{"title":"Ann Blainey","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the collection of works by the acclaimed author \u003cem\u003eAnn Blainey\u003c\/em\u003e, a masterful biographer renowned for her ability to bring historical figures vividly to life. With a focus on Biography \u0026amp; Memoir, her writings offer readers an intimate glimpse into the lives of some of history's most fascinating personalities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eImmerse yourself in \u003cstrong\u003eI am Melba: A Biography\u003c\/strong\u003e, where Blainey explores the extraordinary journey of Dame Nellie Melba, capturing the essence of this legendary Australian opera singer who graced the stages of Europe with her captivating voice and indomitable spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover the gripping tale of one of aviation's pioneering figures in \u003cstrong\u003eKing of the Air: The Turbulent Life of Charles Kingsford Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e. Blainey delves into the adventurous and often tumultuous life of Charles Kingsford Smith, a trailblazing aviator whose daring feats and groundbreaking flights helped shape the world of aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnn Blainey's meticulously researched biographies are a testament to her dedication as an author and a historian. Whether you're a history enthusiast or a newcomer to biographical narratives, her engaging storytelling and insightful perspectives will captivate and educate in equal measure.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"king-of-the-air-the-turbulent-life-of-charles-kingsford-smith-by-ann-blainey-9781760641078","title":"King of the Air: The Turbulent Life of Charles Kingsford Smith","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA revealing portrait of a brilliant and troubled figure - a daredevil of the skies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCharles Kingsford Smith\u003c\/em\u003e was the most commanding flyer of the golden age of aviation. In three short years, he broke records with his astounding and daring voyages- the first trans-Pacific flight from America to Australia, the first circumnavigation around the equator, the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland. He did it all with such courage, modesty and charm that Australia and the world fell in love with him. A tickertape parade was held in his honour on New York's Fifth Avenue. At home, he became a national hero, 'Our Smithy'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet his achievements belied a traumatic past. He had witnessed the horror of World War I - first as a soldier at Gallipoli, later as a combat pilot with the Royal Flying Corps - and, like so many of his generation, he bore physical and emotional scars. The public saw the derring-do; only those close to him knew the anxious man who pushed himself to the edge of health and sanity. In November 1935, Kingsford Smith's plane crashed and he was lost at sea near Burma, his body never to be recovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis brilliant work from one of Australia's foremost biographers reveals the complicated, tumultuous life of a fascinating figure, who pursued his obsession to the greatest heights of fame and catastrophe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46344215986412,"sku":"9781760641078","price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/23797723482814.jpg?v=1744013697"},{"product_id":"king-of-the-air-the-turbulent-life-of-charles-kingsford-smith-by-ann-blainey-9781760641924","title":"King of the Air: The Turbulent Life of Charles Kingsford Smith","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA revealing portrait of a brilliant and troubled figure - a daredevil of the skies - now available in paperback.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKing of the Air: The Turbulent Life of Charles Kingsford Smith\u003c\/em\u003e depicts Charles Kingsford Smith as the most commanding flyer of the golden age of aviation. In three short years, he broke records with his astounding and daring voyages: the first trans-Pacific flight from America to Australia, the first circumnavigation around the equator, the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland. He did it all with such courage, modesty, and charm that Australia and the world fell in love with him. He became a national hero, 'Our Smithy'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet his achievements belied a traumatic past. He had witnessed the horror of World War I - first as a soldier at Gallipoli, later as a combat pilot with the Royal Flying Corps - and, like so many of his generation, he bore physical and emotional scars. The public saw the derring-do; only those close to him knew the anxious man who pushed himself to the edge of health and sanity. In November 1935, Kingsford Smith's plane crashed, and he was lost at sea near Burma, his body never to be recovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis brilliant work from one of Australia's foremost biographers reveals the complicated, tumultuous life of a fascinating figure who pursued his obsession to the greatest heights of fame and catastrophe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46344223326444,"sku":"9781760641924","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781760641924.jpg?v=1744015346"},{"product_id":"i-am-melba-a-biography-by-ann-blainey-9781863951838","title":"I am Melba: A Biography","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eI Am Melba\u003c\/i\u003e - how a Melbourne girl defied her father and left her husband to become the most famous singer of the age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGrowing up in Melbourne, Nellie Mitchell showed musical promise and dreamed of fame, but her father had more orthodox plans in mind. Early marriage took her to the Queensland cane-fields - but her ambitions remained, and she soon fled to London, trusting in talent and luck to get her by.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWithin a few years, reborn as Nellie Melba, she was performing to overflowing concert halls, hobnobbing with royalty and collaborating with Europe's most renowned musicians. When her affair with the heir to the defunct French throne was discovered, the press chased them from Paris to St Petersburg and back again, desperate for a glimpse of \"the Voice\" and her royal conquest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeted and condemned by critics, relentlessly pursued by the press and mobbed by adoring fans, Dame Nellie Melba was Australia's first superstar. Behind the scenes, she was a canny businesswoman, an affectionate mother and a playful practical joker. When she died - apparently after a botched face-lift - flags were flown at half-mast and thousands turned out to see her funeral cortege.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this definitive biography, Ann Blainey captures the exuberance, controversy and pathos of a remarkable Australian life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46372311892204,"sku":"9781863951838","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/17731093482851.jpg?v=1744817565"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/ann-blainey.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}