#AusReadingMonth2020 Penny Wong

• Author: Margaret Simons
  
• Title: Penny Wong
  
• Published: 2019
• Bingo card SA
  
• List of Challenges 2020
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• #NonFicNov 2020
• #AusReadingMonth2020   @bronasbooks
• #AWW2020  @AustralianWomenWriters:

 

Conclusion:

1. My first impression was in the book’s preface:
2. Ms Wong was reluctant to cooperate with Ms Simons.
3. She told Ms. Simons she was an introvert
4. …and suffered from prejudice and therefore
5. …developed a closely guarded internal life.
6. Penny Wong’s main motivation for
7. …entering politics was to combat racism.
8. Racism formed her in more ways than she is aware.
9. I wonder if Ms Simons will be able to “crack this hard nut”?

 

1. Researching a biography involves a lot of borrowing and persuading
2. anecdotes, interviews (…or not, partner Sophie, mother Jane).
3. Political party history (Labor) and public records are the ingredients
4. Ms Simons used to fill in the gaps.
5. Getting hold of personal information
6. …about Penny Wong was a herculean task.
7. Yet Margaret Simons persevered to give the reader a
8. book that is …
9. .…lucidly-written, logically-structured, and convincingly argued.
10. The Shark Poem (pg 11) that Ms Wong wrote as a 12 year old gives
11. …the reader a glimpse of one of Australia’s most popular politician:
12. Shark poem:
13. …the way it adapts
14. …moves cleanly through its environment
15. …the way it inspires both fear and respect.
16. …that is Penny Wong.

 

1. Despite these accolades….it was a very difficult book
2. to read b/c of my lack of knowledge about
3. the nuts and bolts of Australian politics.
4. Ms. Simons did an honorable job with the little
5. input she had from Penny Wong.
6. Backstory – 5%
   Education – 5%
   University student politics – 5%
   Personal relationships – 1 %
   Australian Politics – 85%