Anna's Story by Bronwyn Donaghy

by Bronwyn Donaghy

At 15 Anna Wood went to a party and took an ecstasy tablet. Three days later she was dead. A life destroyed. A family devastated.She was just fifteen. She was leaving school to start the job of her dreams. She was beautiful, she had a loving family and countless friends. Yet on 21 October 1995, Anna Wood took an ecstasy tablet at a dance party and died three days later. A life destroyed, a family devastated, a community in shock. Bronwyn Donaghy interviewed friends, family members and numerous professionals in order to write the story of the circumstances surrounding Annaᱠdeath and of her family's decision to try and turn tragedy into a positive force for good. It is a story of our times, a story with powerful resonances for Anna's generation and their parents, for counsellors, doctors and teachers, for anyone who values the sanctity of life. 'As a teenager I have taken all kinds of drugs, not really knowing what they were and why I did it. then I found this book. I vowed never to take drugs again but itᱠjust a shame it took the life of a beautiful, talented girl to make me realise how dangerous it was.' BC, aged 17, New South Wales 'I have never tried illicit drugs and although I was curious to do so ... the information provided in this book has scared me away from that forever.' LO, aged 16, Western Australia 'I've had Mum and Dad give me lectures about not taking drugs and stuff but it didn't really affect me until I read Anna's Story and realised what they do to ordinary people just like me.' AE, aged 15, Queensland

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Drugs, Biography Memoir, Memoir, True Story

Paperback

First published June 1, 1996

Reviews

[Christian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book when I was about 21 and I'll never forget how angry it made me feel.
It is just an awfully patronizing and misinformative book for a young person to read.
I remember there being a chapter adressed specifically to kids, where the author tells young people that they "should know better" than their parents' generation, to avoid drugs altogether, now that we have "better information".
And then, because this book was rushed out (to capitalize on media hype) before Ms Wood's autopsy results had been finalized, the author actually rules out, with an incorrect scientific explanation, what eventually became known as her official cause of death.
I just hope there have been better books written since that might express some insight into why a normal teenager would take party drugs.

[AJ Corvo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book tells Anna's story through the eyes of those who knew her. It is an interesting format but is let down by the author's obvious bias. Anna, her family, and "good" friends are painted in a glowing light and care is taken to minimize any issues or negative actions/traits.

The "villians" of the story, including a 15 year old girl Alexia, are not given the same understanding or grace. Alexia's chapter is particularly concerning, it starts 'She orders her mother to bring her an ashtray...', immediately letting the reader know the author's opinion of her subject. The chapter continues to attack the 15 year old child, dismissing her experience and grief, stating her response to her friends death is to, 'play out her own role in the drama with every ounce of energy she has'.

Alexia is painted as an insincere liar, 'The only time she is silent is when she concentrates, for a second or two, on the tedious business of linking her words with fact'. Her socioeconomic status is revealed through a book she is reading, the author pointing out needlessly that it was from a second-hand shop, the pages are yellowing, and it smells like mold. Why did the author sniff Alexia's book I wonder?

Most concerning is the author's sexualization of this 15 year old. She describes the child's body, 'she is wearing a robe, but her lush young body is better designed for the wide skirt and shoulder-showing blouse of a Greek taverna'. This is deeply concerning.

As an advocate for youth and warrior in the fight against drug use and youth suicide the author shows little compassion, understanding, or decency for this young person who despite her own mistakes lost a loved one. She is attacked because she is poor, she is attacked because her parents are no longer together, and attacked because at the age of 15 she has developed hips and breasts.

I wish I could say this book was wonderful, for poor Anna and those who loved her, and for the author who did try and raise awareness of the perils of drugs, and who too has passed since the writing of this book, but the author's bias and treatment of Alexia made it hard for me to put faith in the honesty and frankness of the other chapters. I just hope that Alexia never read this book. Otherwise, a whole other life may have been lost.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book somewhat cliched. I was expecting more of the story of Anna's life and death, not a lecture on how important it is to talk to your children and "just say no". It had altogether too preachy a tone for me to actually enjoy.

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a real eye opener for parents who like to think that they have provided the perfect home life. Even kids with great lives can get caught up in in the taking of drugs.
It's sad to say Anna was just beginning to experiment with drugs. No one will ever know for sure if she would have went on to become a common user or if she would have dabbled and moved on.
This book was more of an interview with Anna's family and friends. Certain parts were information on how to help your kids be more aware of the dangers in taking drugs and the effects that drugs have on your body.
I think this book would be a great one for people to have their teens read. So many kids experiment with drugs because they see their friends doing it so they feel there is nothing dangerous about it. Unfortuantely drugs effect everybody differently and in this sad case one little tablet ended a life that was just begining.

[Colleen Foldy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every teenager should read this book

[Jayne Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started well. An excellent forward by Dr David Bennett and a great "message from Kate Ceberano"
Positives in this book:
1. Excellent information about drugs in Australia
2. Good effort having a section for kids and parents even if the delivery was a bit dry.
3. Raising awareness for the lack of adequate resources and effective education around drugs and alcohol in the education system
4. Anna's parents starting the Anna Wood project to help prevent more drug deaths.

What I didn't like.
The intense judgement from her family AND the author towards Anna's friends. It was unnecessary.
Anna made her own bad choices. She had been on the road to those choices for awhile. She was extremely unlucky, so many teens do dumb stuff and unfortunately her choices led to death. It was disgusting how they blamed her friends, especially George and Alexis. George didn't want to the girls to take drugs without him, he wanted them to wait and to only take half at a time. They didn't wait, they didn't listen. Not his fault.
Also if you let your teens hang around shopping centres and meet older people, well that's ok but again don't blame the older people.
Anna made a choice, it was dumb. It very easily could have been the other way round, Alexis or Chloe could have gotten the "bad" pill and Anna would have been the hated, terrible friend that all the parents hated for not "helping" or calling an ambulance sooner.
Lack of education was the issue, bad choices were the issue not Anna's "terrible friends who were the wrong crowd"
Ummm... Anna was the wrong crowd! She had lovely friends too that didn't make those choices. It was so horrid to just blame the friends. Kathie and Sarine didn't make those choices. They weren't out doing drugs just cause everyone else did. Maybe those parents thought Anna was the wrong crowd? When you trust your kids to go out, you need to trust them, not blame everyone else when things go wrong.
The description of Alexis was just appalling, judgemental and cruel. It was just so unnecessary. She was a child! How dare they blame a child! They do dumb stuff. That's what teens do. Anna did dumb stuff and paid the ultimate price.

[Hannah Clavell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this as part of the curriculum for English. Was powerful at the time.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frightening is the only word for this story. A beautiful young girl gone too soon all because of drugs and that need to fit in, belong and get high.

Tragic for the parents, sadness for the friends and hopefully a full realisation that it can happen to you or someone you know at some point, maybe not today or tomorrow but it can and it does.

I loved the fact that Anna's sister is non proactive with teens and drugs, if only there had been someone before Anna's death doing what her sister is now perhaps her life would not have been lost.

Its a eye opening book for all parents and a definite must read.

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally read or even pick up this type of book but I am glad I did. This book was a very lovely read, it really opened my eyes to a lot of issues and events that are happening today.. I can say I learnt a lot from this book. I really liked how this book was presented, we got to see the point of views of various people which I really liked. This book is defiantly a part biographical part informative text. I am very happy I got to the chance to read this.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna was just fifteen. She was leaving school to start the job of her dream. She was beautiful, she had a loving family and countless friends. Yet on 21 October 1995, Anna Wood took an ecstasy tablet at a dance party and died three days later. A life destroyed, a family devastated, a community in shock.

A very good book. Shows what drugs can do to ordinary people just like us.

[Julie scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still remember wen this tragedy happened n how sad n horrible i felt 4 the family wen Anna died. The heartwrenching story of Anna a young n beautiful 15 yr old girl with a loving family n many friends. Anna was also abt 2 leave school 2 start her dream job until a nite out with her friends @ a dance party took a ectasy tablet became violently ill & died 3 days later!!!

[Jeremy Whyte-Hemson]

My mum made me read this in year 10 at school. Before then, I didn't know much about drugs. After I read it, it really made me curious about all the different drugs it talks about at the back of the book. Since then, I have tried all the drugs and more in the book, and learning the main lesson from the book (don't guzzle heaps of water when taking ecstasy) I had a great time, made some good friends, got into some awesome music, and have plenty of wild stories to tell. Anna wood was a matyr for my generation. She died so we wouldn't..

[Emma Dance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book while I was the same age as Anna and I was so scary about all the things happening in her life were so similar to mine. even though it was like 20 years ago it made me realise how easy it is to do these things. This book has scared me out of even thinking about doing drugs and put a lot in perspective. I thought it served its purpose well and encourages people to talk about this touchy subject before it's to late.

[thehousethatjessbuilt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The very first book I ever read as recommended by my mother. I mean, partaking in risky behaviour as a child is a part of growing up- I can understand why my mum would share this book with me. It really scared me at the time that its possible to take one risk and in turn end your life.

This book is a sad read on true events that happened the night Anna died. Recollection from her friends who were with her & from her parents. A very good book that stuck with me throughout my adolescent years.

[Satine Morris · Rating 1 out of 5]

When i started reading this book i thought it was literally going to be 'Anna's story' and explain what happend, why, when, etc. It was a drab read, so drab that i only read half. If you want to teach and inform teens about drugs, dont give them this book. I was enjoying the start but lost all interest 1/3 of the way. Bad bad book Bronwyn. Your not a writer.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for year 9 English, and again a few years after when it popped back into my head. It shaped my views on drugs and peer pressure as a teen.
I vowed never to take an illicit substance and I never did. Whether the book is well written or not; it really affected me. I think it managed to achieve what it was trying to with me. So I give it 5 stars.

[Emily Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is unlike the other books i read. i am usually a thriller/romance girl and this book is definitely nothing like that. anna’s story is an extremely educational and sad book. i 100% recommend this to teenagers- especially ones struggling with alcohol or drug related problems. overall, this book was quite interesting!

[Larissa]

This book was read to us in primary school (about Year 5 or 6) and the 3 people I'm still in touch with from that class all remember this book's message incredibly clearly, so excellent scaremongering and somewhat effective I guess (We graduated from primary school in Year 7 in 2004).

[Patrick Angayon · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book

[Pam Ela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of how Anna came to die of a drug overdose and attemps to educate young people on the dangers of drugs.

[☀️ Kelly ☀️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forgot I read this book in high school as part of the english curriculum.

[Paul Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. Sad but great look into the life of a girl that could’ve been so much but made a mistake. Books like this should be on the list for high schools, it may help some people think twice.

[Sally]

*shakes Kindle hoping for the part of the book that's actually Anna's story to fall out*

[Amy Heit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be mandatory reading in all schools.
Blew me away when I first read it at 14.

[Taleah21]

Bronwyn has positioned the central character, Anna, is highly positive light in order to highlight her own message which was dominant throughout the story. Very anti-drugs and biased.

[Ngaire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first read this book as set reading in year 12. The story stuck with me and 10 years later I found a copy and decided to read it again. I could not finish it. Anna's story is tragic, and it certainly sounds like she was an amazing young women, but this book does not do her justice. It's a badly written cautionary tale aimed at keeping kids away from drugs. It was obviously well meaning, but as the book demonstrated, sometimes no matter what you do, no matter how perfect everything seems, teenagers will always take risks like this. I was hoping (both in year 12 and now) that this book would be an biography of a young australian women who young girls could relate to and learn from, but instead it's a series of interviews about a 'perfect child' centered around a barely veiled and clumsy "don't do drugs kids or this could happen to you". To be honest, teenagers are smarter then this, and can see through this mesaage in a heartbeat. An authentic story would have had more of an impact.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a very interesting novel, and you'll either love it or hate it. Without spoiling anything, the concept of the book is rather clear and straight forward. This novel explores the factual statistics of how drugs affect the younger generations, and how just 1 decision can not only kill you, but it can impact countless people around you. The Book likes to explore Anna's death but from multiple POV's, to emphasize just how harmful drugs are not only to yourself but the people who surround you. The themes of this book are specifically designed to connect with several different audiences, however, the same message reflects each chapter; don't do drugs. People who should read this would be people who are or who know of people abusing illegal substances, however, this is the type of novel that'll split the audience in two; you'll love it or hate it, but the message will stay the same.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

We've all heard the story, read the newspapers, etc etc.

It's all too familiar and somewhat rather obvious and yet often it is the familiar, the obvious and that which stares us right in the face that we never seem able to completely grasp the concept of or gain an insightful understanding into

Parents talk to your children, nurture and cherish your relationships with your babies as they grow through childhood and their teenage years on their way to becoming young adults.

Communication, Communication, Communication and perhaps just perhaps another tragedy like the one that fell upon Anna Wood and her family (and countless others) could be avoided.

Somebody please remove the soap box before I get too carried away on this one !!

[Gi123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. This tragic true story of a 15 year old girl, makes many young people think about there future and decisions. Anna was leaving school to start the job of her dreams to be a beautician. She was beautiful, popular, she had a loving family and countless friends. Unfortunately on October 21st 1995 the catastrophe began. Anna Wood went to a dance party with a group of friends and took an ecstasy tablet and died three days later. Bronwyn Donaghy (the author of the novel) Interviewed friends, family, and many doctors to write the story surrounding Anna's death. You should definitely read this book to figure out the story behind Anna's death and the life of Anna. It will make you realize what drugs can do to you and the powerful impact on young people.

[Eloise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read Anna's Story in my year 10 English Literature class. It is a non-fiction text surrounding the tragic death of 15 year old, Anna Wood in 1995, due to her consumption of an ecstasy tablet. As well as personal accounts from Anna's family and friends, the book also contains information aimed at parents and kids about drugs. Statistics and information in relation to teenagers, their use of drugs, and the effects provide a scientific edge to the book. While interesting however, I found the book to be poorly constructed and quite heavy to read. Perhaps its relevance was partially lost on me, as Anna was my age nearly twenty years ago, and the societal context is much different now. Overall, it probably was an extremely informative book in 1996, but now is just a sad story.