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In a life that spanned more than a century - 1882 to 1989 - Monte Punshon witnessed crucial events in Australia's history. She was a pioneer radio broadcaster, travelled the country with children's theatrical troupes and defied convention with her active involvement in the underground world of queer Melbourne in the 1930s. Her wanderlust took her to China and Japan, and she studied their languages before becoming a warden in a wartime internment camp for Japanese civilians. In the postwar era she was an early advocate for closer ties between Australia and Asia. Punshon's complex personality reflected both her middle-class Methodist upbringing in Ballarat and her restless search for new experiences and for her own identity. At the age of 103 she gained fame for speaking publicly about her lifelong love for women Monte's story shines light into the hidden corners and complexities of late nineteenth and twentieth century society, and the unfinished quest to create an imaginative and unafraid Australia.
Author: Tessa Morris-Suzuki
Paperback Published 18 June 2024 272 pages
A Secretive Century by Tessa Morris-Suzuki is an illuminating biography that unveils the remarkable life of Monte Punshon, an Australian woman who lived from 1882 to 1989. From her conservative upbringing in Ballarat to her diverse experiences as a teacher, amateur actor, radio broadcaster and unofficial cultural ambassador, Punshon’s story unfolds against the backdrop of an evolving colonial Australian society. Her life is a remarkable example of uniqueness and resilience, and learning about it will be enjoyable for not only history and biography fans but also anyone interested in queer stories. Punshon loved her ‘homosexual boyfriends’ and took part in the underground queer scene of 1930s Melbourne. Later in life, she more openly discussed her love for women, particularly the love of her life, Debbie Sutton. The book delves into Punshon’s passion for fostering connections between Asia and Australia, reflecting on her travels, her love for Japan and the Japanese language, her work at the Tatura Internment Camp and the Bonegilla Migrant Camp and teaching in Port Vila, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). Punshon emerges as a trailblazer in promoting cross-cultural understanding. From the Goldrush to the edgy St Kilda clubs of the 1980s, Morris-Suzuki offers an exploration of an ever-changing cultural landscape and a woman seeking to live her life without fear.""
- Books+Publishing reviewer: Hannah Cartmel