Too Afraid to Cry

In this powerful memoir, in language shorn of all embellishment, Ali Cobby Eckermann, ‘whose spirit was damaged a long time ago’, tells us about her abusive childhood, aimless youth filled with drugs and bad decisions, and finally, the discovery of the ancient anchors of her people. The anchors are also wings, for her story is the story of the Stolen Generations of the Indigenous people of Australia. It is a testament to their ancient knowledge, the ability to locate a route, even a life-route, with their songs, the power of healing and hope, and the wisdom of Dreamtime: every moment contains an eternity of possibilities.

Creating a new form by mixing poetry and prose—the circles of Aboriginal culture with the squares of whiteness, the circles of bush ways with the squares that whitefellas fix—Ali builds a new home for her astonishing story. This is a brave book, written by a woman who has faced her demons, transformed her suffering into a work of art, and found her true sitting place in the world.