Interesting New Book

Mrs Patsy Coverdale recently published her book 'North Queensland in Black and White - A social history with stories, views and archaeology'.  Now nearing eighty years of age, Mrs Coverdale while a child growing up surrounded by tropical rainforest and sugar cane country, had developed a strong interest in the Aboriginal people who lived near her home in Redlynch, Cairns.  She was beginning to learn a few thing about their lives and legends and she also remembers Mr Xavies Herbert, the celebrated author visiting her home back in the 1950's.  In the mid 1980's, she enrolled at the La Trobe University to study sociology and then followed a decade of irregular visits back up to the Far North to document the stories she heard during her childhood and to interview older local people for her manuscript on the relationship between the indigenous people and the white settlers.  An appealing book for those interested in learning a little about the lifestyle, myths, pre-history and history of the local indigenous rainforest people.  Mrs Coverdale's book was nominated for the 2011 National Seniors Australia Phillpotts Literary Prize.