Bøger af Robert Wainwright

The tumultuous life of Australia's most famous opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. AUSTRALIA'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR When most people think of Nellie Melba they picture a squarish middle-aged woman dressed in furs and large hats, an imperious Dame whose voice ruled the world for three decades. But there was much more to her life than adulation and riches. To succeed she had to overcome social expectations, misogyny and tall-poppy syndrome. She endured the violence of a bad marriage, was denied by scandal a true love with the would-be King of France, and suffered the loss of her only child for more than a decade, stolen by his angry and vengeful father. Against all odds, Nellie Melba became the greatest opera singer of her time on stages across Australia, America and Europe.

Enid Lindeman stood almost six feet tall, with silver hair and flashing turquoise eyes. The girl from Strathfield in Sydney stopped traffic in Manhattan, silenced gamblers in Monte Carlo and dared walk a pet cheetah on a diamond collar through Hyde Park in London. In early twentieth-century society, when women were expected to be demure and obedient, the granddaughter of Hunter Valley wine pioneer Henry Lindeman waltzed through life to the beat of her own drum. She drove an ambulance in World War I and hid escaped Allied airmen behind enemy lines in World War II, played bridge with Somerset Maugham and entertained Hollywood royalty in the world's most expensive private home on the Riviera, allegedly paid for by her winnings in a game of cards. Enid captivated men with her beauty, outlived four husbands-two shipping magnates, a war hero and a larger-than-life Irish earl-spent two great fortunes and earned the nickname 'Lady Killmore'. From Sydney to New York, London to Paris and Cairo to Kenya, Robert Wainwright tells the fascinating story of a life lived large on the world stage.

"The answer to our success was family." In 1935, the Australian family confectionery company, Darrell Lea, was a sensation. Delicious chocolates, marshmallows, nougat, and much more were displayed colorfully and plentifully in line with the family's motto, "Stack 'em high, watch 'em fly." It was at this time that Montague Lea met the vivacious and confident Valerie Everitt. Although still a young woman, Valerie knew exactly what she wanted from life. Monty fell hard for her and, despite strong family opposition on both sides, they later married. Valerie was keen to have a family and, despite difficult pregnancies, Val gave birth to four children. But these children seemed neither to satisfy her desire for a large family nor her notions of child rearing. In 1947 she adopted the first of three more children who were designated to be playmates for her own. Rocky Road is the story of this chocaholic family and the woman who dominated. Behind the irresistible sweetness of Darrell Lea Chocolates lay a family who made bitter sacrifices to succeed at the candy business.

The astonishingly rich life story of eccentric socialite Enid Lindeman.

A fond and fascinating tribute to George Finch (1888-1970), mountaineer, scientist, inventor and polymath, who pioneered the use of the artificial oxygen that enabled Everest to finally be conquered thirty years after his own attempt.

The sparkling untold story of one of the leading lights in the women's suffrage movement.

Born on an Australian sheep station, Sheila Chisholm (1895-1969) wedded earls and barons, befriended literary figures and movie stars, and died a Russian princess.