I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of our author, Blanche d'Alpuget.
Blanche was formidable, curious and utterly committed to the craft of writing. She lived an extraordinary life, but she was always interested in ideas, in people, and in the world around her.
What struck me (as her publisher) most about Blanche as a writer was her preparation, her research and her fearlessness.
She wasn’t interested in writing something safe or predictable; she didn’t do anything by half, and she didn’t worry about what other people might think.
She did it because she wanted to, with a sharp eye for human behaviour, a sharp but warm sense of humour, and an enormous passion for life and its eternal possibilities.
It was a genuine privilege for an independent publishing house to publish her final novel, The Bunny Club.
Whatever else is written about Blanche, particularly as the wife of a former Prime Minister, I hope we remember that she was, first and foremost, a serious and significant Australian writer - and a wonderfully original one.
One thing I do know from our many talks, she will have gone in peace expecting to reunite with her beloved Bob Hawke.
Our thoughts are with Blanche's family, particularly her son Louis Pratt and her granddaughter, and all those who loved her.
Blanche d'Alpuget, 1944 - 2026
Bonita Mersiades
Publisher & Director
Read more about Blanche d'Alpuget here.