• Published: 1 June 2019

• ISBN: 978-1-925183-87-0

• ISBN ePUB: 978-1-925183-59-7

• Format: Paperback

• AU: $32.99

• eBook: $14.99

• Categories: Memoir

Also available as an ebook from Kobo, Apple and Amazon Kindle

About the Editor

Dr Lee Kofman is a Russian-born, Israeli-Australian novelist, short story writer, essayist, memoirist and sometimes-poet based in Melbourne. Lee holds a PhD in social sciences and MA in creative writing. She is the author of three fiction books and two memoirs, The Dangerous Bride (Melbourne University Press 2014), and Imperfect (Affirm Press 2019). Lee co-edited Rebellious Daughters (Ventura Press, 2016), an anthology of memoir by prominent female Australian authors. Her short works have been published in Australia, Scotland, UK, Israel, USA and Canada. Her writing has won many awards, including the Australian Council grant and Varuna’s flagship fellowship, and her blog on writing was a finalist for Best Australian Blogs 2014.

Split

True stories of leaving, loss and new beginnings

By Lee Kofman

In this compelling anthology of personal essays, curated by award-winning author Lee Kofman, some of Australia’s most beloved writers reveal, for the first time, powerful, occasionally funny and often heartbreaking stories of significant endings and their aftermath.

 Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project, shares how he discarded his past – perhaps autistic – self, while comedian Sami Shah writes about his public split from Islam, the religion of his birth. Ramona Koval delves into the bittersweet end to her career at the ABC and Fiona Wright explores how her anorexia has affected her romantic relationships. Whereas Kate Holden suggests that for some, splitting – whether from memorabilia, books or lovers – is unimaginable.

Join eighteen acclaimed storytellers in their candid and courageous reflections on the intrinsic human experience of loss and leaving, which acknowledge the price we can often pay for a much-needed end, or new beginning.

Praise for Split

★★★★‘The emotional range, honesty and deep introspection make Split read like a map of the human heart.’
Books + Publishing

‘So much to admire in this immersive, riveting collection, not least its intellectual honesty and just how fresh these essays feel. No reheated dishes here, nothing that feels even remotely half-hearted.'
MARIA TURMAKIN

‘Raw, engrossing, bruising, sometimes sexy, always personal, Split is packed with transformations.’
RICHARD GLOVER

‘If you have ever loved and lost, you will recognise these recollections of wisdom hard won, recounted with poise, poignancy, wry humour and occasional joy.’
JANE SULLIVAN

‘This is a profound collection, full of surprises, both harrowing and hopeful.’
SUSAN WYNDAM

‘These diverse tales of leave-takings and ruptures, pain and resilience, heartbreak and healing are unified by their psychological complexity, emotional chiaroscuro and literary brilliance. Each individual story seizes hold of the reader; read together they constitute a fascinating exploration of the fault lines of the human heart.’
ALICE NELSON

'These writers invite you into their most vulnerable moments and share with you what it means to be human. Split will challenge, entertain and deeply move. I highly recommend.'
ELIZA HENRY-JONES  

‘…some of the best writing from popular authors across a wide range of genres, as they open up their everyday life, just a sliver, to reflect on what the word Split means to them.’
JANET MAWDESLEY

Other Titles by Lee Kofman