In the Shadow of the Golden Pagoda

as told to Patricia Young by Gillian (Byrd) Boyer

Isn't it interesting how something potentially negative can give rise to something positive and inspiring?

And so it is with the new biography In the Shadow of the Golden Pagoda, where the prospect of upheaval prompted Sunshine Coast local Gillian Boyer to reflect back on and record her adventurous life. Will the looming threat of the Traveston Dam cause her to yet again have to pack up and move on to unknown places?

Luckily for the reader these recollections, as told to author Patricia Young, give us a glimpse into a world that will mesmerise and fascinate. Recalled in vignettes, we are transported to 1930s China where Gillian's birth 'in the shadow of the golden pagoda' foretells a long and lucky life. Her early years in the Jewel of the East are charmed and filled with happy episodes, with the sounds, smells and tastes of Chinese culture and village life brought vividly to life. The arrival of a baby sister however coincides with the outbreak of WWII. Her father is arrested then imprisoned by the Japanese, and curfews, food shortages and the constant threat of arrest now shadow their lives. The author paints lucid pictures of the trials both the expatriates and the local Chinese faced. The post-war years see the family journey to unfamiliar territory when they are firstly repatriated to England, then move to politically turbulent Africa where Gillian begins her nursing training and meets her future husband.

Gillian Boyer's recollections are lively and peppered with insights about the people and places she's lived in, immersing the reader in the prevailing customs, attitudes and political climate of a particular time and place. Apart from giving us a look into a life well lived, we are also shown a portrait, through sharp eyes, of a tumultuous time in modern world history. And, although the future of her current home is still uncertain, we are all the richer for having heard the tale that brought her here.

ISBN 978-0-9803365-2-8
Published by Catbird Media

1 copy: $25.00 (Plus P&H)

Larger orders are available, please email admin@catbirdmedia.com.au