New memoir bravely tackles dynamics of family violence and dysfunction
By Sonia Isaacs
Former Maleny resident, Mary Garden has just released a new memoir that bravely tackles the tricky dynamics of dysfunctional families and the fallout from inter generational trauma.
At the heart of this story is a deeply personal exploration of the author’s troubled relationship with her younger sister.
‘My Fathers Suitcase’ is Mary’s second memoir and follows on from her critically acclaimed biography of her father, Oscar Garden, one of New Zealand’s pioneer aviators in her previously published book ‘Sundowner of the Skies.’
With similar courage and determination to reveal the often unspoken reality of living with deeply held secrets and abuse as revealed in her previous works, Mary unflinchingly unpacks her life of growing up in New Zealand in the 1950s and 60s, before making Australia home.
Her latest book, explores the complex nature of sibling abuse, and reveals the burden of emotional complexity that families with inter generational trauma are often forced to bare.
The baggage of her eccentric, deeply flawed father and the secret her mother kept from all of them, revealed only after her death along with her sister’s long battle with mental illness are all brought to light in this memoir.
As she unravels these narratives, Mary touches on the often pervasive shameful guilt familiar to anyone who has had to deal with secrets, violence and ‘madness’ in their family.
However, in a nod to her own indomitable spirit, the book offers a compelling narrative of resilience and survival that offers insight and hope to others who have experienced family violence.
Mary is a freelance journalist, whose writing has appeared in a range of publications, including The Weekend Australian, Australian Financial Review, New Zealand Geographic, Newsroom, The Aviation Historian (UK) and The Humanist (US).
Mary will return to Maleny for an event at Rosetta Books on June 7 from 5pm to 7pm.
