Beyond Grief: Natasha Walter
with Cathy Rentzenbrink
Friday 20th October, 6.30pm, The Poly Tickets: £8 and £5
Natasha Walter discusses her new memoir about losing her mother as well as honouring the legacy of a family whose members struggled bravely against some of the worst crises of the twentieth century.
After the sudden death of her mother at age 75, Natasha Walter was thrown into a time of bewilderment and sadness
It was only when she began to search back through Ruth's history, that she began to understand how her life led to death by her own hand. She learns that Ruth had been brought up to be a conventional young woman, but chose to take huge risks and even break the law for her beliefs in the nuclear disarmament movement of the 1960s.
Reaching further back she explores the history of Ruth's parents, and the story of her grandfather who, as part of the anti-Nazi resistance in the 1930s in Germany, was imprisoned for three years and then went on the run across Europe, finally finding safety in England.
Honest about loss, this memoir also searches for what is valuable in the legacy of a family who lived through some of the great crises of the twentieth century. Without false hope, and with honest passion, Natasha Walter shows us why, even when success is far from assured, it is always important to stand up for what you believe.
What they say:
'Walter's wise, thoughtful memoir is both deeply affecting and unexpectedly inspiring. A fascinating story of courage, doubt and defiance across three generations, it's the perfect read for daunting times.' Sarah Waters
'An important and beautiful memoir about how a daughter's feelings for the loss of her beloved mother changes and evolves through grief... dark, painful but also illuminating and healing'. Julia Samuel
'Deeply passionate and humane... [a] compelling reconstruction of her mother's life as a young anti-nuclear activist defying her suburban parents... Walter writes powerfully in the book's conclusion about the current challenges facing refugees to the UK' Financial Times
'Heartfelt and upfront... A grieving daughter rediscovers her mother's political past' Blake Morrison, Guardian
'Truly fascinating... A powerful reminder that our actions really do matter' Sunday Times
About Natasha Walter:
Natasha Walter is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, a journalist and human rights activist. She is a graduate of Cambridge and Harvard, and has worked as a columnist, reviewer and feature writer for the Guardian, Vogue and Independent. Natasha founded the charity Women for Refugee Women in 2007. Her books include The New Feminism and Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism.