Library & Innovation Centre

Nova Peris's first memory is of Cyclone Tracy, and her life has been stormy ever since. A child of the stolen generations, she began carving out her own path from the time she was eighteen, when she went to Perth as a single mother with a two-year-old daughter, determined to become a champion athlete. She is the first track and field athlete to win international gold medals in two different sports; first in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a member of the Australian women's hockey team, and then in the 200 m and 4 x 100 m in the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She has always been a forceful advocate for Aboriginal rights, and is proudest of being Australia's first runner in the 2000 Olympic torch relay, running barefoot from Uluru. Nova is the many-faceted story of a complex, determined woman, who has achieved a great deal for herself, for her own people, and for Australia. It covers not only her brilliant athletic career, but also the often heartbreaking stories of her family, including her first meetings with her natural parents, her abusive first marriage, the media fuelled rivalry between herself and Cathy Freeman, her passionate belief in reconciliation and a treaty between Aboriginal and white Australians. Above all, this is the portrait of a woman who says: 'I don't have tickets on myself, but I will back myself.'

This unique Indigenous man is one of the most inspiring music stories of our generation. From concert halls to recording studios and into Aboriginal heartlands, this is the story of Australia's Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. This unique Indigenous man is one of the most inspiring music stories of our generation. Part road trip, part biography, Robert Hillman's account of Gurrumul's life and music offers rare insights into the sources of his inspiration. The book includes interviews with family and friends, song lyrics and exclusive photographs. His story is one of a great talent revealed and of an astonishing musical gift that has left audiences all over the world spellbound. Part road trip, part biography, Robert Hillman's account of Gurrumul's life and artistry takes you behind the scenes and offers rare insights into the sources of his inspiration. In interviews with family and friends, Gurrumul emerges as a man of his people, shaped by the beliefs, rites and ceremonies of a richly engaging culture.

'I'm just a little black girl who can run fast, and here I am sitting in the Olympic stadium, with one hundred and twelve thousand people screaming my name. How the hell did I get here?'

Few of us will forget Cathy Freeman's gold winning run at the Sydney Olympic Games. With the expectations of a nation on her shoulders, her victory that night confirmed her as a national hero. But the win was more than just a sporting triumph. In that euphoric moment, Cathy Freeman symbolised our best and broadest vision of ourselves, a reconciled Australia. She became our Cathy.

For the first time, in her own words, Cathy Freeman tells the story of her remarkable life. With characteristic honesty she talks about growing up black in a white world, about her large, close-knit family, her complicated relationship with Nick Bideau, marriage to Sandy Bodecker and their painful separation. She talks about how it feels to represent your country, the price of fame, and the real reasons behind her heart-wrenching decision to retire.

Cathy's strength, courage and glowing personality are reflected in every page of her highly readable autobiography.

Sharing the story of Patrick Dodson's life and extraordinary family history, this is the chronicle of one family, the biography of one man, and a powerful narrative of an Australian life. From the moment of colonization in the Kimberleys to the era of native title, from pearling to pastoralism, through missions and institutions, this Aboriginal family has survived an uncaring and intrusive state system--a background that shaped an outstanding life and a commitment to reconciliation.