{"title":"Sylvia Martin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSylvia Martin\u003c\/strong\u003e crafts compelling biographies and memoirs that delve into the nuanced lives of extraordinary individuals. Her storytelling combines meticulous research with engaging narrative, bringing personal histories vividly to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect insightful explorations of identity, courage, and transformation, with works such as \u003cem\u003eDouble Act\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eIda Leeson: A Life\u003c\/em\u003e offering profound reflections on the human experience through richly drawn characters and evocative prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"double-act-by-sylvia-martin-9781922507945","title":"Double Act","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this joint biography, Sylvia Martin delves deeper into the unconventional lives of two of Australia's prominent female artists. Turning a queer lens on Eirene Mort and Nora Kate Weston, Martin explores the deep and enduring relationship that underpinned their public creative partnership for over 60 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEirene Mort (18791977) and Nora Kate Weston (18801965) were dynamic 'New Women' who made valuable contributions to art in Australia, challenged gender conventions and were determined to be recognised as professional artists in spite of the societal conventions of the time. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThough better known today, Eirene always regarded her work with Nora as collaborative, a sentiment that \u003ci\u003eDouble Act \u003c\/i\u003eembraces, drawing Nora out of the shadows to take equal place in a relationship that the women considered complementary and intertwined.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStructured chronologically, \u003ci\u003eDouble Act\u003c\/i\u003e also includes 'spotlights' on particular artistic themes, such as Eirene's botanical art, the pair's joint creations and Eirene's bookplates. Martin  a queer woman herself  uses self-reflection as a tool throughout to deepen the impact of this beautiful and moving dual biography. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book will appeal to readers interested in art, design and social history, including queer history. Martin has drawn on the extensive papers, artworks, photographs and more in the National Library of Australia's collections. The result: a richly illustrated and important biography of the shared lives of Eirene Mort and Nora Kate Weston.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47288424956140,"sku":"9781922507945","price":42.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/f186259a92938e10252427ab735d2f86.jpg?v=1770632048"},{"product_id":"ida-leeson-a-life-by-sylvia-martin-9781741148503","title":"Ida Leeson: A Life","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSylvia Martin\u003c\/em\u003e is not just a researcher or biographer, but a storyteller of the highest order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIda Leeson: A Life\u003c\/em\u003e introduces us to a woman who was no ordinary librarian. In 1932, Ida Leeson became the first woman appointed as Mitchell Librarian after a very public debate about whether it was appropriate to appoint a woman to such a senior position. Rising from a working-class background, she successfully penetrated the bourgeoisie to achieve prominence in what was still predominantly a man's world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA diminutive, forceful, and vibrant woman, Ida resists any easy classification. In a period now acknowledged as a heroic era of Australian writing and publishing, Ida became a trailblazer for women and librarians and a champion of the lively literary culture in Australia during the 1930s and 1940s. She was friendly with many of the leading literary figures of the time, such as James McAuley, Christopher Brennan, Marjorie Barnard, Flora Eldershaw, and most notably, Miles Franklin, for whom she acted as an honorary proof-reader and literary advisor. Ida was also a close friend of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, for a time living with her partner, Florence Birch, as part of the bohemian enclave the Griffins established at Castlecrag.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBrought to vivid life by Sylvia Martin, the story of Ida Leeson inspires a new generation of readers. Hers was a truly remarkable life in an intriguing era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48147294486764,"sku":"9781741148503","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781741148503-ida-leeson-a-life.jpg?v=1786448579"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/sylvia-martin.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}