The Erratics - winner of the Stella Prize in Australian Literature 2019

[sandpiper]

I heard the news yesterday that this book has just won the coveted Stella Award for an outstanding piece of writing by an Australian Woman.
If you're the child of a PD mother and an enabler father, this book will resonate with you.
Vicki Laveau-Harvie has walked through the fire and this is such a beautiful and powerful piece of writing.
I bought it for my e-reader yesterday and I could not put it down.

I read a few reviews grumbling that she didn't give enough backstory & FWIW I didn't care. It was just so good to listen to someone who gets it. Who understands the lies, the smear campaigns, the attempts to turn every social contact you have against you. And just how incredibly hard it is to try to do the right thing for parents who have been abusive, neglectful, dismissive and malicious.
I give this 5/5 stars & a Bear Hug to the author - because it was so good to see one of our stories in print and to have those air-punching moments of 'Yes!' with things that people would not get unless they have a PD relative.
So good to see this book getting the accolades it deserves.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/stella-prize-winner-vicki-laveau-harvie-wins-for-the-erratics/10985238

[coyote]

Thanks for sharing sandpiper.

[moglow]

I like the sound of this one! Thank you - will add it to my list (personal and here).

[sandpiper]

I'm so glad I found it. xxx

[Drawing_boundaries]

Wow-oh-wow. What a book!
My uBPD mother died when I was an early teen but I can recall her behaviours and even from beyond the grave my father enabled.
This book resonated with me deeply. I listened to the audio book read by the author - Vicki Laveau-Harvie. It adds another layer to the emotionally distance of the book.
Laveau-Harvie discusses and dives in and out of abuse from her PD mother with a measured tone. There is similarities with some of the detailed yet non emotional language that is common on these forums. When one is dealing with the off the chart crazy behaviour this is the only way to communicate effectively (I have found in my personal experience anyway). I wondered whilst listening if Laveau-Harvie has been on this site.

I found listening to this book rewarding. The author even addresses the pain caused by enabling - that the enabler had a choice .
For me it was lovely to engage in PD in the fiction realm. A new experience for me and offered healing I have not been getting for more academic material on the matter.
Really deserves the Stella Prize