One life, two stories: Nancy de Vries' journey home

In 1997 Nancy de Vries accepted the Apology from the Parliament of New South Wales on behalf of all the Indigenous children who had been taken from their families and communities throughout the state's history. It was an honour that recognised she had the courage to speak about a life of pain and loneliness. Nancy tells her story in an unusual and challenging collaboration with Dr Gaynor Macdonald (Anthropology) of the University of Sydney, Associate Professor Jane Mears (Social Policy) of the University of Western Sydney and Dr Anna Nettheim (Anthropology) of the University of Sydney. Situated within its political history, and with an in-depth insight into the impact of social policies, this invaluable text discusses what it means to hear stories if trauma. The official file record of Nancy's life to adulthood provides as discordant voice against Nancy's own story. It took Nancy 50 lonely years to locate her mother, with whom she was able to spend only 10 hours. A disturbing account of the callousness meted out to those who don't fit social expectations, this book is also an inspiring reminder of the tenacity of the human spirit.