The Space Between the Stars: On love, loss and the magical power of nature to heal

Description

For fans of Julia Baird's Phosphorescence, Sarah Wilson's This One Wild and Precious Life or Leigh Sales' Any Ordinary Day comes an unforgettable and poignant exploration of the healing power of nature. 'A tender, touching and at times bloody funny meditation on life. And death. And how to live.' David Wenham 'For as long as I can remember, there has always been just the three of us. Three sisters. Only a year between each. Inseparable. It's been like that for almost 50 years ... Until my youngest sister walked out into her suburban backyard and took her life. Is it possible to ever heal a tear in your universe?' After her younger sister died suddenly, broadcaster Indira Naidoo's world was shattered. Turning to her urban landscape for solace, Indira found herself drawn to a fig tree overlooking Sydney harbour. A connection began to build between the two - one with a fractured heart, the other a centurion offering quiet companionship while asking nothing in return. As Indira grappled with her heartbreak, an unnoticed universe of infinite beauty revealed itself: pale vanilla clouds pirouetting across the sky, resilient weeds pushing through cracks in the footpath, the magical biodiversity of tiny puddles. With the help of a posse of urban guides, she began to explore how nature - whatever bits of nature are within reach - can heal us during life's darker chapters, whether nursing a broken heart or an anxious mind. The Space Between the Stars is a heart-rending, at times funny, and uplifting tribute to love and our innate need to connect to the natural world, a celebration of the reassuring cycle of renewal that sustains and nourishes us all. 'As long as you can see the stars, you can never truly be lost.'

Indira Naidoo is one of Australia's most popular broadcasters and authors. During her thirty-year award-winning journalistic career, she has hosted and reported for some of the country's most distinguished news and current affair programs, including the ABC TV's Late Edition and SBS TV's World News, and she is currently the host of ABC Radio's Weekend Nightlife. A passionate advocate for environmental and food sustainability issues, she is author of the bestselling The Edible Balcony and The Edible City, has designed award-winning gardens and helps community groups build their own food gardens. She is a sought-after speaker and facilitator, and is an ambassador for Sydney's homeless crisis centre the Wayside Chapel.

'A tender, touching and at times bloody funny meditation on life. And death. And how to live. The Space Between the Stars is a little treasure. I am richer for having read this book.' David Wenham 'Indira Naidoo's writing beats with the strength and power of love and hope, and is a moving meditation on the solace and healing we find in the natural world.' Holly Ringland 'The world is crying out for more intimate and granular paths through the landscape of grief right now. Thank you dear Indira for taking our hand and bravely showing us how being in nature can provide our way.' Sarah Wilson 'This book is life-changing - from deep loss and despair there is also light. Put your face towards it. It may be the only thing that feels real at this time. Let nature do its job and fix what has been broken in all of us.' Kate Ceberano 'A powerfully moving and insightful journey. Careful attention is a form of love, and Indira Naidoo's vivid writing shows us how such love can lift and expand our minds and spirits, drawing us into the wonders of the universe.' David George Haskell, author of Pulitzer finalist The Forest Unseen and Burroughs medallist The Songs of the Trees. 'Part memoir, part requiem, part journalistic meditation on the natural world ... Naidoo has penned a beautiful reflection on grief, and the unexpected pathway she took to overcome it.' Chris Taylor