Showing results by narrator "Una Byrne" in All Categories

The Troll Bridge tells the story of a young boy, Joel, and his encounter with the Troll who lives under a bridge. The greedy Troll charges everyone and everything that crossed the bridge and grew very wealthy. When disaster strikes however he needs the kindness of strangers to save him from a damp and miserable end.

Jupiter, the psychopath from Portrait on Wicker, has escaped the institution for the criminally insane and is out for revenge against Judith McCain and Tracy Carr, who were responsible for putting Jupiter away. The convict's rap sheet lengthens with identity theft, kidnapping, and murder of a loved one. Being a former cop, Jupiter knows what the police will do next. Will Judith and Tracy have enough time to figure out what Jupiter wants?

George MacWhirtle Fleck's life is fairly ordinary until he falls off a roof. Suddenly, his childhood dreams of his body in flight come rushing back to him in a conscious reawakening of his belief in his own latent power. Despite therapy and the frustration of his wife, George cannot be dissuaded from his growing obsession to fly - and the lines between his dream life and his waking life begin to blur. A talking crow opens the way for George to travel the world, and then, he meets a mythical stargoose that takes him beyond his wildest dreams into a realm of breathtaking wonder.

Rex tells the story of a kid who struggled at school, but who found the drive and motivation to carve out a hugely successful career as an Aussie Rules footballer and then as a major media figure. Along the way Rex talks about his years in the police force, his National Service, the ups and downs of his business and professional life, the dramatic legal case against his former manager, his loving family, and, of course, lots and lots of football and fishing.

How did Terry Daniher save a famous Melbourne stately home's priceless chandelier from crashing to the floor? What happened when Lou Richards gave big Simon Madden a massage? Is Billy Brownless any good at making milkshakes? And what did James Hird want with the Fish at 3am, one hour after surgery? Paul Salmon - the Big Fish - reveals all in More Fish Tales.

In this national bestseller Robert Mane attacks the right-wing campaign against the Bringing them home report that revealed how thousands of Aborigines had been taken from their parents. What was the role of Paddy McGuinness as editor of Quadrant? How reliable was the evidence that led newspaper columnists from Piers Akerman in the Sydney Daily Telegraph to Andrew Bolt in the Melbourne Herald Sun to deny the gravity of the injustice done?

In the third Quarterly Essay of 2001, Guy Rundle comes to grips with John Howard, the prime minister who, on the eve of an election, seems to have turned round his political fortunes by spurning refugees and writing blank cheques for America's War on Terror. This is a brilliant account of John Howard's dominant ideas, his concerted "dreaming" with its emphasis on unity and national identity that reveals him to be the most reactionary PM we have ever had.

John Howard has the loudest voice in Australia. He has cowed his critics, muffled the press, intimidated the ABC, gagged scientists, silenced NGOs, censored the arts, prosecuted leakers, criminalised protest and curtailed parliamentary scrutiny. Though touted as a contest of values, this has been a party-political assault on Australia's liberal culture. In the name of "balance", the Liberal Party has muscled its way into the intellectual life of the country. And this has happened because we let it happen.

When Mal Brough and John Howard announced the Northern Territory intervention in mid-2007, they proclaimed a child abuse emergency. In this riveting piece of reportage and analysis, Paul Toohey unpicks the rhetoric of emergency and tracks progress. One year on, have children been saved? Will Labor continue with the intervention? What are the reasons for the social crisis and how might things be different? Toohey argues that the real issue is not sexual abuse, but rather a more general neglect of children.

Sometime this century, after 4 billion years, some of Earth's regulatory systems will pass from control through evolution by natural selection, to control by human intelligence. Will humanity rise to the challenge? This landmark essay by Tim Flannery is about sustainability, our search for it in the 21st century, and the impact it might have on the environmental threats that confront us today. Flannery discusses in detail three potential solutions to the most pressing of the sustainability challenges: climate change.

Steve Byrne has established himself as one of the premier stand-up comedians of his generation.

Inspired by the works of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, Garth Nix's Newt's Emerald is a lighthearted Regency romance with a fantasy twist. After Lady Truthful's magical Newington Emerald is stolen from her she devises a simple plan: go to London to recover the missing jewel. She quickly learns, however, that a woman cannot wander the city streets alone without damaging her reputation, and she disguises herself as a moustache-wearing man. During Truthful's dangerous journey she discovers a crook, an unsuspecting ally and an evil sorceress - but will she find the Emerald?

One of the deepest questions we can ask is: What happens after we die? For the past centuries, with the rise of scientific materialism, the prevailing answer to this has been: nothing. Bestselling author Daniel Pinchbeck (Breaking Open the Head, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl) builds the philosophical foundation for a new understanding and acceptance of our existence as souls and spirits within a larger continuum of consciousness, connecting contemporary scientific knowledge with ancient esoteric and shamanic wisdom traditions.

Like it or not, 26 January in Australia has become a significant day of both celebration and mourning. Most countries, if not all, have a national day. The reasons to celebrate a national day include independence from a colonial power, the signing of a treaty, or an act by a monarch, political leader or patron saint. Australia is the only country whose national day celebrates the colonisation of an already occupied territory. Controversially, it continues to do this despite most of its citizens both acknowledging this and the devastating impact upon its original inhabitants.

In this edition of the Montessori at Home Guide series, you, the parent or caregiver, get 101 practical activities to help your 2-6 year old learn in a Montessori-inspired way. A. M. Sterling's 101 Montessori-Inspired Activities for Children Ages 2-6 contains favorite activities along with activities submitted for inclusion by well-known Montessori bloggers such as Anastasia of the Montessori Nature blog, Diane from the When Hippos Talk blog, and more.

This memoir will resonate with listeners of inspirational nonfiction, women’s memoirs, and books on resilience, faith, leadership, and perseverance. Whether you’re navigating your own storm or hoping strength can be born from struggle, Christina’s story reminds us that courage and authenticity are choices we can make—every single day.

In The Eos Rising, Alia Carter plunges deeper into the supernatural world where vampires, witches, werewolves, and daemons reign. Once believing herself powerless, Alia now confronts a shocking reality—she may be the most powerful being in existence. After parting ways with Eric Wynter, the vampire who stole and broke her heart, Alia finds herself under the protection of Kaine Walker, a dangerous werewolf with a complicated past and lingering feelings. But there’s no time to dwell on heartache.

Packed with real-world examples, practical exercises, and expert tips, How to English: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills helps you turn anxiety into presence—and presentations into powerful moments of connection.

When the rich and handsome Gregg and his fiancé the peppy, mysterious Emmie decide to take a drive to meet the parents, they had expected a five-hour journey of sunshine and top-40 tunes on the radio in their convertible. But then came a summer storm. It was indeed the storm of the century, but far from simply a meteorological event it also creates an inner turmoil of epic proportions as they try to solve and survive an impossible situation that was beyond their grasp.

Sparkles and the dragon embark on an unforgettable journey that will teach them the true meaning of friendship. "Sparkles and the Lost Dragon" is not just a story; it's a journey into a world where kindness and courage make all the difference.