Honor Auchinleck

The daughter of Elyne Mitchell tells what it was like to grow up with a famous and highly creative mother who created the classic Australian children's books, the Silver Brumby Series. In 1958, Elyne Mitchell's The Silver Brumby was published to acclaim and quickly became a much-loved classic of Australian children's literature. Now, for the centenary of Elyne's birth, her daughter Honor Auchinleck tells the story of the exceptional woman, and mother, behind the mask of the famous author. Writer, daughter of a Great War hero, wife of a politician and Changi survivor, champion skier and passionate environmentalist, Elyne Mitchell led a life of accomplishment and privilege. But strong undercurrents of discord and misunderstanding flowed beneath the enchanted surface, and Elyne, just like her Silver Brumby, longed for the refuge of her own Secret Valley. In this poignant memoir Honor Auchinleck remembers her extraordinary upbringing in the Australian Alps and pays tribute to her remarkable family, and in particular her adored - and elusive - mother.