Burn My Letters ~ Midnight Sun to Southern Cross ~
St Lucia and the Art Deco Mansion
A 3-book heritage saga
Book 1: Burn My Letters: Tyranny to Refuge
Book 2: Midnight Sun to Southern Cross: Those who stay, those who go
Book 3: St Lucia and the Art Deco Mansion: What drove the man who built it?
Historical biography/memoir
A refugee from Russian-occupied Finland round 1900, Karl Johan Back lives settler highs and lows as the original hippy of Byron Bay. But why did Russians chase ‘KJ’ to Suez? Why did he write home to ‘burn my letters?’
July 2019 — In the past week I have presented in Longreach and Winton libraries, this morning I’ll be doing an interview on radio 4LG. Listen to the interview:
Introduction and Chapter One of Burn My Letters by Ruth Bonetti – listen now!
Intrigued by her ‘black sheep’ great-uncle, Ruth Bonetti pieces together the motives that propelled his flight. Finnish relatives share a treasure-trove of letters that provide answers to the many questions raised by Karl Johan’s quest for freedom.
Why did Russian military police pursue him as far as Suez? Why did he publish under a pen-name? And, most intriguing of all, why did he implore his family to burn his letters?
Goodreads excerpts:
‘There is nothing dull about this historical search, from the start I was drawn into the story, entertained, amused, challenged and moved.’
‘…a charming blend of well-researched narrative non-fiction and creative imagination. Ruth’s writing is cohesive and easy to read.’
What drove Wilhelm Anders Back to become ‘Australia’s richest Finn’?
Who was led to live on the ‘Promised Land’ that his father prayed for?
Why did his brother-in-law warn ‘There will be reprisals’ before bringing his family to Australia?
Ruth Bonetti’s second instalment of the Back family saga moves between Australia and Finland to contrast her grandfather’s formative years in Europe and her own upbringing in outback Queensland and in St Lucia, the iconic Brisbane suburb he developed.
What of family members who remained in Finland? Ruth explores the parts they played in the struggle to oust Russian overlords from their homeland.
Along the way she discovers much about her own voyage of self-discovery.
‘For many of us, especially baby boomers, genealogy is the new travel, and tracking our hidden family history has become addictive.’
(Graeme Blunder)
Ruth shares her experiences of unlocking the secrets of her heritage. She tells true stories of emigrants-made-good-and-bad who escaped repression to build new lives in the South Land haven. These ‘everyman’ refugee battlers will resonate with those who track their own roots.
Ruth tells:
‘A treasure trove of century-old letters helps me uncover how Finnish ancestors fled Russian repression to safe haven in Australia. This saga of escape, hope and freedom draws circles around the globe to contrast journeys past and present, discoveries of migrant forebears and myself.’
