Little Sister

by Moya Sayer-Jones

Dad was just an ordinary bloke who called a bob a bob, and then, through no fault of his own, a bob became ten cents. A quid became two dollars, and Australia became part of the real world. Once television showed us what life could be like it was hard to be satisfied with what you had.'

Moya thinks if her parents had been more like the cool moms and pops' on American TV, life would have been more exciting. But she was stuck in the burbs and how thrilling did that ever get? Exotically named after an Irish tap dancer (after all of the good names had been taken by her two older sisters Sue and Rhonda), Moya tries hard to fit in to her suburban life with very mixed results. Social mobility is now something to aspire to and Moya is bursting to get up and out of that suburban life.

Fast and funny, this is an outstanding memoir of a young life as Moya Sayer-Jones remembers it. Rightly considered as an Australian classic alongside Puberty Blues and Unreliable Memoirs, Little Sister is sharp, warm and wittily nostalgic.

I love to read the stories of young women in our Australian suburbs. What a fertile breeding ground for talent they are, yet so overlooked and even ridiculed. Your book should be an inspiration. If someone in Timbuktu asked me what it was like to live in an Australian suburb I would advise them to peruse your evocative publication.' Dame Edna Everage

Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Danielle Routh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty and amusing if not particularly relatable to someone born decades later and on a different continent (though I do feel more knowledgeable about Australia now). I mostly enjoyed that my copy included a physical snapshot of Sayer-Jones with her current partner--who owned it before me, and where did the photo come from?

[Jasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well crafted memoir that prioritises the human condition as it chronicles the authors journey through childhood to early adulthood. Refreshingly she is never a victim, always willing to find a way through lifes obstacles, and helps us through the journey with a good dash of comedy.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather comical auto biography set in the 60's / 70's which follows a young girl's journey through early school days right through to University and then ultimately her wedding day.

Along the way dealing with all the usual up's and down's growing up in this sometimes weird and wacky world presents to a young girl. Covers relationships with her siblings, her parents and her schoolfriends, boyfriends and the like.

I managed to knock this book over in an afternoon and found whilst lacking in depth or any great meaning it was a good easy lighthearted read, certainly most entertaining and delivered more than just the odd chuckle.

[Antonia Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book with a female point of view from the 3rd daughter of an Australian working class family set in the 50's, 60 's and 70's. Quite nostalgic for me from the single toilet, vertical griller, Israeli Apple and Cheese diet, to first person to go to uni, to starting out as a high school teacher. Similar vein to Puberty Blues and Looking for Allibrandi.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend Moya Sayer-Jones wrote this quite a few years ago and it is a wonderful story of growing up in an Australian family and going to college. She has a terrific sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself with gusto, as we should all do as we read this.