Some people are born into bad situations…
From domestic dysfunction to extraordinary bad luck, Julia Lawrinson reflects on her intriguing and eventful life with disarming honesty and wit.
Some people are born into bad situations, some people have bad situations thrust upon them, and some people find bad situations through their dodgy choices, lack of information and personal idiosyncrasies. Julia’s life sits at the intersection of all three.
From high school dropout on a psych ward to card-carrying lesbian on a motorbike, from enduring a controlling relationship with her ex-lover’s brother to being chased by a media scrum outside a Perth court, the life of beloved children’s author Julia Lawrinson is stranger than fiction – and she draws on all her power as a storyteller to turn a life of intense headlines into a wild, marvellous tale.
Julia Lawrinson is an award-winning writer of books for children and young adults. She hails from Perth. Her books are about friendship, family and the occasional Jack Russell. She loves the ocean, reading, dog parks and the word serendipity.
In How to Avoid a Happy Life, Lawrinson masterfully constructs a retelling of her life with a voice that feels authentic and witty, but also humble as though she’s coming to terms with the events from her past. From the first page, Lawrinson illustrates a heartbreaking tale that feels honest and refreshing, showcasing the fact this memoir does not overexaggerate. Each detail feels raw as though the writer has woven its words with the very blood that rushed through her typing fingertips.
Though her writing is warm, and in part, snug like a campfire, Lawrinson contrasts this with many personal tales, some tense and full of sorrow, while others are more fruitful and downright hilarious. The constant ups and downs give the book a sense of relatable realism as Julia manages her love life, work, and, later on, the pesky media.
With a beautiful talent for setting the scene, Lawrinson’s How to Avoid a Happy Life is the perfect escape for those who love emotionally endearing memoirs. Better Reading can’t get enough of it. Time to read it all over again.
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