{"title":"Cathy Perkins","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection featuring the works of Cathy Perkins, an accomplished author renowned for her engaging contributions to the \u003cem\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/em\u003e genre. Cathy Perkins captivates readers with her compelling storytelling, meticulous research, and ability to bring fascinating lives to the forefront of her narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA standout piece from her repertoire is \u003cstrong\u003eThe Shelf Life of Zora Cross\u003c\/strong\u003e, a work that delves into the life of the titular poet and author, Zora Cross. Through this biography, Perkins not only explores Cross's literary journey but also illuminates the broader cultural and historical contexts of her time. Readers are invited to discover the intricacies of Cross's personal and professional life, expertly woven together with Perkins's lucid prose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEach book from Cathy Perkins's collection offers a unique glimpse into extraordinary lives, making her works essential reads for fans of biographies and memoirs. Her writings present meticulously researched accounts that are both informative and deeply human, appealing to a broad audience eager to learn about remarkable historical figures.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-shelf-life-of-zora-cross-by-cathy-perkins-9781925835533","title":"The Shelf Life of Zora Cross","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted for NSW Premier's History Awards 2020: Australian history prize\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2021 National Biography Awards: Highly Commended\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne of The Bookshelf's Best Books of 2019\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A rare gem. This is biography at its best: boldly conceived and brilliantly written. In spare, haunting prose Cathy Perkins rescues Zora Cross from oblivion, re-establishing her as one of Australia's most remarkable literary figures. We see Zora's life through the stories of her relationships with others. The person that emerges - possessed by an irrepressible hunger to write and to be published - is impossible to pin down. In Perkins's hands, Zora Cross dances vividly before our eyes.' - Mark McKenna\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAustralian poet and journalist Zora Cross caused a sensation in 1917 with her book \u003ci\u003eSongs of Love and Life\u003c\/i\u003e. Here was a young woman who looked like a Sunday school teacher, celebrating sexual passion in a provocative series of sonnets. She was hailed as a genius, and many expected her to endure as a household name alongside Shakespeare and Rossetti. While Cross's fame didn't last, she kept writing through financial hardship, personal tragedies, and two world wars, producing an impressive body of work. Her verse, prose, and correspondence with the likes of Ethel Turner, George Robertson (of Angus \u0026amp; Robertson), and Mary Gilmore place Zora Cross among the key personalities of Australia's literary world in the early twentieth century. \u003ci\u003eThe Shelf Life of Zora Cross\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the life of a neglected writer and intriguing person.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'I must confess I had never heard of Zora Cross, but this meticulously researched biography captures the spirited actress turned erotic poet with fresh insight, revealing a woman who not only defied convention to write with uninhibited passion but also had a horserace named after her! The pages teem with vividly drawn portraits of the luminaries of Australian literature, in all their flawed and messy humanity. Perkins brings Cross out of the shadows into the light she deserves. Here is yet another free-thinking woman for a new generation to add to the feminist pantheon.' - Caroline Baum\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'This finely written biography fills a significant gap in the history of Australian women writers. Zora Cross is hardly a household name these days, but a century ago at the peak of her fame she very likely was, since \u003ci\u003eSongs of Love and Life\u003c\/i\u003e was that rare thing: a popular poetic sensation. \u003ci\u003eThe Shelf Life of Zora Cross\u003c\/i\u003e now spells out her life story.' - Peter Kirkpatrick\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Shelf Life of Zora Cross\u003c\/i\u003e is a beguiling narrative of a literary career that never quite matured. Cross's chaotic life story is splendidly told by Perkins, who has explored many boxes of manuscripts, letters, and newspaper cuttings in the State Library of New South Wales. Zora Cross is allowed to speak for herself and is given an even-handed measure of admiration and understanding. This enigmatically titled biography conveys the pleasures of Cathy Perkins's search for the many-faceted author.' - Brenda Niall, \u003ci\u003eAustralian Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'This book sits alongside the work of Clare Wright, righting the wrongs and colouring in the half of the ledger that barely exists...Cross's writing fell out of fashion and has been all but forgotten. We can only hope that this lively new volume, which shows precisely why we need university presses, will help to correct that.' - \u003ci\u003eThe Saturday Paper\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46846634950892,"sku":"9781925835533","price":34.95,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18680663482873.jpg?v=1758916107"},{"product_id":"the-shelf-life-of-zora-cross-by-cathy-perkins-9781922979421","title":"The Shelf Life of Zora Cross","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAustralian poet and journalist Zora Cross caused a sensation in 1917 with her book \u003cem\u003eSongs of Love and Life\u003c\/em\u003e. Here was a young woman who looked like a Sunday school teacher, celebrating sexual passion in a provocative series of sonnets. She was hailed as a genius, and many expected her to endure as a household name alongside Shakespeare and Rossetti.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile Cross's fame didn’t last, she kept writing through financial hardship, personal tragedies and two world wars, producing an impressive body of work. Her verse, prose and correspondence with the likes of Ethel Turner, George Robertson (of Angus \u0026amp; Robertson), and Mary Gilmore place Zora Cross among the key personalities of Australia’s literary world in the early twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Shelf Life of Zora Cross\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the life of a neglected writer and intriguing person.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46846634983660,"sku":"9781922979421","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4c90f796441b169e14c8520ed7ab32eb.jpg?v=1758964221"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/cathy-perkins.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}