Emma Brockes is a British author and a contributor to The Guardian and The New York Times. Her work is characterized by a sharp insight into contemporary society and the human psyche. Through her essays and reporting, Brockes delves into complex subjects with a keen eye for detail and profound empathy. Her precise and thought-provoking style invites readers to reflect on the world around us.
Emma Brockes is thirty-seven, lives alone, and wants children. And that's just the beginning - there are a million choices to make when taking the untraditional route to motherhood. With generous heart and humour, Panic & Joy examines essential questions about motherhood and the modern family.
Parenting in each other's general direction?Brockes navigates these decisions against a background of uninvited opinion, scolding, and the general hysteria that always accompanies a woman's decision to have (or not have) children.
When Emma Brockes was ten years old, her mother said 'One day I will tell you the story of my life and you will be amazed.' Growing up in a tranquil English village, Emma knew very little of her mother's life before her. She knew Paula had grown up in South Africa and had seven siblings. She had been told stories about deadly snakes and hailstones the size of golf balls. There was mention, once, of a trial. But most of the past was a mystery. When her mother dies of cancer, Emma - by then a successful journalist at the Guardian - is free to investigate the untold story. Her search begins in the Colindale library but then takes her to South Africa, to the extended family she has never met and their accounts of a childhood so different to her own. She encounters versions of the life her mother chose to leave behind - and realises what a gift her mother gave her. Part investigation, part travelogue, part elegy, She Left Me the Gun is a gripping, funny and clear-eyed account of a writer's search for her mother's story
Film musicals: you either love them or they make you want to kill yourself slowly with plastic cutlery. Nothing has the power to lift your heart or turn your stomach like Howard Keel in fake sideburns singing 'Bless Your Beautiful Hide' or Julie Andrews singing... well, just about anything.
The memoir captivates with its novel-like depth and rich storytelling, offering readers an engaging and intimate experience. The author, Ms. Brockes, invites you into her world, making you feel fortunate to share in her journey. Through her unique perspective and eloquent prose, she rekindles the joy of reading memoirs, showcasing the power of personal narrative.
Die wahre Geschichte der Familie von Emma Brockes Ihr Leben lang hat Emmas Mutter Paula von ihrer Kindheit und Jugend in Südafrika geschwiegen. Kurz vor ihrem Tod erzählt sie Emma zum ersten Mal davon. Sie war eines von acht Kindern eines gewalttätigen Vaters, der seinen Kindern Schreckliches antat. Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter will Emma Licht in die Familiengeschichte bringen. Sie reist nach Johannesburg, verabredet sich mit Verwandten, versucht sie zum Reden zu bringen, studiert Gerichtsakten. Was sie dabei erfährt, ist schier unglaublich …