Book review
Sacha Molitorisz – Sydney Morning Herald Spectrum (Feb 16-17, 2008)
“As befits its octogenarian author, Shoestring has the language and measured formality of yesteryear. Jobbins’ lexicon includes “balletomane”, “kitty corners” and “charming sylvan backwater”. To paraphrase Auden, she clothes her non-fiction in out-of-date diction.
With the help of photos, Jobbins recounts a sunny childhood in Depression-era Bondi, where her cameraman dad practised self-hypnosis and her chain-smoking mum got her fix from a cigarette vending machine installed in the kitchen. As a 16-year-old she received sex advice from actor Chips Rafferty; as a mum she refused to conform to stay-at-home stereotypes in Melbourne’s Eltham. Instead, she entered the fashion world and met Helmut Newton, Jimmy Stewart and Pierre Cardin.
Her story opens in 1927 with an attention-grabbing first paragraph. “I was still born and the doctor who was trying to prompt life into me was having a hard time. So, too, was the rest of Australia…” When her tale ends, in the late ’60s, there’s a lot of life left to live. No wonder Jobbins is working on a sequel.”
Press
The Australian article by Edwina McCann (as pictured)
Beyond the Bale article (PDF download)
The Land article
Frank Crook interview on 2GB, Saturday, September 22nd
Listen to this interview below...
Television
Aviva Zeigler’s documentary:
“The Glamour Game” SBS 7.30pm Friday, November 30th 2007