode: Peter FitzSimons's inspiration for writing the biography of Sydney Opera House. Why Peter opened The Opera House with the Indigenous history of Bennelong Point, the site on which Sydney Opera House now stands.  How Peter researched the book and captured vivid sensory details that enabled him to reconstruct historically accurate scenes that make you feel in the scene.   How Peter grasped complex architectural and engineering concepts, then translated this complicated technical detail into a suspenseful narrative. Why The Opera House includes so much dialogue and so many excerpts from parliamentary debates, minutes of meetings, correspondence and media coverage. Why Peter wrote The Opera House in present rather than past tense.  Why Peter made ironic comments throughout The Opera House. The novelistic devices Peter employed to create a propulsive narrative that keeps you as the reader turning the pages.    https://biographersinconversation.com Facebook: Share Your Life Story Linkedin: Gabriella Kelly Davies Instagram: Biographersinconversation

Welcome to Biographers in Conversation, a podcast about the many choices biographers make while researching, writing, and publishing life stories. If you like the sound of Biographers in Conversation, please subscribe, share the podcast with your family and friends, and leave a review. Stay tuned for the launch of Biographers in Conversation on the 3 April 2024. https://biographersinconversation.com