Really Interesting Women - Podcast 

Revisited on 'Throwback Thursday'

Anna Funder Ep. 105.   

Anna Funder is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and awarded writers and an international success. One of her books is currently being made into a film with a Hollywood household name as its protagonist. 

...and she dreamed of being a writer since she was a child.

Anna spent her early childhood in Paris where her father was working. First day at primary school was a little tricky. Didn’t understand what anyone was saying. She subsequently learnt to read and write in 2 languages. And from that moment, words were her obsession. 

She started her working life as a lawyer and gave up what she called “probably the best lawyer job in Australia”, working in the Attorney General’s department on treaty negotiations and international law. But she didn’t feel like it was her ‘real life’.

She made a life changing decision to move to Berlin and become a writer. The full story can be heard on the podcast including, while promoting her book ‘Stasiland’, going on a public stage in Germany where the first 2 rows were occupied by ex-Stasi, all taking notes!

That 2003 book Stasiland won, amongst many other things, the Samuel Johnson Prize which is for the best non-fiction writing in the English language (!!). Actor Tom Hanks described it as 'fascinating, entertaining, hilarious, horrifying and very important.'
 
 Her 2012 novel, All That I Am, won a myriad of awards including the very prestigious Miles Franklin Award. 

 In her recently released book, Wifedom, Anna uncovers George Orwell’s ‘forgotten’ wife Eileen O’Shaughnessy, and rewrites her into history. Geraldine Brooks described the book as, 'Simply, a masterpiece'.

Her books are important because of the truths they reveal. They are beautifully researched and exquisitely told. 

Have a listen to this fascinating conversation. Head to the link in my bio or copy and paste this link into your browser:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849?i=1000619409426

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

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https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849