Cirrus@Austlit

'This is the exhilarating story of Anne Summers' extraordinary career as a journalist, author, policy maker, political advisor, bureaucrat, board member, editor, publisher and political activist. Her story as she travels around the world moving from job to job, in newspapers and magazines, advising prime ministers, leading feminists debates, presiding over Greenpeace International, writing memorable and influential books. Anne has not been afraid to walk away from success and to satisfy her constant restlessness by charging down new and risky paths. Whatever position she has held, she has expanded what's possible and helped us see things differently.

'Anne shares revealing stories about the famous and powerful people she has worked with or reported on. And is refreshingly frank about her own anxieties and mistakes as well as her, at times, heart-breaking family story of violence and ultimate reconciliation. Unfettered and Alive is a provocative and inspiring memoir by a woman who broke through so many boundaries to show what women can do.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In 2012, Anne Summers gave two landmark speeches about women in Australia, attracting more than 120,000 visits to her website. Within weeks of their delivery Prime Minister Julia Gillards own speech about misogyny and sexism went viral and was celebrated around the world. Summers makes the case that Australia, the land of the fair go, still hasnt figured out how to make equality between men and women work. She shows how uncomfortable we are with the idea of women with political and financial power, let alone the reality. Summers dismisses the idea that we should celebrate progress for women as opposed to outright success. She shows what success will look like.'

Source: Trove. (Sighted: 13/2/2014)

'When feminist author Anne Summers announced she would be conducting two events in conversation with Julia Gillard, one commenter responded, ‘this will sell out faster than a Pink concert!’ They were right. In a testament to the deep esteem in which many Australians hold Gillard, both events sold out within hours.' (Introduction)

'It is almost impossible to believe: ten young women, all of them aged under twenty-five, held captive because of their past sexual transgressions. Can this be happening? In twenty-first century Australia? This is the world into which you step when you open The Natural Way of Things.' (Introduction)

'After her mother's death in 2005, Anne Summers inherits a portrait of her mother as a child. Mesmerised by this image, she finds herself drawn into the story of how the portrait was painted and eventually found its way into her family. She soon learns the artist painted another portrait of her mother; this time as the Madonna.

'In a gripping narrative that is part art history, part detective story and part meditation on the relations between mothers and daughters, Anne's search for the Madonna painting and the mysterious Russian émigré collector who bought both paintings takes her down unexpected paths. Her search soon turns into a parallel quest to rescue Constance Stokes, the artist, from obscurity, and to learn why the collector suddenly abandoned the paintings. Along the way Anne finds she must face the truth of the relationship she had with her mother.' (Provided by the publisher.)