Through My Eyes

by Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton

In 1980, nine-week-old Azaria Chamberlain was taken by a dingo from her family's tent near Uluru in Australia's remote Northern Territory. Her body was never found. In a terrible miscarriage of justice, her mother Lindy was wrongfully convicted of her daughter's murder and sentenced to life in prison. It was seven years before the conviction was overturned. This is the true story behind a tragedy whose echoes reverberated around the world.



"This is the story of a little girl who lived, and breathed, and loved, and was loved. She was part of me. She grew within my body and when she died, part of me died, and nothing will ever alter that fact. This is her story, and mine." – Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton



"Page after page demolishes the myth and fables that have been spun around a nation's obsession with the baby's disappearance." – The Sydney Morning Herald



"What first struck me on meeting Lindy was her sense of humour and surprising lack of bitterness. Here is a woman who has been under such macabre and intense public scrutiny and yet through all the tabloid hysteria they haven't managed to capture the real Lindy at all. There are so many myths about Lindy and the Chamberlain case that have still not been dispelled and to read this book is to get closer to the truth behind the story that has continued to fascinate Australia for the past 24 years." –Miranda Otto, Actress, Lord of the Rings Trilogy



Previously published as Through My Eyes in 2004.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Australia, Memoir, Biography, Womens

900 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2012

Reviews

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I was only a child when baby Azaria Chamberlain went missing from her tent at Ayer's Rock in 1980, I can clearly remember the media storm it created. In my child's eyes, I presumed that what the newspapers and TV were saying was right - that there was something 'strange' about the story and that Lindy Chamberlain was, in fact, guilty. Fortunately as I got older (and wiser) I came to realise it was actually a gross miscarriage of justice. I can also clearly remember the day my English teacher announced he had just heard in the staff room that she had been freed. Even though I had never met this woman I felt so happy for her and for her family, that they would be together again. Of course real life is never quite that simple and as it is well known now, Michael and Lindy'a marriage crumbled soon after.

Having always had quite an interest in the Chamberlain case and having seen the mini-series based on this book, I was excited to come across it in the library. It was not the earliest edition, but not the latest either (so it did cover her divorce etc but not the most recent events). Although a very lengthy book and with a fair amount of legal information and details, I just couldn't put it down. It stirred so many emotions in me - joy as she spoke of her love for her precious daughter and the beautiful few weeks they spent together, gut-wrenching sadness when Azaria was taken and the aftermath and true anger at the way the Chamberlains were treated by the NT police, the legal system, the media and the Australian public.

I think the thing that struck me most was Lindy's amazing strength of character. No matter what was thrown at her, she stayed strong to her own morals and her faith. Whether or not you agree with her beliefs you cannot help but be blown away at what this woman endured and at the fact she is not bitter. There is definitely a life lesson in that.

Another thing that struck me was that before they left on that ill-fated camping trip the Chamberlains were just an average family with absolutely no aspirations to become a media sensation. They literally had not control over the path their life took, which is a sobering thought to ponder.

I was truly touched and humbled by this book and will long remember the impact it had on me.

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was nine years old when Azaria Chamberlain disappeared, and was made aware of every rumour and every opinion about the case in the playground (not the ideal place for balanced viewpoints on these issues, although, with this case, few places provided the opportunity for balanced viewpoints). So it was interesting to read about the experience of the person at whom all the gossip and innuendo was directed.
This will, of course, be a polarising book. Plenty of people still believe that Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton is guilty and nothing that anyone says will convince them otherwise. This book may help those who are more open minded, though. The details Lindy instils in her book are difficult to refute. In fact, her insistence on pinpoint accuracy lays a strong foundation for her assertions.
I would recommend this to any open minded person who wants to know more about this case.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible story. I was in primary school when the story broke of a baby killed by a dingo at Ayers Rock and still remember clearly school teachers standing around stating, "She's guilty, you can tell from just looking at her".

An amazing story of the loss of Lindy Chamberlain's "bubby" Azaria, the media witch hunt and subsequent inquests, murder trial, and her fight for justice.

I did find parts of the book difficult to read - the evidence especially was a lot to get through, but it was necessary.

I think Lindy Chamberlain is an amazing, strong person and her unwavering faith is an inspiration. I admire her courage and doubt very much, given the same circumstances, whether I could be as strong and resilient as she was.

[jules0623 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of the middle of this is legal mumbo jumbo but the lead up to/post trial story is heart-wrenching. I first read this when I was just out of high school many years ago but have reread several times and am equally as ashamed of many of my fellow Australians every time.

[Sharron Terrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book terrifying beyond belief. To have your baby missing and then be charged with her murder with flimsy evidence is difficult to comprehend. But to have the 'evidence' so badly represented means that this could happen to any of us. The treatment of Lindy was unbelievable. Her sentence was 99 years hard labour! Even the vilest sexual predators don't get that sentence. I knew the story before I read it as it had been covered by the media so much. I did not expect to be so affected by this story. This book affected me, more than any other book I have read. I sobbed while reading it and then for months, I kept thinking about it.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting read..theres no way in hell she did it and yet still has to live with the slander

[Jenna Vidal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you have 3 spare months? Then read this book. That is how long it will take you to get through it. Even a savy reader like me took over 2 months to get through the whole thing. With over 800 pages of tiny text you really start to feel like you will probably have a stroke while reading this unless of course you die of old age first.

This book was extremely unique in that its boring and yet enthralling, it's long, but you just can't get enough. You dream of the days when you will be able to read something other than this book and yet you dream about getting home to read this book.

Lindy has every right to put the world straight by telling her story and although she is a very talented lady I don't think writing is one of them. There is lots and lots of unnecessary law jargon and lengthy court cases that go on for hundreds and hundreds of pages. She keeps on going on and on about the "miscarriage of justice" ( I am not sure why this phrase makes me feel so icky inside)

What happened to this poor lady was tragic but this book is a miscarriage of interesting literature". I would recommend reading it if you are either have a solid interest in Australian law or if you are willing to devote 3 months of reading time to find out what really happened to Azaria Chamberlain in 1980. I fell into the second category and am proud of my accomplishment.

[Rosalee 'Leah' Thrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remembering some of the media hype surrounding this case, I was intrigued to read Lindy Chamberlain's side of the story and to learn what it was like in an Australian prison.

It's a good read, but I think it could have done with a serious edit. Names of people who visited and other small incidents made the book - for me - in places tedious. I found myself skimming over some of these areas.

I learnt a lot from this book. How a media frenzy can try a person who is innocent and how quickly people can run with the incorrect information and believe just about anything. People were calous and judgemental and I shudder at the thought of what this woman had to go through.

She not only lost her baby, Azaria, was accused of a murder she did not commit, she also lost her next little girl while being sentenced to prison with hard labour and her family.

I think it is an amazing story and particularly of this woman's strength. An amazing person.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd actually don't remember hearing about this case back in Canada. I learned about it last year at a conference when a forensic scientist went through the evidence and why it did not follow scientific method which is something we try to teach kids about. I was intrigued.

It is interesting to read this from Lindy's point of view, however one must also take it with a grain of salt as her views on things have definitely been coloured by what happened. However in saying that and having listened to the speaker at the conference I wonder how something like this really could happen. What if something like this happened to me or someone I cared about? How would I react and would I have as much resilience, courage and determination as Lindy displayed in this whole ordeal. I also try not to take the media at face value but this story really solidified this view.

[Georgina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is an incredible story, a mammoth miscarriage of justice and a sorry indictment of the Australian legal system (in the 1980s at least), I found I simply couldn't warm to Lindy Chamberlain. The book is detailed to the nth degree and way too long. It reads more like a legal textbook in (too many) places and real human emotion is sadly lacking. To be fair, it is supposed to be an accurate chronicle of the whole tragic episode but I would have liked the author to have strayed from her own self-imposed brief into more human waters from time to time. A cold and unsatisfying read.

[Keyan Taheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

poorly written, may be interesting if you are studying law in Australia. Interesting read in general however starts to get overly boring, however I can see how many would relate to her style of writing, far too many uses of Biblical quotes for my liking, sometimes I feel like I am just reading the bible. She is obviously not a journalist even though she has an interesting story to tell.

[Leanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was a long read, but I enjoyed reading from Lindy's perspective. I felt like I was in prison as the bulk of the book was focused around those times! Bit long winded but I guess Lindy earned her right to record her experiences. If I was the publisher I would republish with more editing in the middle of the book.

[Velia · Rating 5 out of 5]

900 pages.


There are no words for a review.

What happened to Lindy and her family is still unbelievable. I hope baby Azaria can rest in peace.

I first heard of the case through a pun on tv when I was a kid; I didn't understand this joke and didn't know what a dingo was until I looked it up when I was in my teens. Azaria's death occurred before I was born.

[Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was just too long and boring. The author used too many colloqualisms and some words I just never worked out what they meant even though I'm Australian. The book fell apart with spelling errors and requires some serious editing.

[Treena]

I have always been fascinated with the Azaria Chamberlain story and the harsh treatment of Lindy and Michael....I am just about to start reading this book....

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read about 30% of the book. It was too heavy and pessimistic for my reading mood.

[Lateisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very long but interesting. So sad.