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Reckoning

A Memoir
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( 6,887 ratings, 687 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Reckoning by Magda Szubanski is a profound memoir that intertwines the author's personal journey of self-discovery with her family's history. Magda explores her complex relationship with her father, a Polish resistance fighter, while navigating her identity as a comedian and seeking peace with her past. This engaging narrative captures themes of courage, identity, and forgiveness.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you're interested in exploring the deeply personal journey of self-discovery against the backdrop of historical events, you may find this book appealing. With its mix of memoir and history, it offers a poignant look at identity, heritage, and the powerful desire to understand one's past, perfect for those drawn to compelling, honest narratives.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Heartbreaking, joyous, traumatic, intimate and revelatory, Reckoning is the book where Magda Szubanski, one of Australia's most beloved performers, tells her story. In this extraordinary memoir, Magda describes her journey of self-discovery from a suburban childhood, haunted by the demons of her father's espionage activities in wartime Poland and by her secret awareness of her sexuality, to the complex dramas of adulthood and her need to find out the truth about herself and her family.

With courage and compassion, she addresses her own frailties and fears, and asks the big questions about life, about the shadows we inherit and the gifts we pass on. Honest, poignant, and utterly captivating, Reckoning announces the arrival of a fearless writer and natural storyteller. It will touch the lives of its readers.

A memoir that will dazzle every kind of reader... Reckoning is a riveting, overwhelmingly poignant autobiography by a woman of genius. It is a book about how someone might live with the idea of killing the thing they love. It is a story of love and death and redemption and a daughter's love for her father. It is an extraordinary hymn to the tragic heroism at the heart of ordinary life and the soaring moral scrutiny of womankind. Every library should have it, every school should teach it. β€” Peter Craven, The Australian

This is a remarkable memoir, that weaves the tragedy of twentieth-century history into a personal narrative of coming to terms with family and self, and manages to honour both stories. The writing is assured and controlled, the storytelling expert and thoughtful, the language eloquent and moving. The writing, the story, the voice - all of it is beautiful. β€” Christos Tsiolkas

A brave and tender book about everything that matters most in life. β€” Cate Blanchett

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Magda Szubanski's Reckoning is praised for its profound exploration of family, identity, and history, interwoven with the tragedy of the 20th century. Critics commend its eloquent and moving narrative, highlighting Szubanski's emotional depth, wit, and intelligence. The memoir is noted for its raw honesty, nostalgia, and insightful storytelling, revealing Szubanski as a gifted writer beyond her comedic fame.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925240436

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 September 2015

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Authors Bio, not available

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    In this extraordinary memoir, Magda Szubanski describes her journey of self-discovery from a suburban childhood, haunted by the demons of her father's espionage activities in wartime Poland and by her secret awareness of her sexuality, to the complex dramas of adulthood and her need to find out the truth about herself and her family. With courage and compassion, she addresses...
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