Women of a Certain Courage (ed by Bron Bateman, Fremantle)
In this compelling anthology, 18 women from diverse backgrounds challenge traditional notions of what it means to be courageous. Edited by Bron Bateman (Of Memory and Furniture), Women of a Certain Courage is a companion title to Women of a Certain Age and delves into deeply moving stories of hardship experienced by women across Australia. Posing the questions, ‘What does it mean to be a woman?’ and ‘What does it mean to struggle?’, the anthology highlights the wide array of contemporary problems faced by everyday women, including First Nations persecution, living with illness, domestic violence, and the challenges of championing climate activism. In particular, Lisa Collyer’s ‘Prolonged Exposure’ stood out to me for its experimentation with form and fragmented storytelling, which results in a unique and emotionally raw exploration of what it means to be courageous. While the anthology addresses themes such as gender and sexual diversity, age, Indigeneity, disability and illness, it lacks a diverse discussion of race other than that of First Nations and white Australians. Given Australia’s multicultural society and the challenges faced by individuals from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, I found this exclusion disappointing. Furthermore, some essays address weighty topics, including domestic violence and medical trauma, which seem too complex to be fully explored within the constraints of a single piece, resulting in certain discussions feeling somewhat superficial. However, the collection’s diverse topics and writing styles ensure there’s nonetheless something for every reader to connect with. Ideal for those newly exploring themes of gender and sociology, this anthology offers a thought-provoking look at the resilience of women in contemporary Australia.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Nilab Siddiqi is a bookseller and publishing student based in Sydney set on diversifying the Australian industry. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.
Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews
