My sister Sabi Buehler has just published her second book entitled, "Dragons I have Slain all on my Own." The name comes from a line by Buffy St. Marie that goes, “Fair knight you do not need to slay any dragons for me. I have slain them all myself.” Briefly, the story is about an older woman, Mia Steinberg who breaks down in tears while at a writers' group. This leads her to reflect on a distressing incident in her past which changed the trajectory of her life.
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| Sabi shares a joke with Dr Leo Kretzenbacher (left ) at the book launch |
- Photo courtesy Suzy Jaeger
Rather than bore you with my opinion, I will quote some excerpts from Dr Leo Kretzenbacher's (Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne)* opening speech at the launch,which will give you a much better idea of the book than I can .
In Leo's words,
In Leo's words,
"…We might be justified imagining young Mia to look a bit like the gorgeous portrait on the book cover. A young woman looking at the world, and at us, with sharp and intelligent eyes and with a face that expresses friendly interest and kindness but is devoid of any of the coyness contemporary society might have sought to discover in a young woman’s face...“As Mia in the present tells us, past Mia had a rich life, but also a life that brought her some traumatic experiences leaving deep scars on her soul that are still sensitive to touch. We readers suffer with Mia. But at the same time, our admiration for the protagonist grows with her struggle to overcome traumas and her unshakable determination not to be defined as a person by those traumas. Our respect for Mia increases with her steadfast refusal to be intimidated and beaten down by what fellow humans and fate throw in her way...“…And I admire the restraint with which Mia narrates even the most traumatic events. There is a lot of drama in Mia’s life, but she narrates it free of any histrionics. It is the art of presenting a highly complex story to the reader in seemingly simple words that I love in the greatest works of German post-expressionist “Neue Sachlichkeit” or “New Objectivity,” such as Hans Fallada’s “Kleiner Mann, was nun?” or Erich Kästner’s “Fabian.” In Australian literature, I have only found this art in Lesbia Harford’s chronically undervalued novel “The Invaluable Mystery”.“..In Mia’s narrative, Sabi allows not just men like me, but also younger readers to get an idea of what life was like for an intelligent and passionate woman in the Australia of the mid to late 20th century. Thank you, Sabi! May this book go out and build bridges of understanding over the chasms of ignorance that often enough separate genders and generations. “
Book signing
- Photo courtesy Suzy Jaeger
* Dr. H. Leo
Kretzenbacher
School of Languages and Linguistics, German Studies Program
The University of Melbourne
Almost a third of the first print run sold out at the launch, but if you are interested in getting a copy or a signed copy for yourself or someone else before it hits the bookshops, then contact Sabi at
sabibuehlerwriter@gmail.com The cost of buying the book directly is $20 plus postage and handling. In Australia, this is around $8.00
Not sure yet when and where "Slaying Dragons all on my Own " will be stocked, but here is its
School of Languages and Linguistics, German Studies Program
The University of Melbourne
Almost a third of the first print run sold out at the launch, but if you are interested in getting a copy or a signed copy for yourself or someone else before it hits the bookshops, then contact Sabi at
sabibuehlerwriter@gmail.com The cost of buying the book directly is $20 plus postage and handling. In Australia, this is around $8.00
Not sure yet when and where "Slaying Dragons all on my Own " will be stocked, but here is its
ISBN: 978-0-646-81138-3
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PS: I know some of you have had difficulty getting Sabi's first book “A Life in Two Suitcases - Gundel's Story." This is now available through the following:
- Amazon (($21.99 and $ 6.98 Shipping) Amazon has some secondhand copies
- Booktopia ($33.00 +$7.50 Shipping in AU),
- The Book Depository ($34.95 Free Shipping) and
- Fishpond which currently has a special on it at$33.57
Elsewhere
$40.10Save $6.53 (16%) Free shipping Australia –wide)
If you ask nicely, your local bookshop or library may get it in for you. Several libraries already have copies. ISBN: 9780646918648
Für deutsche Leser ist das erste Buch „Ein Leben in Zwei Koffern“ noch durch Sindlinger Verlag erhältlich. (14 Euros + 2.50 Versandskosten).
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