Overview
Bert Facey saw himself as an ordinary man, but his remarkable story reveals an extraordinary life lived to the fullest. Bert Facey was a battler, ever optimistic and hopeful despite the hardships of his life. A true classic of Australian literature, his simply written autobiography is an inspiration. This edition has been specially adapted for young readers.
Reviews
“Plain, unembellished, utterly sincere and un-self-pitying account of the privations of childhood and youth.” —Courier Mail
“Extremely powerful description of Gallipoli.” —Australian Book Review
Author Biography
A.B. Facey was in the Eleventh Battalion at the Gallipoli landing; after the war, he became a farmer under the Soldier Settlement Scheme but was forced off the land during the Depression. He joined the tramways and was active in the Tramways Union. Although he had no formal education, he taught himself to read and write. He made the first notes on his life soon after World War I, and filled notebooks with his accounts of his experiences. Finally, on his children’s urging, he submitted the handwritten manuscript to the Press. He died in 1982, nine months after A Fortunate Life had been published to wide acclaim.