Meet the Author - Sara Hardy

author of Dame Joan Hammond: love and music.

Joan Hammond lived an extraordinary life, as dramatic and deeply moving as any of the operatic roles for which she became famous: Tosca, Mimi, Butterfly, Aida, Salome, Rusalka.

No stranger to success, in her youth Joan was a golfing champion, excelling at most sports. But it was her voice that took her on a life-changing journey to Europe where the opulent pre-war theatres became her domain.

Joan Hammond was an inspiring character; yet behind the scenes she faced many challenging twists of fortune. When her own performing and recording days were over, she devoted herself to coaxing Australian opera into life not least through teaching young singers.

Sara Hardy tells Joan's life story in all its glamour and complexity.

Sara Hardy’s first biography was The Unusual Life of Edna Walling. She has worked as an actress and playwright for most of her life.

Tuesday 10 February 2009, 2pm.

Hawthorn Library

Meeting Room, 584 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn.

Phone: 9278 4666

Afternoon tea will be served.

Free event but bookings are essential.

How to book: by phone or in person at any Boroondara Library.

or Click here to book online.

Emma, a Library Officer at the Boroondara Library Service, set herself the goal of reading 50 books in 2008.

As last reported, she had finished 48 and as Christmas approached, anticipation rose as to whether she would reach that magical goal.

Take a bow Emma. Yes, the 50th book was laid aside with a big sigh of relief and a great sense of accomplishment.

The last two titles, nicely balanced with a fiction and non-fiction book, were A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway and The Promise: an Italian romance by Lisa Clifford.

It was rewarding to complete the number of titles and enjoy the diversity of writing which was presented in fiction, non-fiction, the classics and contemporary works.

However, this year Emma wants to concentrate more on a deeper quality of reading experience and more fully immerse herself in each book she chooses to read without the pressure of a set number of books to tick off the list.

Congratulations Emma!