Harmony by Richard Yaxley
About Richard Yaxley
Richard Yaxley is the author of eight novels. He is a former winner of the Prime Ministers Literary Award and the Queensland Premiers Literary Award, both for Young Adult Literature, and his novel This Is My Song was the 2020 ACU Book of the Year. A secondary school teacher for over thirty years, Richard has master’s degrees in human rights and cultural studies. In 2012, he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to education, literature and performing arts. For further information:
A Quote from Richard Yaxley
“Harmony is a narrative reworking of stories and characters that emanate from my family’s history. That which was spoken about and acknowledged merges with the greater body of material, the unspoken and unacknowledged, to form a whole which is as fictional as it is possible. This process has engendered a novel which is about understanding the connections that bind our past and present worlds, and recognising how our willingness to embrace those connections can define our individual and collective humanity. For me, the writing of Harmony became a fulfilling adventure in seeking love, family and truth.”
About Harmony
In 1914, Tom Stott falls in love with Gracie O’Donnell, but their love is thwarted by circumstance and war. Tom finds himself part of the blood-soaked landings at Gallipoli, while Gracie marries another. A deception, born in a place and time on the brink of war, traverses the world as successive generations seek freedom in a century of change. It isn’t until American teen Noah Clifford joins his mother Deborah, his grandfather Will and his great-grandmother Gracie in Australia that the secrets of the past are revealed, secrets that will take them back to the beaches of Gallipoli…
