Travelling for love in life and literature
Non-Fiction
Mrs Aeneas Gunn 1870-1961
We of the Never Never 1907
G 829.03 G/B 1907
In 1901 Jeannie Taylor married Aeneas Gunn and travelled with him to a cattle station 480km outside of Darwin. She struggled to overcome the prejudices against herself and the local Aboriginal people in this rough, masculine world. Tragically, her husband died after just 13 months and Jeannie travelled south.
Sian Rees 1965 –
The floating brothel 2001
G 994.0088042 REE
In 1789 a shipload of women of child-bearing age were taken from England’s prisons and transported to Australia. These feisty female convicts didn’t wait until they reached Botany Bay to fulfill their ‘female duty.’
Nancy Robinson (ed.)
This everlasting silence: the love letters of Paquita Delprat and Douglas Mawson, 1911-1914
G 808.8693543
These are the letters that Paquita wrote to her fiance Douglas while he was on his second Antarctic expedition. For 22 months while Douglas was stuck in the winter ice, she continued to write although there were no letters of reply.
Robert Crossley (ed.)
Letters across the world: the love letters of Olaf Stapledon and Agnes Miller, 1913-1919
G 823.912 sta/d 1988
In the English summer of 1913, Olaf fell in love with his Australian cousin Agnes. When war broke out and Agnes returned to Australia, they started a correspondence that would last until 1919 when Agnes travelled to England planning to marry him. However, she met the handsome Captain Hutchinson on board...
Margaret Harris (ed.)
Dearest Munx: the letters of Christina Stead and William J. Blake
A 823.2 STE 2005
This is the correspondence between Australian novelist Christina Stead and her husband, William Blake, as they travelled the world – sometimes together, sometimes apart.
Sarah MacDonald (ed.)
Take me with you: tales of long distance love 2005
J 910.4 tak
This is a collection of nine true stories about the impact of geographical distance on romantic relationships. Is ‘out of sight’ necessarily ‘out of mind’ or does ‘distance make the heart grow fonder’? Unpack these clich�s in this very readable collection.
Overseas War Brides Club
Overseas War Brides 2001
G 306.8450994 2001
Following World War II, more than 5000 women left Britain married to Australia servicemen. This book is a collection of their first hand accounts of hardships, homesickness and ultimately happiness in a new country.
Annette Potts and Lucinda Strauss
For the Love of a Soldier 1987
G 306.8450973 1987
This is an account and analysis of the historical phenomenon of 15,000 Australian women who married American servicemen during World War II.
Helen Hanff 1916-1997
84 Charing Cross Road 1970
In this true story, a beautiful and endearing friendship unfolds through a series of letters exchanged between a book-lover in New York City and a bookshop owner in London. Hanff eventually visits 84 Charing Cross Road, but never meets her correspondent.
Jennifer Cox 1967-
Around the World in 80 Dates 2003
J A823.4 COX
Tired of flying solo, successful travel journalist Jennifer Cox set out on an international search for Mr Right. This is her hilarious but poignant story of 80 dates over six months in 18 countries.
Fiction
Charles Frazier
Cold Mountain 1997
The American civil war is raging when the injured Inman decides to desert the army and travel home to the women he loves and left behind at Cold Mountain.
Tim Winton 1960 -
The Riders 1994
J A823.3 win
Fred Scully is eagerly anticipating being reunited with his wife and daughter after a long separation. When only his daughter arrives, Scully begins a desperate search across Europe to find his wife and understand their past.
Nevil Shute 1899-1960
A Town like Alice 1950
J A823.3 shu
Jean Paget is an English nurse who finds herself trapped in Malaya with a group of English women and children during the Japanese invasion. When Jean meets an Aussie Prisoner of War on the road one day, it's love at first sight.
Jane Austen 1775-1817
Persuasion 1818
G 823.74B 1974
When Jane Austen’s heroine Anne Elliott was 20 years old, she was persuaded by her family not to marry the poor, untitled Frederick Wentworth. When he returns on leave from the navy, a rich Captain, his social status has risen and Anne must traverse social conventions and eventually the English Channel to be with him.
Monica Ali 1967–
Brick lane 2003
G 823.92 ALI/B 2003
Nazneen travels geographically from Bangladesh to England in her arranged marriage and psychologically on a journey of self-discovery in a new and confronting culture.
James Runcie
The discovery of chocolate: a novel 2001
Diego sets sail from Spain in 1518 with renowned conqueror Hernando Cortez intending to plunder and pillage new lands. Instead he finds love in Mexico and a magical chocolate drink. He spends the next 500 years criss-crossing Europe searching for his true love.
More information
If you have an enquiry, you can contact us in any of the following ways:
- Telephone +61 7 3840 7768
- Fax +61 7 3846 1535
- Email publicprograms@slq.qld.gov.au
- Visit us
- Ask us
Last updated: 17th November 2009
Creatively engaging people with information, knowledge and community
