Chindera

by Nancy Cato

From the exotic South Seas across the Pacific to Australia, they traded in human flesh…

There, overshadowed by the opulence of magnificent plantations, enslaved islanders toiled between the towering rows of sugar cane to build a white empire. There men reaped fortunes on the harvest of human flesh while others bent beneath the biting whip. There, women, born to marry and obey, fed forbidden hungers in the secret darkness. Until one lone, brave man defied his masters and took a beautiful white woman to be his wife. Together they challenged destiny with a love that broke every rule.

CHINDERA the gripping human story of four generations.... Their passions shaped a continent. Their destinies were forever etched in its design.

Genres: Fiction, Australia, Historical

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Nancy Fotheringham Cato AM (11 March 1917 – 3 July 2000) was an Australian writer who published more than twenty historical novels, biographies and volumes of poetry. Cato is also known for her work campaigning on environmental and conservation issues.

Cato was born in Glen Osmond in South Australia, and was a fifth-generation Australian. She studied English Literature and Italian at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1939, then completed a two-year course at the South Australian School of Arts. She was a cadet journalist on The News from 1935 to 1941, and as an art critic from 1957 to 1958.[2]
Cato married Eldred De Bracton Norman, and travelled extensively overseas with him. They had one daughter and two sons.[1] Dr Nancy Cato Norman died at Noosa Heads on 3 July 2000.
Cato's cousin was also named Nancy Cato and was host of children's TV show the Magic Circle Club in the mid 1960s.

Reviews

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story well told

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictionalised account of two real families living through a particularly shameful period of Queensland history - the kanaka trade.

A pacific islander is blackbirded and sold as a labourer into the sugar industry. His story intertwines with the story of Andrew Johnstone, the sugar plantation owner (and who the Johnstone River is named after). Together it gives you an overview of the issues facing this section of Queensland at this point in time.

Because I have family living in this region I found the book interesting. If you don't know anything about the sugar industry you may get lost in the constant references to sugar grades.

It is a short read and an interesting one.

[Barbra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has also been published under the title of 'Brown Sugar'. Read a long time ago but from what I can remember it was an ok read.

[Juanita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting read.

[Dannielle Knudsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Nancy Cato but I really struggled with this one.