This was often, as it was in Maud’s case, counterproductive, if not disastrous. It was a time of Social Darwinism – when the idea was to breed out disabilities – so the pressure to conform was strong. Patricia Clarke, in her biography of Praed, Rosa! Rosa!, wrote that it was fortuitous for Maud to be born at a time when they were teaching deaf to speak, but White, now understanding more about deafness, saw it differently. Having initially felt that deafness hadn’t challenged her, she started, as she continued to research Maud’s life, to recognise more about her own life as a deaf person – and then to perceive the intersections and divergences in their two lives. This was rejected by a publisher, but in rejecting it he suggested that she make the book “more about deafness”. So, she started writing a biography about Rosa and Maud.

However, as she researched Praed, she discovered the existence of Maud, and the more she researched the more she realised what a “terrible life” Maud had had. It started with her PhD research into Rosa Praed, with whom White felt a connection, given they shared a rural, bush background and a love of romance! White was drawn to Praed’s “racy romances”, she said! White began by talking about the book’s genesis. White did not know or ever meet Maud so her knowledge has come from her research, which, Simpson said, is a strength of White’s. The biographical subject is Maud, the deaf daughter of the late nineteenth-early twentieth century writer Rosa Praed (1851-1935) (whom I read before blogging). However, most of those have been mother-daughter stories, the biography being about the mother and the memoir, the daughter. Hearing Maud, which I’ve just started reading, is one of those hybrid memoir-biographies that I’ve talked about recently.

As a result, it had a warm, natural feel, while still addressing some important points and issues. The conversationĪs Simpson advised at the beginning, the conversation was not a Michael-Parkinson-like hardball interview but more a conversation between friends which, apparently, they are. Her latest book, Understory, is a memoir about her love of Australian nature, and especially trees. Inga Simpson, whom I’ve still to review here (but I will), has written three novels, Mr Wigg, Nest and Where the trees were, the last two of which have been listed for or won prizes. She is a lecturer/researcher at the University of Queensland. Jessica White has written two novels A curious intimacy, which earned her a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist gong, and Entitlement ( my review). She’s been listed for various prizes, and has had essays and short stories published in Australia’s best-known literary journals, including Meanjin, Southerly, Overland, Island and Griffith Review.

Mr wigg by inga simpson