{"product_id":"better-than-nothing-philomena-9780645969108","title":"Better than Nothing: A Nurse and an Indigenous Community in the Australian Outback","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis engaging yet powerful memoir breaks the boundary between popular and scholarly accounts of Indigenous life in a remote Outback region in Western Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of a former nun who was guided by a spiritual quest to help the poorest and most neglected people in her country, Australia. \u003cstrong\u003eFor 15 incredible years\u003c\/strong\u003e (1981-1996)\u003cstrong\u003e, \u003c\/strong\u003eshe\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003elived and worked as a remote-area community nurse in an Indigenous community in the Heart of the Pilbara.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn recalling a variety of her experiences, \"Philla\" inadvertently provides a gateway to the unvarnished history about life in a remote drinking town. The importance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the impact of alcohol on family life and domestic violence, child sexual abuse, cultural differences, mental illness and social injustice are recounted. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ethnographic quality of her writing brings attention to the vulnerability of under-educated Indigenous people, to the failings of legislation, and to the \"cracks in the system\" that enable exploitation, inadequate services and abuse of power.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome of her stories are sweet, some are funny, but many are heart-rending. We must read her book in its entirety in order to see this world through her eyes. In doing so, we are drawn into this community and leave with a deeper understanding of Indigenous people whose voices have yet to be heard. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilomena's successes \u003c\/strong\u003ein achieving 100% school attendance, preventing suicides, and gaining the love and respect of this remote community prove \u003cstrong\u003eit is possible\u003c\/strong\u003e to better the lives of Indigenous people.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Philomena\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0645969109\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780645969108\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Incognito Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/30\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 214\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.52lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.27h x 5.83w x 0.54d","brand":"Philomena","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47473847566591,"sku":"9780645969108","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_208b2cf9-c7ee-46f1-ac81-02cd6166fedd.jpg?v=1762313298","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/better-than-nothing-philomena-9780645969108","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}