True North is the inspirational Canadian Chapter of Jill Ker Conway's life story, which began with her much love, bestselling memoir, The Road from Coorain. Beginning with her departure from Australia, Jill Ker Conway tells of her romance with Harvard House Master John Conway, of coming to grips with his manic-depressive disorder, and of their move to Canada in 1964 where she became the first female vice-president at the University of Toronto. In this vibrant memoir, we watch as a most private woman makes of herself a public persona in Canada.
Jill Ker Conway Volgorde van de boeken (chronologisch)
De literaire bijdragen van Jill Ker Conway zijn voornamelijk geworteld in haar introspectieve autobiografische verhalen. Ze verkent meesterlijk thema's als identiteit, persoonlijke transformatie en de reis van zelfontdekking. Haar schrijven biedt een diepgaande kijk op de uitdagingen en kansen waarmee vrouwen te maken kregen bij het navigeren door maatschappelijke veranderingen. Conway's werk biedt een unieke lens om individuele groei binnen een bredere historische context te begrijpen.
Jill Ker Conway narrates her remarkable journey into adulthood, marked by vast distances and contrasting worlds. Growing up in the Australian outback, she was seven before encountering another girl and began helping herd sheep at eight, as World War II left her family without able-bodied men. Conway vividly describes the beautiful yet harsh landscape of Coorain, where her parents worked tirelessly to create a nurturing home amidst adversity. After her father’s sudden death when she was ten, her mother struggled with depression, leaving Jill to navigate the challenges of suburban Sydney in the 1950s, where she faced a crowded school life. As she transitioned to university, Jill embraced new ideas while grappling with the responsibility of caring for her mother, leading her to moments of escapism through drink. Despite these struggles, she gradually found her emotional and intellectual strength, embarking on a transformative love affair that helped her discover her true self. Ultimately, she moved to America, where she became a historian and the first female president of Smith College. Her journey from Coorain is a powerful exploration of how deep-rooted commitments to place and dreams can both liberate and confine, portraying childhood as a blend of Eden and anguish, and adulthood as a quest for freedom.