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y separately published work icon The Wonder of Little Things single work   autobiography  
Issue Details: First known date: 2022... 2022 The Wonder of Little Things
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'A First Nations Elder shares his extraordinary story of finding kindness in the midst of prejudice, and joy in living life to the full

'Welcome to my story. It's a simple story of a simple person, who's lived a long life now with some struggles along the way. I didn't learn a lot in school, not in the classroom, anyway. But I learned a lot from life.'

'Vince Copley was born on a government mission into poverty in 1936. By the time he was fifteen, five of his family had died. But at a home for Aboriginal boys, he befriended future leaders Charles Perkins, John Moriarty and Gordon Briscoe. They were friendships that would last a lifetime.

'Always remember you're as good as anybody else,' his mother, Kate, often told him. And he was, becoming a champion footballer and premiership-winning coach. But change was in the air, and Vince knew he had more to contribute. So he teamed up with Charlie Perkins, his 'brother' from the boys' home, to help make life better for his people. At every step, with his beloved wife, Brenda, Vince found light in the darkness, the friendly face in the crowd, the small moments and little things that make the world go round.

'In The Wonder of Little Things, Vince tells his story with humour, humility and wisdom. Written with his friend Lea McInerney over many cups of tea, it is an Australian classic in the making, a plain-speaking account of hardship, courage and optimism told without self-pity or big-noting.

'Vince's love of life will make you smile, his heartache will make you cry, and his determination to enjoy life in the face of adversity will inspire you to find the wonder in little things every day.'(Publication summary)

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

This work has teaching resources.

Teachers' notes via publisher's website.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Sydney, New South Wales,: HarperCollins Australia , 2022 .
      image of person or book cover 4942757122862706553.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 368p.
      Reprinted: 30 Aug 2023
      Note/s:
      • Published 7th September 2022
      ISBN: 9780733342448
    • Sydney, New South Wales,: ABC Books , 2024 .
      image of person or book cover 2496102314559984606.jpg
      Image courtesy of publisher's website.
      Extent: 288p.
      Edition info: Young readers edition
      Note/s:
      •  Published 31 January 2024

      ISBN: 9780733342462

Other Formats

  • Sound recording.
  • Dyslexic edition.

Works about this Work

Intimacies, Intricacies, Cadences On Finding the Beat of Someone Else’s Voice Lea McInerney , 2024 single work essay
— Appears in: Griffith Review , 7th May no. 84 2024;

'A FEW WEEKS into the first draft of what eventually became The Wonder of Little Things, I said to my co-­author, Vince Copley – whose life story it is – ‘I don’t know whether I can do this.’ This being to turn the many stories he was telling me into a book.

'On the other end of the phone, Vince – a Ngadjuri Elder – said, ‘I have every faith and trust in you, right. It doesn’t even exist that you’re not gonna do a good job.’' (Introduction)

Copley Shares His Story Peter Argent , 2023 single work column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 19 April no. 799 2023; (p. 34)
'Born into poverty at the Port Pearce government mission in 1936, Vince Copley is one of the survivors of an unjust Australia for Aboriginal people.' 
Vince Copley Had a Vision for a Better Australia – and He Helped Make It Happen, with Lifelong Friend Charles Perkins Sandra R. Phillips , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: The Conversation , 10 January 2023;

— Review of The Wonder of Little Things Vincent Copley , Lea McInerney , 2022 single work autobiography

'In his memoir’s final chapter, Vince Copley wonders: if the first legal marriage of an Aboriginal woman and a white man had been socially accepted in the 1850s, would his own wife have been spared being pushed to the end of the 1970s bank queue because she was with him, a blackfella? Would that real estate agent have considered their application instead of throwing it straight in the bin? Would their daughter have been spared the schoolyard bullying and their son the name-calling?' (Introduction)   

Vince Finds Kindness in the Wonder of Little Things 2022 single work review
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 7 September no. 784 2022; (p. 35)

— Review of The Wonder of Little Things Vincent Copley , Lea McInerney , 2022 single work autobiography
'In a South Australian home for Aboriginal boys, Ngadjuri author Vince Copley befriended future leaders Charles Perkins, John Moriarty and Gordon Brisco.'
Vince Finds Kindness in the Wonder of Little Things 2022 single work review
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 7 September no. 784 2022; (p. 35)

— Review of The Wonder of Little Things Vincent Copley , Lea McInerney , 2022 single work autobiography
'In a South Australian home for Aboriginal boys, Ngadjuri author Vince Copley befriended future leaders Charles Perkins, John Moriarty and Gordon Brisco.'
Vince Copley Had a Vision for a Better Australia – and He Helped Make It Happen, with Lifelong Friend Charles Perkins Sandra R. Phillips , 2023 single work review
— Appears in: The Conversation , 10 January 2023;

— Review of The Wonder of Little Things Vincent Copley , Lea McInerney , 2022 single work autobiography

'In his memoir’s final chapter, Vince Copley wonders: if the first legal marriage of an Aboriginal woman and a white man had been socially accepted in the 1850s, would his own wife have been spared being pushed to the end of the 1970s bank queue because she was with him, a blackfella? Would that real estate agent have considered their application instead of throwing it straight in the bin? Would their daughter have been spared the schoolyard bullying and their son the name-calling?' (Introduction)   

Copley Shares His Story Peter Argent , 2023 single work column
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 19 April no. 799 2023; (p. 34)
'Born into poverty at the Port Pearce government mission in 1936, Vince Copley is one of the survivors of an unjust Australia for Aboriginal people.' 
Intimacies, Intricacies, Cadences On Finding the Beat of Someone Else’s Voice Lea McInerney , 2024 single work essay
— Appears in: Griffith Review , 7th May no. 84 2024;

'A FEW WEEKS into the first draft of what eventually became The Wonder of Little Things, I said to my co-­author, Vince Copley – whose life story it is – ‘I don’t know whether I can do this.’ This being to turn the many stories he was telling me into a book.

'On the other end of the phone, Vince – a Ngadjuri Elder – said, ‘I have every faith and trust in you, right. It doesn’t even exist that you’re not gonna do a good job.’' (Introduction)

Last amended 8 Feb 2024 07:13:00
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