Sian Prior author talk

This week at the Camberwell Library we were lucky enough to listen to Sian Prior talk about her memoir titled Shy.

Sian even though she has been a public figure over the last few decades  in her various roles as a journalist, a broadcaster, a musician, a composer and/or  a teacher just to name a few….she is an incredibly shy person.

Hard to believe I know, even after reading her book I still had doubts but after listening to Sian I now understand.

Sian calls herself “a shy extrovert”. She suffers from social anxiety or shyness and has so all her life.

Sian has developed two different personas, who have been known to have conversations with each other during difficult times.

There is the ‘Professional Sian’ who appears calm and confident on the surface and then there is the ‘Shy Sian’ who is often paralyzed by fear and anxiety and what if questions.

Throughout the book Sian shares with us some very personal stories from her own life. Many people who attended were able to relate to and sympathize with Sian’s past ; they also felt comfortable enough to open up and share some of their own experiences.

Sian also provided us with valuable information that she has discovered as a result of her own experiences and research during this time.

Sian understands that her shyness is not something that will ever go away and it will always be a part of her genetic makeup but she has learnt how to manage her condition on a daily basis.

This book is a must read for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed in social situations or someone who constantly fears what others will think of them or suffers from embarrassment….. actually I think everyone could benefit from reading this book. So do yourself a favour and book a copy at your local Boroondara library.

This post was writte by Michele G at Camberwell Library.

#MWF14 GREAT JOURNEYS: LONDON TO CHINA BY BIKE with Emma Ayres

This post was written by Carol from Hawthorn Library.

Emma Ayres is a well-known radio presenter on ABC Classic FM.  Her book Cadence is about her epic solo journey from England to Hong Kong on her trusty bicycle Vita.  She also took along a small violin which she played to many people along the route.  We were lucky enough to have this talk punctuated with her viola playing, a clever way to illustrate her musical career, the importance of music in her life and moments that coloured her trip.

Growing up in England, she came from a family with very limited means so found riding a bike the best way to get around.  By 11 years old she was able to manage 40kms without trouble.  Despite this early experience, she was unfit when she embarked upon her project; there were vivid descriptions of physical pain and discomfort in early stages of her travels.

Why did she choose UK to Hong Kong?  She was familiar with Hong Kong having worked as a ‘rank and file’ member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for several years.  She also used the ride to raise funds for a music therapy charity there.

She had the audience laughing loudly with her explanation of incidents and impressions along the way.  She thought there was ‘nothing remarkable’ about riding through Europe but the trip stepped up a notch in Iran which presented different problems;  nevertheless, she remembers it as fun.  Pakistan was much more difficult; she said it was a turning point in her life where she overcame considerable fear and survived scary encounters with police.

Finishing this project gave Emma immense satisfaction but also a sense of loss.  It was an ‘ending’ and she was worried she would ‘fall over’.  It took some time to get back into ordinary life.

The opportunity to work in radio (which she took to immediately) has given her a rewarding career and is something she clearly loves.

There was a hint of a new long bicycle adventure in Australia which will also highlight the serious need to support music education.

The idea of freedom is very important to her and she believes there is freedom in riding in the countryside and freedom ‘inwards’ through music.

Emma Ayres has a sharp mind, a wonderful wit and is very entertaining. She is generous, hilarious, warm.  She took us on an uplifting, unusual and challenging journey;  a journey that also gave a glimpse into a very interesting life.

Read:  Cadence by Emma Ayres

Publisher’s note:  In her provocative, intelligent, surprising and funny memoir, Emma cycles her way from England to Hong Kong with a violin she calls Aurelia strapped to her back. But it is also a journey through the keys, and the music that inspired, shaped and provided refuge for Emma throughout her travels with music.

#MWF14 Ruper Thomson and Ben Watt on Family.

Rupert Thomson This party’s got to stop & Ben Watts Romany and Tom talked with Sian Prior about family and most particularly about parents, the part they play in all our lives whether they are present or absent and the enormous and brutal impact that their deaths can have. Rupert Thomson’s father was an invalid after the war and spent 10 years in hospital. His mother was a nurse and they met while his father was in hospital. Although he always imagined his father would die first it was Rupert’s mother who died unexpectedly at the age of 33 while playing tennis. He was 8 years old and forever altered by this.

Ben Watts tells the story of his mother and father’s tumultuous meeting in 1957 and their subsequent marriage, both were divorced and Ben’s mother already had triplets from her first marriage. They fell deeply in love finding a passion neither of them had in their first marriages. Over the years the differences in their backgrounds and careers started to affect their relationship and when they were in their early seventies Ben set about trying to help them find each other again. 

Sian Prior will speak at Camberwell Library on the 8 October at 7pm. Click here for more details.