Roland Perry
A moving and powerful story of a group of Australian POWs who organise an Australian Rules Football competition under the worst conditions imaginable - inside Changi prison - and then step into history as they live and die building the infamous Thai-Burma Railway.
This non-fiction book is about Peter Chitty, the farm hand from Snowy River country with unfathomable physical and mental fortitude, and one of seven in his immediate family who volunteered to fight and serve in WW2. The story includes 'Chicken' Smallhorn, the Brownlow-medal winning little man with the huge heart and of officers and doctors like 'Weary' Dunlop, who care for the POWs as they endure malnutrition, disease and often inhuman treatment.
After Singapore falls to the Japanese early in 1942, 70,000 prisoners including 15,000 Australians, are held as POWs at the notorious Changi and adjoining Selerang prisons in Singapore. To amuse themselves and fellow inmates, a group of sportsmen created an Australian Football League, complete with tribunal, selection panel, umpires and coaches. The final game of the one and only season was between 'Victoria' and the 'Rest of Australia'. This attracted more than 12,000 spectators, and a unique Brownlow Medal was awarded in this unlikely setting under the curious gaze of Japanese prison guards.
The match was to be the last one before, in April 1943, Australian POWs were sent from Changi to Thailand to construct a railway and road to be used for the Japanese assault on India. This book follows Peter Chitty and many of the other players on this journey. Half of them would be victims of the brutal conditions, never to return. A total of 23,000 Australian men and Allies died in the trying, depressing circumstances of incarceration and slave labor.
This is a story of courage and the invincibility of the human spirit. The Changi Brownlow highlights not only the Australian love of sport and its power to offer consolation in times of extreme hardship but an unsurpassed strength that helped many of them survive the four-year ordeal.
Kylie Kwong
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Kylie’s professional cooking career began with a four-year stint as head chef of Sydney's Wockpool, a modern Asian noodle bar and restaurant owned by Neil Perry and Trish Richards, then from mid-1998 she headed the kitchens of two cafes in Sydney, Bills and Bills2.
Inspired by the strong sense of individuality that made these places stand out from the crowd, she began to dream about having her own restaurant one day.
In 1999, Kylie went on a life-changing trip to China. Of course, food featured prominently: But it was a visit to a traditional Shanghai style tea house that really moved Kylie: ‘I felt like I was inside a beautiful lacquered box, exquisite in every detail. I wanted to capture this moment and release its essence in my own restaurant . .’
With Bill Granger as a business partner, Kylie opened Billy Kwong in May 2000. They breathed life into their vision of a small, energetic and vibrant eating house that served fantastically fresh Chinese food.
Now many years on, Kylie is the sole owner and enjoys the challenge of running her own business. A number of TV Series & further trips to China have followed. Along the way, 5 cook books and a number of DVD’s have been produced. Kylie acknowledges that her cooking style has also evolved from living in Australia—
‘I firmly believe that fresh is best, but I also believe that our food choices should be ethical, sustainable and supportive of both the natural and human environment. Through my ongoing support for the work of organisations such as Oxfam, Fair Trade and the Australian Marine Conservation Society, I am determined to do all I can to make the world a better place’.
IT TASTES BETTER'This book is a celebration of all the growers, farmers, fishermen, artisans and food
providores I have met . . . a tribute to the people behind the food I love.'
In It Tastes Better, Kylie Kwong has created over 100 recipes inspired by fresh, seasonal and sustainably produced food, including Salad of Poached Squid with Pickled Cucumber, Dill & Chilli, Red-Braised Lamb Shoulder with Roast Garlic & Tamari Dressing and an irresistible Pavlova.
Embarking on a journey around Australia to meet the people behind the sustainable produce she is so passionate about, Kylie learns about the care they take to produce food that literally tastes better. By sharing her simple, vibrant recipes, Kylie shows that you don't need exotic ingredients to create magical dishes – just fresh, flavoursome food that has been produced in the most beneficial way for us and the planet.
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