How to Avoid a Happy Life podcast episode 1: Author Julia Lawrinson traces her family lineage to reveal generational truths about divorce
About the show
The life of beloved children’s author Julia Lawrinson is stranger than fiction – and she draws on all her power as a storyteller to turn a life of intense headlines into a wild, marvellous tale.
In the first episode of this 6-episode series, Julia immerses herself in the history of her own family to reveal cultural attitudes towards divorce in Australia. Going as far back as the early 1900s, Julia retraces her family history, uncovering the story of a private investigator hired to expose the truth about the alleged adultery of her great-grandparents. Julia investigates why such a story was omitted from her family’s oral history, while observing the marriages that were failing around her during her childhood in the 70s.
About the host
Julia Lawrinson has published more than 15 books for children and young people, many of them award-winning. She works as a consultant on legislation and policy; How to Avoid a Happy Life is her first book for adults.
Books by Julia Lawrinson: (middle fiction) Mel and Shell and Maddie in the Middle; (memoir) How to Avoid a Happy Life; (contributor) Minds Went Walking: Paul Kelly’s Songs Reimagined
Socials
Connect with Julia on her social media on Instagram or via her website https://julialawrinson.com.au/.
Producer and music credits
This episode was produced by Danae Gibson, and recorded at RTR RM. Music was written by Late Night Shopping (Nikki Jones and Shaun Salmon), and includes voice work by Nikki Jones and Zoe Warwick.
For The Opposite of Boredom: Fair use recordings of Kelmscott Primary School’s choir were from the 1978 LP My Heart is like a Singing Bird, with thanks to the City of Armadale’s Library and Heritage Services. Nikki Jones and Judy Bridge gave permission for the excerpts from Dickheads and The Furniture Song (recorded 1996).
