Time Without Clocks

by Joan Lindsay

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Australia, Biography, 20th Century, Autobiography

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Joan Lindsay, Lady Lindsay was an Australian author, best known for her "ambiguous and intriguing" novel Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Reviews

[Michael Fuery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say that I really enjoyed this book. It provides an insight into the life of one of Victoria's great women and of those who influenced her. The reader may also note figures through her life who bear a striking resemblance to some of the characters described in her 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'; they were, no doubt, a great inspiration for her and gave foundation to her writing.

It also describes the great love she shared for her husband, Daryl, a gifted painter, and why she attributed such significance to St Valentine's Day. She provides some detail of her repulsion to timekeeping, something which was even extended to their sundial--a present from a relative--whose pedestal was already cracked and incapable of securing the dial plate. This suited Joan very well it seemed, and it was never repaired. The cracked pedestal still occupies its place in frozen time, on the grounds of her and Daryl's former home, 'Mulberry Hill', in Langwarrin, which is beautifully maintained by the National Trust of Victoria and open to the public.

Despite what some may perceive as her privileged background, she and Daryl remained very well-grounded people who did, in their own way, face difficult periods together, but remained focussed and survived to help establish the National Gallery of Victoria for the public appreciation of art.

While lesser known for her painting on canvas, in 'Time Without Clocks' she paints with words a vibrant picture of the world in which she lived in the first half of the twentieth century. It is now a world that has sadly vanished, much like the characters in her wonderful story.

[hayls 🐴 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A social history/memoir of Melbourne in the 20s and 30s, written in the 60s before she wrote my favourite Australian book. Interestingly I have also spent time/lived in many places mentioned (Springwood, Creswick, St Kilda.. and London) so our paths have sort of crossed outside the linear time dimension.
I love Joan’s fascination with time, it inspires my own way of thinking.

[Amanda Witt]

A wonderful read about Joan's life at the house near where I live. Visited it today to see everything that is mentioned in the book.

[Charles Edwards-Freshwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joan Lindsay's "Picnic at Hanging Rock" is undoubtedly one of my favourite books in the world, but I knew very little about the author.

After stumbling across this memoir(?) in a bookshop in Melbourne, I was looking forward to delving into Linday's life and background, learning more about the woman who had brought such a tantalisingly beautiful novel to life.

Time Without Clocks delivers in a lot of ways. Lindsay's writing is, as expected, utterly beautiful (though strangely devoid of commas). Her reminisces of her life in Australia, her travels and the people that coloured her social circle are all very well-drawn and splendid, capturing pre-war Australia in such a way a novel of the same subject could never quite capture. There are artists, aristocrats, long ship voyages, sections on painting school buildings - the subjects of these chapters are as fluid as the writing itself, and Lindsay doesn't care to put the narrative in any sort of order (aside from ,sort of, a vaguely linear timeline of where she lived and when). But that doesn't matter. That's almost the point - this "Time Without Clocks" is a period of beauty and art, discovery and growth - halcyon years where the world had not yet braced itself against the bombardment of the World Wars (or at least, WW2).

Whether people would enjoy this book depends entirely on what sort of nature they have. I'm curious and love digging into the inner lives of people, regardless of who they are. I also love flowery description and beautiful insights into nature - some of Lindsay's strongest skills as a writer. As such, this book held a number of treasures for me, even though it doesn't link in any way to her classic novel. It's simply a collection of rambling memories - some of which are so random that they seem to serve no purpose, they're just colour in a wider picture of a life well lived.

It took me ages to read this - it's easy to dip in and out of, and also easy to put down and not want to pick up again for a while. However, I'm very glad I read it and I know a lot of her stories, memories and beautiful observations will stick with me, much like her novel has haunted the fringes of my conscious for years now, skirting in and out as a phantom of a life I never lived.

[Brona's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay wrote Time Without Clocks before Picnic at Hanging Rock (1967) was even conceived. She was writing about her marriage, their homes and their many famous, accomplished family and friends before she was famous herself. It was a fascinating reflection of life in Melbourne during the twenties and thirties.

She started off with her 1922 Valentine Day's marriage to Daryl Lindsay in London and their subsequent return to Australia. Where she met Daryl's family for the first time, including his already famous brothers Norman, Percy and Lionel, on their way to their new home in Melbourne.

Lindsay painted a rosy, happy, but poor, 'struggling artist' picture of the early years of their marriage. Money was tight, jobs were scarce and making do was the thing. They mixed in a very social and very creative circle that included Dame Nellie Melba, Arthur Streeton and the McCubbin's. I never felt like Joan was name-dropping or showing off - these were simply the people they knew.

Joan claimed to be able to stop clocks which probably accounts for her fascination with the ambiguities of time. She also had a thing for ghosts and Valentine's Day. She was clearly one of life's odd-bods - charming and eccentric - the kind of person that makes all our lives a little better, a little brighter and a little richer thanks to their creative energies.

She attracted very loyal, very close, life-long friends (including their Mulberry Hill neighbours Keith & Elizabeth Murdoch). Meanwhile her circumspect, respectful interpretation of her marriage to Daryl Lindsay was admirable, though not very believable. Even before I had read a little wider about her life, I struggled to accept her positive, constantly cheerful version of events.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/20...

[Lisa]

Time Without Clocks (1962) is a memoir of the period when Joan Lindsay and her husband Daryl (brother of Norman Lindsay) lived at Mulberry Hill in Baxter until the Great Depression forced them to rent it out. When times improved they were able to return but for much of their life it could only be a much-loved weekender. This was because Daryl Lindsay (less successful as an artist than his famous brother) was appointed Director of the National Gallery of Victoria and the couple had to live in Melbourne. Despite these travails, she writes without a trace of bitterness, and succeeds not only in bringing a lost era to life, but also in sharing the happiness of a young married couple starting out in life and learning to live in contentment together throughout a long marriage.

It’s a delight to read. Lindsay has a chatty, conversational style which brings Mulberry Hill alive with vignettes about her social circle. The Lindsays were friends with numerous notable artists, with Keith Murdoch and his wife, and with Alan McCulloch the art historian. With Lord and Lady Casey, Joan Lindsay helped to found the National Trust (and in time, left her property to it). It’s fascinating to read about these people as friends and neighbours rather than as significant people in the arts.

Lindsay has a keen eye for the beauty of the environment, but also for domestic detail.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2009/11/14/t...

[Jordan Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Joan Lindsay and Picnic at Hanging Rock for a long time, I was very excited to read her autobiography and am glad I finally did. (And I was fortunate enough to have found the 1976 Penguin edition.)

Though maybe not a conventionally exciting read, Time Without Clocks is an entire book of beautiful prose and subtle insights that makes readers feel connected to all life, even things and people who are long since dead.

Now, I will just leave one of my favorite quotes from the book here because it embodies the emotion present in all the pages:

"When Daryl and I began a new life together at Mulberry Hill I knew as everyone knows that our earthly stay is short but it was not yet a truth engraved on my heart as it is today. Vita brevis... just words written up on a wall. Watch your step. No smoking. Life is short. Life at this moment seemed as infinite as the quiet evening sky and I was filled with a sense of continuity of all beautiful things."

[Beky · Rating 5 out of 5]

So enjoyed this book. Seeing I have visited The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) property - Mulberry Hill. Her descriptions took me back to my visit. I so want to revisit the property again.

[James Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by Joan Lindsay who is the author of Picnic at Hanging Rock. It's an autobiography and goes into quite a bit of detail about her activities, her marriage, her trips, her friends, her houses and other things. It does indicate that she didn't like clocks, as the title of the book suggests.

It does not, though, have anything to do with Picnic at Hanging Rock, and that is something I wish the book had included. I would have liked to have seen some background information on why she wrote the book, where her inspiration came from, how she deals with the controversy (at least among some people) over whether or not the book is based on facts (no evidence has yet been produced to indicate that.)

It's somewhat interesting, but I feel it's only for a completist looking for anything even remotely connected to the book/film.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir focuses on the author's married life in the 1920s and 1930s. She married an artist, Daryl Lindsay. They were very social, entertaining a number of celebrities including Dame Nellie Melba, Keith Murdoch (father of Rupert), Bob Menzies (who became Prime minister in the 1950s). She was related to author Martin Boyd and author / artist Norman Lindsay. They travelled to Europe on a few occasions - the boat trip was 6 to 8 weeks. Daryl became a director of the National Gallery of Victoria from 1942 to 1956. They had no children. During the 1920s and 1930s they lived on a farm (with no electricity). In the book she discusses visits to art galleries. She does not mention undertaking any writing work. The book was published five years before Picnic At Hanging Rock. She was in her 60s when she wrote this book.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, to have lived among the artistic world of the Lindsays in the 1920s and 30s. A thoughtful reminiscence, with emphasis on reminding the reader of the importance of appreciating life's minutiae - which can be enhanced by resisting the constant urge to check the time, and watch the clock. No less elegantly written than Picnic at Hanging Rock, a lover of the story of the missing school girls will surely find here insight and delight.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting Lady with fascinating family connections. If you have enjoyed reading Picnic at Hanging Rock then read this to understand more about the author of the Australian classic.

[Nic]

Not the book I thought it was going to be. Seems to be nicely written though. Perhaps something to read at a later time in life...

[Helen Blunden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Video review at: https://youtu.be/a4snaPMrRYY