One Hundred Years of Betty
Summary from Goodreads
Born into poverty in pre-war London, and growing up fast during the Blitz, Betty grabs the chance at a bigger life by migrating to Australia. On board the SS Asturias she meets three people who will influence the course of her life—Pearl, a good-hearted party girl; Athena, a Greek woman on her way to marry a man she has never met; and Leo, a German Jew who lost his family in the war.
In Sydney, Betty is making ends meet as a waitress at the famous Trocadero dance hall when she stumbles into a rushed courtship with Donald, a wealthy businessman, and dedicates herself to being the ideal 1950s suburban housewife. But life has other plans for Betty, and soon she must find a way to do more than survive.
Set against a century of world events and social upheavals, Betty takes us to the frontlines of the anti-war protests and the women's liberation movement of the 1970s, to the AIDS crisis during the 1980s, to Mexico and eventually becomes a TV screenwriter. Even in her nineties, Betty is still passionately engaged with the world, still surprising us.
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Caddyshack Review
This is a book you don’t want to end! The cover would have you believe it is a cutesy read about a sweet lady, but it is so much more! A colourful journey through the beautiful life of “Betty” filled with orgasms, same sex relationships, multicultural friendships and love, women’s liberation, volunteering at St Vincent’s Hospital during the height of the 80’s AIDS era and off grid living. With references to Nowra and the South Coast as well, this book really does have it all.