Reader Reviews

Incredible Read!

I am an avid reader, usually a book a week. I have just put down "Only Way Home" - having read it twice. I had to read it twice for two reasons: one because of its depth and two, because I have two hats. The first is my professional hat being that of a Human Resources Manager for a large law firm. We are always on the look-out for reading for our legal practitioners, particularly those that will build the elusive "soft skills" essential to modern practice. Your journey book is an example of a gruelling adventure entwined with a message of carefully planned escape, compassion for innocence, inner reflection and eventually, self-acceptance. Unlike an exclusively "adventure" book, or merely a "self-help" book, it will be well read.

My second hat is that of a parent. Your acute insight into the life of rural Australia as a visitor - particularly in drought-stricken Queensland - enabled me to reflect on the strength it takes to overcome my own unhealed childhood trauma to put my children's needs ahead of my own. Naturally the most heart-felt scenes are those with the animals; your tender, often funny recall of the journey's most dangerous or unexpected events made me laugh and cry.

I'm convinced this book will also make an excellent audio-book, with both the trek journey and your past - often traumatic or tragic - interwoven with great skill.  The dialogue fairly jumps out of the page, especially those awful station dinners!  I wish you every success with its broader publication

Jane Oliver, December 2018

Jacqueline from our Book Club wanted me to pass on her feedback but doesn’t have time to write it herself. What she said was… I thoroughly enjoyed reading Liz's book and particularly the way the two stories intertwined [the trek story and the back story]. Liz's way with words and descriptive verse made her story flow beautifully. I felt as though I was on that trek with her, like I was actually there. I was impressed at the immense forethought that she put into the whole trip, with meal plans and having exact quantities of supplies sent ahead at precise locations. 

It can't have been easy for her, as a vegetarian, to end her day at a cattle station and be offered a roast beef dinner. She handled these situations with such grace and appreciation. Her ability to recognise her need for assistance only added to her all too human side. This human side was very much in evidence in her reaction to the handling of station dogs.

Her recall and descriptions of the many places she travelled to were wonderful and she showed such honesty in telling her story.  It shone through brightly, as did her love, dedication, communication and caring of her donkeys. It was touching and showed her loving and nurturing side making it clear that she did what she had to just to survive the multitude of tough times during her life. It would be wonderful to have a photo of Liz and the two donkeys taken at a distance from behind included in the book. It would show she is heading in the right direction, in life and on the trek. It would allow one to see the deep connection between Liz the donkeys.

R, Book Club Member, November 2018

I presented your book "The Only Way Home" to my Wingham (NSW) Book Club of 10 members as our book for the month of September and had to let you know what a positive response they had! Everyone in the group enjoyed the story immensely and really loved your writing. They were so impressed with the way you wove your background story into it, just perfectly. Not too heavy not to light. They were all amazed at the tremendous journey you undertook late in life, how the strength of your character shines through and your openness and honesty blew them away.

Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to dive into such a soul-stirring and lionhearted Australian story by a heroic 'sister' .. we truly hope to meet you in person one day soon.

Rae-Lee, September 2018

I have to thank you so much for a chance to preview your book. Indeed I was so delighted to read a wonderful story I passed it on to my 97 year old mother-in-law because she would have delighted in your gems about the country people you met along the Trail. She declared it a very good read.

As a neighbour, I was always intrigued by your gentle donkeys when you moved into the cottage at the front of our valley. Your book exposed to me what a champion donkey little Charley was. Her journeys with you were of biblical proportions. Perhaps that was why I always thought of that perennial Christmas favourite "The Small One" whenever we passed your place.

Charley's journey with you down 2500 kms of the Bicentennial Trail I discovered was paralleled by your own giant human journeys through life.

Your honesty in facing your demons to emerge as the woman who became our neighbour makes this book an outstanding contribution both to men who can learn about the "new womanhood" and to women looking at a strong "sister". 

Most amazingly, you have woven the "warp" of your journey through being a strong woman with the "weft" of the physical journey down the Australian Great Dividing Range to produce a tapestry with a powerful character. Especially, in your facing some tragedies of motherhood that most families would dread, you have turned them into highlights in the tapestry that must help us all in our own life journeys as we too explore the question of which way is home.

Thanks for the privilege.

Jim Monro, November 2018

This fairly short book is the story of one woman's journey, both physical and emotional, as she treks through Australia with 2 donkeys as her companions whilst she mentally develops to prepare herself for her new life as a soon-to-be-separated woman. Initially, Liz has no knowledge of donkeys and their behaviour, but she works with them, getting to know them, their personalities and how they think and react.

The development of their bond is fascinating and her recording of their interactions and how the donkeys behave is insightful and shows someone who has truly spent a great deal of time with donkeys, gained their trust (and she in them!) and developed a deep understanding of them.

The trek itself is across varied terrain, and a natural environment foreign to me, but the descriptions of the countryside and the people encountered brought it all to life. There were trials and tribulations along the way, with issues for both Liz and her donkeys, but that just goes to show that plans can go awry and need re-thinking.

Overall, I found this a good short read, and enjoyed the insights into donkey thinking and the bond that develops between them and "their" human.

Carole, Reader Review, Donkey Breed Magazine (UK)

I must admit I was surprised to receive this in the mail as my wife (Judy) had not told me it would be arriving. We are members of the Donkey Society of Victoria and receive the Donkey Digest which shows our two littluns on page 12 (Plonka and Wonka).

Your book arrived at a good time as I had just come out of hospital following a hernia operation. This also coincided with my resignation at work (we both work with Offenders / Prisoners – Judy in Parole and myself in a Prison) as I had an awakening (more of a slap in the face) at a recent Card Reading. Your book amplified a number of “to do’s” in my life and it appears my need to run away wasn’t going to fly!

So, what was I expecting? Judy tells me this is a book about trekking with donkeys. OK, cool. This is something I have wanted to do and no doubt I can use this to help identify packing issues, do’s & don’ts, survival tips etc. We now have two ideal donkeys’, (Donnie and Jindi – came across from Helen at Laura, SA) with which I can begin training and a state forest down the road to prepare physically.  I am also pencilled in for a pack-saddle workshop at the end of November and an encounter with an old friend (who recently purchased a pack saddle outfit) would suggest the moons are aligned. And your book arrived a day before our first bushwalk with the two donkeys.

Sorry if I jump back and forth. Judy and I are fortunate that we can open our house yard at times and allow the horses (a paint quarterhorse and a palomino appaloosa) and the four donkeys to explore while we sit on the veranda watching their antics. We have a long driveway to the front gate, heaps of trees and some very nice “roll” areas. For the donkeys this is more about rubbing against trees, running up and down the driveway and pretty much misbehaving while for the horses it’s about fresh pick. This spot is where I begin to read.

I’ll be honest. I started reading and began taking notes – as though I was doing a book report. I was also looking up at our guys thinking “Yes, I could do that” which seemed a distraction. I became hooked and found this to be an easy read, motivated by finding out what problems would arise next and a need to detail areas of concern. My initial notes were somewhat odd, and I smile now looking at them. They seem trivial and detailed the following comments: personal history integrated in chapter, 4km’s an hour, one tethered other doesn’t stray, balanced packs – carry day’s consumables, routines & priorities.

I’m not sure where I stopped. Stopped taking notes and just kept on reading. It won’t be odd to my wife when or if she reads this that I think I was picking out the pieces that I needed to make my trek workable. When I say pieces, I guess I’m saying am I mentally ready to go trekking. And then you go and mention Meditation. I have been told (by so many card readers) my head is full, way too many thoughts, always trying to plan the logistics, work out the finer details. I need to clear my mind. Try not to control the things I have no control over. Just try to enjoy the moment. Why I struggle to take this path is beyond me but somewhere down the line I’m going to have to master this before moving forward. I haven’t told her yet that you meditate as it will surely result in a “I told you so”.

So, your book has now left me the question – why do I want to do a trek? I do miss those times I have enjoyed bushwalking, even the years I spent in the army marching with full kit 40kms a day… I catch myself thinking back to what I enjoyed doing and wonder how things went astray. I think my idea to go trekking is to fill up the packs and return with “less baggage”. Maybe I can drop stuff along the trail and return refreshed and wiser! You highlight so many issues that I know will struggle with, especially relating to people in general. As the car sticker says, “the more people I meet the more I like my dog”. (I don’t have a dog by the way) Reading your book has only brought the question to the surface and I guess I have no true answer. Maybe I’m not ready.

Thank you again for “The Only Way Home”.  I found it timely.

John Wright, November 2018

Yes I received the book [two days ago], and finished reading it yesterday, it was quite compelling reading and I kept wanting to keep reading more to see what happened next. It is very well written, a nice style with a little bit of the BNT and then relating that to past events in your life. This must have been very difficult for you to put into print and bare you soul and all your past traumas, but it is important for all of us to understand that our past makes us what we are today. The book is very thought-provoking. I very much admire you for being able to write a book such as this and putting in such an effort to do so.

I am glad that you experienced the wonderful spirit and generosity of the country folk. It is something that unfortunately less and less Australians who only know the cities are aware of.  The section of the BNT that we trekked started where yours finished (Mt Perry). We didn’t need very much help along the way at all, but we did meet a lot of lovely people. The experience of spending eight weeks in the Queensland bush, taking in some of its history and way of life was a very positive thing for us. As was spending this time with our two donkeys, and walking at their pace. We came across so many people who wanted to come and talk to us about what we were doing and to meet the donkeys. There were the occasional ones who just couldn’t understand it, but most thought that what we were doing was a great thing and would love to be able to have the chance to do something like this themselves.

I am very glad that I have read your book, and I hope you will be able to successfully publish it. Thank you for making it available to our Donkey Digest readers. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. It would be lovely to catch up with you if you are in our area. We are near Boonah.

Julia Byatte, Secretary - Donkey Society of Queensland, October 2018

I just wanted to put my two cents in. I’ve just had a read of Liz’s manuscript and I found it absolutely captivating, and heartbreaking. Liz balances her walking narrative with her ‘historical sorrows’ (to put it lightly) with great skill, and foreshadows events so well that we know to expect something, but not what it is until it bowls us over. It was such an emotional ride, one that I really wasn’t prepared for. As I said to Liz, I initially sat down to start the manuscript, to read just a few pages, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. It puts Wild to shame.

I sincerely hope you have the time to give it a read, it deserves to see the light of day. 

Kit Carstairs (Editor, The Manuscript Agency), February