Magda Palmer
Paper Sparrow is a historical novel inspired by real-life events, Australia 1943 to 1955. PEGGY is born to circumstances that deny her opportunities afforded to others. Before her thirteenth birthday, she has no choice but to work as a Nursing Aide in a home for the elderly. Aged fourteen, Peggy is drugged and raped. She travels from Sydney to Melbourne to see out her pregnancy without family or financial support. Her dark journey reveals a massive baby farming industry, untold sufferings, and life-long consequences to thousands of post-WWII victims-single women. Their babies are officially recognised today as The Stolen White Generation. Peggy’s core conflict comes from her necessary involvement with a network of welfare officers and medical teams, all fuelled by monetary greed. Torment, near-slavery, and degradation are encouraged through social bigotry. Peggy meets PETER, a man of the cloth, BINEHAM, a master of Chinese psychology and LILY, a welfare officer fighting for social justice. They foster her potential and lighten her journey. Peggy’s baby is kidnapped from the birthing table and sold to a couple who have a ruthless plan to forbid Peggy to approach her child legally. This action leads Peggy to incite reform through civil society to end social prejudice against single mothers and their children. Fortune brings work in the fashion industry, and Peggy wins a scholarship which will lead to a career in live theatre. Peggy has a heart-rending meeting with her child aged one year, but the cherished experience loses its worth when he spits at her feet under instruction from his adoptive parents. This action and a sordid society party meant to launch Peggy in the Miss Australia quest destroy her will to live. Yet, she miraculously survives a deep-sea baptism and finds the strength and means to promote benevolence, communication, and beauty.
