I love the writings of Elyne Mitchell. As a pre-teen I fell in love with the Silver Brumby and still find it as one of my favourite novels at nearly thirty years of age.
Marking the centenary of this author, Elyne’s daughter Honor released Elyne Mitchell a Daughter Remembers. It was for Christmas that a sister bought this for me and I’m sad to say it’s taken me so long to get through it in spite of having started it shortly after receiving it!
I hadn’t thought I’d done so, but this account of Elyne’s life from the eyes of her youngest daughter has shocked me into realising that perhaps I’d put this author on a pedestal. Perhaps when we recognise someone’s strength in an area – such as writing – we go on subconsciously to assume that they’re strong in other areas.
I found this biography to highlight how hard it can be for one person to pursue their love of writing whilst raising a family, sometimes as a single parent due to Elyne’s husband being a prisoner of war for some time. Honor, the author of this biography accounts often how she is left to feel like she hasn’t achieved enough, isn’t smart enough and most of all, isn’t worthy of being given her mother’s time to help in school work and other areas she may be confused about.
I guess the revelation for me that a biography written by a daughter will be nothing like an author’s fictional world of horse herds! Consequently, I found this book to be disappointing, in spite of being enlightening.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s factual and well written – it just opened up one side of an author that perhaps I would rather stay ignorant to. At the end of the day, Elyne Mitchell’s writings will still be pieces that I will no doubt read over and again. This biography however, I’m not sure will fall into that category.
Author: Honor Auchinleck
Non Fiction – biographical
In my library? Indeed it is. An interesting insight into the life of a much loved author.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.
“Wild horses run unbridled or the spirit dies.” – Author unknown
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