Celebrating author Anna Funder

By Sonia Isaacs

LAST week’s Outspoken event at the Maleny Community Centre saw local audiences turn up in droves to see multi award-winning author Anna Funder in conversation with Steven Lang.

The evening commenced with author Angela O’Keeffe speaking about her new novel, The Sitter followed by Anna Funder discussing her compelling new book, Wifedom where she illuminates the untold and previously unrecognised story of writer Eileen O’Shaughnessy, the wife of George Orwell, in what was arguably one of the most important literary marriages of the twentieth century.

Although slightly travel weary having flown in from Europe a few days earlier, Steven was his usual erudite self, chatting with the two authors and gently probing into the authors intent behind their books through intelligent and insightful enquiry. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Outspoken Maleny is the opportunity to have a sense of unfettered access and insight into the inner workings of some of biggest and brightest lights of the literary world right here on the Hinterland.

Anna is the highlyacclaimed author of cult classics Stasiland and All That I Am, and her new book, is focused on the Orwells, and onto Mrs Orwell in particular.

Anna said the idea for the book started back in 2017 when she was experiencing her own challenges dealing with her own “motherlode of wifedom”. A serendipitous discovery of a collection of George Orwell’s work in a second-hand bookshop reignited her interest in the author, however upon further discovery she realised that despite the obvious talent, intelligence and mentorship of his wife Eileen O’Shaughnessy, her life and achievements were barely mentioned

‘I have,’ she writes, ‘always loved George Orwell, his self-deprecating humour, his laser vision about how power works, and who it works on.’

It was to Orwell she would turn when her own life began to overwhelm. But then she read about his wife, and her curiosity was piqued. Part biography, part story, part polemic, the book clearly presents a fascinating story played out against significant events of the Twentieth Century, and an ode to the unsung work of women everywhere.

The next scheduled Outspoken event will be acclaimed journalist and author David Marr discussing his latest book Killing for Country For more details on upcoming Outspoken events head to www. outspokenmaleny.