Always Greener cover art

Always Greener

The true story behind Restless Dolly Maunder

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Always Greener

By: Kate Grenville
Narrated by: Kate Grenville
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About this listen

'If there’d been a gun in her hand at that moment she knew she’d have shot them.... She’d been so pleased with little Dolly Russell, the good life she’d got for them all. Thought she had it made, had got her hands at last on the levers of her life.... Now it turned out that all that, being so pleased with herself, was no more real than a puff of smoke.'

Always Greener is an exquisite portrait of Kate Grenville's complex, conflicted grandmother, who she feared as a child and only in adulthood came to understand. Born in rural Australia, Dolly Russell becomes a successful businessperson, mother and troubled wife. Then came the depression, bankruptcy and World War I. Yet, in a way, those disasters freed her. They allowed her to use her intelligence and ambition to make a space for herself in a man’s world.

With all the pathos and subtlety that defined Grenville’s Australian classics such as Lilian’s Story and her Booker-shortlisted The Secret River, Always Greener tells the story of a generation of women often forgotten at our own cost.

©2021 Kate Grenville (P)2021 Audible Australia Pty Ltd. Historical
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I really liked the authors manner when speaking and the real life she was portraying even though it was fictional

The story the understanding of the woman’s situation

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Only irritating part was the background sounds otherwise a most enjoyable, touching and beautifully narrated book.

Loved

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I am always a little wary of the free “included” books but having enjoyed actually reading Kate Grenville’s The Lieutenant” , I thought it was worth a go.
Well, what a little gem! A superbly written (and narrated, by the author) biography of an extraordinary, ordinary, woman. Not famous, not a celebrity, just a woman.
Fantastic book. Give it a try, I’d be amazed if you were disappointed

Really worth listening to

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Loved the narration and found the book so interesting.My favourite book is The Secret River-

Loved this book ❤️

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A moving loving insight into another time,towards the end the relationship between Frank and his mother is heart rending,a truly magnificent story.

Always greener.

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i disliked the music and sound effects. it was unnecessary and distracted from listening to the story.

the honesty

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Beautiful story beautifully told by the author. While I’m of the generation that had greater opportunities, this story is so relatable. It captures a time when women had strict roles and weren’t expected to have drive and passion for anything outside their families. Dolly Russell chafed against the restrictions and did her best to achieve business and personal success but was hampered by her own restlessness and longings for something always greener.

Loved it!

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Beautifully written and narrated by the author.l could listen to her all day and the story was very believable

Thoroughly enjoyed this book

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This is beautifully written and performed. I’ve never read or listened to Kate Greenville but I will look for her again.

It’s difficult today to imagine how tough it was back then, especially for women, but this is a story of strength, survival, and ultimately success of the matriarch of the family.

Beautiful

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An interesting listen. The sound effects were a distraction however. Very well read .

very interesting biography

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