Shimmer

by Basia Bonkowski

This is the remarkable account of the last days of one woman's life. As author Basia Bonkowski gathers with her brothers to watch over their mother as she lies in hospital, she gradually unravels the threads that have formed the rich tapestry of her mother's life - and her own. As a girl her mother fled the Russians as they advanced through Poland during World War II. As a young wife she came to Australia with her husband and infant son to forge a new life. Hers is a story of heartache and loss, of secrets and dreams. Her legacy is one of survival, of embracing the migrant experience. Now, as she reaches the end of her journey, the family is forced to face the hardest question of all; when the time comes, will they be able to let her go? Basia's lyrical prose and sharp eye for detail create an unforgettable account of her family over three generations. Shimmer is a moving tribute to the healing strength of the human spirit and the ties that bind.

Genres: Biography

268 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memoir and tribute to her mother, the author traces the days from when she got the phone call with the news that her mum was dying, to her flight interstate and the days she spent at her mother's bedside, processing her response to the crisis and struggling to cope with her mum's imminent death. The structure of the memoir weaves from the hospital bed to scenes and stories from her mother's rich past- a migrant who arrived in Australia post WW2. The contrast between the vulnerable figure lying in the hospital bed and her feisty younger self protecting her family from an approaching bushfire is typical of the alternating images of her mother: strength and fragility; feistiness and vulnerability. At times I felt like I was sitting at the bedside with her, contemplating the awfulness of saying goodbye to a parent. It sounds terribly depressing, but it's not- it's intimate and honest... and some of the anecdotes are hilarious. I felt as though I'd met an indomitable woman whose life story deserved to be known by more than her family. Having read Romulus my Father not long before, I think these stories which have a lot in common (both written in a similar eulogising vein from the perspective of second generation migrant children) are so good to hear. These are the 'wogs' and 'dagos' of the 1950s reminding us that we underestimated them.

[Siteri R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult book to read because of its subject matter, a daughter's memory and love letter to her elderly mother.

Told over the last thirteen days of her mother's life, the author melds stories of her Polish parents fleeing Europe after WW2 to Australia and the sacrifices they made for their family.

The author Basia Bonkowski passed away in 2022 from lymphoma cancer.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★ I did enjoy this book, but the only things I could fault with it was that it dragged out a bit for me in the first half and I found it a bit difficult at times to distinguish between the past recollections and the current story. I thought the ending was beautiful and it made me almost tear up a bit which is VERY rare for me when reading