Mother and Daughter: The Story of Daisy and Gladys Corunna

Mother and Daughter: The Story of Daisy and Gladys Corunna chronicles the lives of two Aboriginal women in twentieth-century Western Australia. The narrative follows their experiences across multiple decades as they navigate life under government policies that controlled Indigenous Australians. Sally Morgan presents this dual biography through interviews and personal accounts, documenting the relationship between Daisy Corunna and her daughter Gladys. Their story takes place against the backdrop of changing social and political landscapes in Australia, from the 1920s through to more recent times. The text brings together themes of family bonds, cultural identity, and survival in the face of institutional control. Through the specific experiences of these two women, larger questions emerge about memory, belonging, and the impact of government policies on Indigenous families.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Sally Morgan's overall work: Readers consistently highlight Morgan's authentic storytelling voice and her ability to illuminate Aboriginal experiences through personal narrative. Many connect deeply with "My Place" for its exploration of identity and family history. What readers liked: - Raw emotional honesty in describing family relationships - Clear, accessible writing style that handles complex themes - Educational value for understanding Australian history - Personal approach to documenting Aboriginal experiences - Effective blend of memoir and historical account What readers disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in middle sections - A few noted repetitive dialogue passages - Several mentioned wanting more historical context - Some non-Australian readers struggled with cultural references Ratings: - Goodreads: 4.0/5 from 3,800+ ratings for "My Place" - Amazon: 4.3/5 from 120+ reviews - LibraryThing: 4.1/5 from 250+ ratings Reader quote: "Morgan's straightforward telling makes the impact of government policies on Aboriginal families devastatingly clear without preaching" - Goodreads reviewer "The narrative power comes from its simplicity" - Amazon reviewer

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🌸 Sally Morgan discovered her Aboriginal heritage as an adult, which inspired her to write this book as part of her journey to understand her family's history 📚 The book is part of a larger autobiographical work called "My Place" (1987), which became one of Australia's most successful Aboriginal life stories 👥 Gladys Corunna, one of the book's subjects, was taken from her mother Daisy as part of Australia's Stolen Generations policy, which forcibly removed Aboriginal children from their families 🏰 Much of the story takes place at Corunna Downs Station in Western Australia, where Daisy worked as a domestic servant in harsh conditions 🗣️ The narrative uniquely weaves together three generations of Aboriginal women's voices, using their own words and dialects to preserve the authenticity of their experiences