About this ebook
A powerful family memoir from the award-winning author of The China Garden Kristina OlssonOCOs mother lost her infant son, Peter, when he was snatched from her arms as she boarded a train in the hot summer of 1950. She was young and frightened, trying to escape a brutal marriage, but despite the violence and cruelty sheOCOd endured, she was not prepared for this final blow, this breathtaking punishment. Yvonne would not see her son again for nearly 40 years. Kristina was the first child of her motherOCOs subsequent, much gentler marriage and, like her siblings, grew up unaware of the reasons behind her motherOCOs sorrow, though PeterOCOs absence resounded through the family, marking each one. Yvonne dreamt of her son by day and by night, while Peter grew up a thousand miles and a lifetime away, dreaming of his missing mother. Boy, Lost tells how their lives proceeded from that shattering moment, the grief and shame that stalked them, what they lost and what they salvaged. But it is also the story of a family, the cascade of grief and guilt through generations, and the endurance of memory and faith."
A powerful family memoir from the award-winning author of The China Garden Kristina OlssonOCOs mother lost her infant son, Peter, when he was snatched from her arms as she boarded a train in the hot summer of 1950. She was young and frightened, trying to escape a brutal marriage, but despite the ...
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Ratings and reviews
10 reviews
Leigh Mackender
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October 3, 2014
An incredibly moving tale as much an insightful social history of 20th century Australia as an intelligently written family saga. Beautifully written. Thank you Kristina for the wisdom and grace of this book
Melanie Hunt
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September 14, 2025
l loved this book, well written and even brought a tear to my eye.
About the author
Kristina Olsson is the author of the novels In One Skin and The China Garden, as well as the biography Kilroy Was Here. She has worked as a creative writing and journalism teacher, and as an advisor to the Australian government.
Kristina Olsson is the author of the novels In One Skin and The China Garden, as well as the biography Kilroy Was Here. She has worked as a creative writing and journalism teacher, and as an advisor to the Australian government.
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