Book review –
As part of an initiative called Central Coast Reads, the brainchild of Words on the Waves, all the reading groups, book clubs and centres on the Peninsula will this week be reading Khaki Town by the wonderful effervescent Judy Nunn.
It will all culminate in a special author session at the Words of the Waves Festival.
Nunn is an incredible orator as well as one of the nicest, funniest and most generous authors with her time I have ever met.
She started her career on the stage, transitioning as a storyteller from actress to writer.
It all began with a casual conversation at a party in the early 1980s that led to a job writing for a new TV series called Neighbours.
It was storytelling with short, sharp twists and constant cliffhangers and Nunn was fascinated; she has never been afraid of hard work and wrote four books while still working on Home and Away.
Today, with more than one million copies of her books sold worldwide, Judy Nunn is one of Australia’s most successful authors.
Khaki Town is the first book by Judy Nunn that I have read.
She most certainly has a new fan – what an incredible book; I struggled to put this down.
The past few nights I have been immersed in the life of 1942s Townsville.
As you have probably guessed my preferred genre is crime and thriller but 2024 for me so far has been about branching out and reading different genres and definitely more Australian writers.
Khaki Town is an emotional book in so many ways; it made me cry, it made me laugh, it was inspiring and it made me so angry!
It is based on a true story, one that the government did not want told; the truth of what happened in World War II when Australia was on the brink of invasion from Japan, and Townsville in far north Queensland was a major hub for both Australian and American troops.
The locals are loving the thriving economy, the Americans have plenty of money to spend on alcohol and girls and the local pub The Brown’s Hotel is packed to the rafters every night and day.
The owner Val Callahan is counting her money.
The Australians are accepting of all the visitors, although the Aussie men are jealous of the wealth coming from overseas and the American military.
Issues arise as racist leaders ensure that the black soldiers do not have an easy time of anything.
It is distressing to think that within this tale of war there were incidents around race relations, inequality, government policy and politics.
Khaki Town opens the reader’s eyes to a shameful and concealed chapter in our World War II history books.
Khaki Town is a historical tale told with conviction.
The authoritative voice of Judy Nunn reveals a story of inequality, racism, love, determination, personal strength and a closely guarded history from Australia’s wartime past and you can’t help but wonder why it isn’t yet on the big screen.
Julie Chessman