Book of the Week

Outback heart by Joanne van Os

Now and again you come across a book that deeply affects you. Outback heart by Joanne Van Os is an extraordinary story of two people deep in the outback of Australia.

Joanne was twenty-two when she met Rod Ansell.

He was a legend, having already survived alone for two months without

supplies in a harsh and remote area of northern Australia. They got

married and had two sons living the tough life of outback bull catchers

and cattle musterers. However cracks started to appear in the

relationship when she realised that he was a deeply troubled man. Joanne

never gave up on him, even after divorcing him. However Rod's life was

spiralling out of control; he was using drugs heavily and became deeply

psychotic. His story ends tragically when he is involved in a shoot-out

with the police. This is an extraordinary story of a couple whose life

was played out deep in the outback of Australia.

20 December 2005