Turtle Beach

by Blanche d'Alpuget

While reporting on the refugee problem in Malaysia, the life of the Australian journalist, Judith Wilkes, is disrupted by personal and professional conflicts

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

286 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Josephine Blanche d'Alpuget (1944–2026) was an Australian writer, activist, and the second wife of Bob Hawke, a former Prime Minister of Australia.

An acclaimed novelist, biographer and essayist Blanche had won numerous literary awards including the prestigious Australasian Prize for Commonwealth Literature in 1987. Her novels include Monkeys in the Dark (1980); Turtle Beach (1981) which won the Age book award in 1981; Winter in Jerusalem (1986); White Eye (1993). Turtle Beach became a successful feature film in 1992 and all her novels have been translated into other languages. Her non-fiction books include Mediator: a biography of Sir Richard Kirby (1977); Robert J. Hawke: a biography (1982).

Reviews

[Deedee]

The novel is set in Malaysia in 1979. The heroine (like Blanche D'alpuget in real life) is a journalist covering events in Malaysia. In the novel, the Boat People are ethnic Chinese fleeing the oppression in VietNam post-Vietnam-War. No country wants them, including Malaysia, including Australia. Interesting. I will say this, though: no character is sympathetic, every one, Asian or Australian, male or female, have unpleasant elements to their character that gets high-lighted. The men are all "male chauvenists". Still, Turtle Beach held my interest to the last page.

[Pudding]

I think it was pretty cool being that this book reflects how real life was long before I was born (this book was set in 1979 when my MUM was born 😋😋). It was kind of shocking in some ways but was pretty interesting too. I don’t really know how to feel about it but I will say that it really got me thinking.

[Shannon]

Good beach read - though plenty of the takes in the book I wasn't sure if they are very outdated or meant to be farce (e.g. descriptions of the non-white Australians throughout the story).

[Montgomery]

An intoxicating read that explored the Vietnamese refugee crisis from an Australian diplomatic point of view in 1979 Malaysia. Ms D'Alpuget draws upon her own life as a journalist attaché to cultivate unique perspectives, deep and often troubled characters and does well to reflect this particular section of society at the time. Its a fairly easy read with a rich, exotic array of settings, figures and problems. Blanche is by far one of my favourite authors of Asian historical fiction, perhaps because she often manages to weave in Australian elements.

[Peter Hutchinson]

This is a time capsule (written 40 years ago) and resonates with me because it reflects so well the culture (good and bad) of my youth.
But it’s also a good story, with well drawn interesting characters, and a very human central subject that is as relevant today as ever.
Blanche’s writing is intelligent and distinctive.

[Lord Pete]

Terrible. I had to read it as part of my English lit. Degree. I remember at the time I thought it was rubbish.
I was reading a lot of D.H Lawrence at the time (for fun) and this was such lightweight material in comparison.
Train wreck.

[Velvetink]

donated to The Smith Family. 20.2.15

[Feliks]

Keen; intense; well-crafted.