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Victoria Twead
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Dear Fran, Love Dulcie: Life and Death in the Hills and Hollows of Bygone Australia Paperback – July 6, 2021

by Victoria Twead (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 297 ratings
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When Dulcie Clarke picks up her fountain pen to write her first letter to her pen friend, Fran, she is unaware that their friendship will continue for decades. Both are newly-weds; Dulcie has a baby girl and Fran is expecting a baby. But there the similarities end.

Fran is a Detroit city girl enjoying modern conveniences. Dulcie is a pineapple farmer's wife enduring the extremes of Australia. Bushfires, floods, cyclones, droughts, dingo attacks and accidents are all too common.

Regardless, Dulcie's optimism shines through, revealing her love of the land and fascination for the wild creatures that share her corner of Queensland.

Each book purchased will help support Careflight, an Australian aero-medical charity that attends emergencies, however remote.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    248 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ant Press
  4. Publication date
    July 6, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.52 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1922476471
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1922476470
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Shocking, yet heart-warming. Overwhelmingly gripping." Beth Haslam, author of the Fat Dogs and French Estates series.

"Wow! Goosebumps." Elizabeth Moore, author of the Someday Travels series and Top 1000 Amazon reviewer.

"A truly remarkable young woman and a unique record of Australian life." Valerie Poore, author of Watery Ways.

"Once read, never forgotten." Victoria Twead, New York Times bestselling author of the Old Fools series.

"There are no words that can do this book justice." Julie Haigh, Top 1000 Amazon reviewer.

About the Author

Victoria Twead is the New York Times bestselling author of Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools and the subsequent books in the Old Fools series. After living in a remote mountain village in Spain for eleven years, and owning probably the most dangerous cockerel in Europe, Victoria and Joe retired to Australia. Another joyous life-chapter has begun. Website: www.victoriatwead.com Join her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VictoriaTwead

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ant Press (July 6, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1922476471
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1922476470
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.52 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 297 ratings

About the author

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Victoria Twead

Victoria Twead

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Victoria Twead is the Amazon, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Old Fools series and works in her pyjamas.

#1 Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools

#2 Two Old Fools - Olé!

#3 Two Old Fools on a Camel

#4 Two Old Fools in Spain Again

#5 Two Old Fools in Turmoil

#6 Two Old Fools Down Under

One Young Fool in Dorset: Old Fools Prequel

One Young Fool in South Africa: Old Fools Prequel

New - the Sixpenny Cross series

A is for Abigail

B is for Bella

C is for the Captain

D-Z works in progress

Victoria Twead is the New York Times bestselling author of “Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools” and the subsequent books in the Old Fools series. After living in a remote mountain village in Spain for 11 years, and owning probably the most dangerous cockerel in Europe, Victoria and Joe retired to Australia where another joyous life-chapter has begun.

Contact welcome: www.VictoriaTwead.com

Email: TopHen at Victoria Twead dot com

Victoria explains how 'Chickens' was hatched:

"I'm famous for my lists and records. I can't help myself; I think I inherited the record-keeping gene from my father. Every day I make a note of the weather, the temperature, the first snowdrop, the day the ants fly, the exchange rate of the euro, everything. I make packing lists, holiday lists, 'To Do' lists and 'Joe, Will You Please' lists. I even make lists of lists. My nickname at work was Schindler.

Also, I have terrible difficulty throwing anything away. I find my heart racing and my fingers clamp possessively on the object in question. After all, a rusty hostess trolley, or broken watch, or a 1996 calendar, or whatever, may come in useful some day... So I rarely delete old emails and have diaries dating back years.

Both these dubious character traits of mine, for a pleasant change, proved really useful and helped 'Chickens' to hatch.

Moving to Spain was undeniably a culture shock. Every new day produced events either hilarious or heart-warming. Food suddenly tasted better, human behaviour was more fascinating, local events more interesting. It was like seeing in colour for the first time, and the book began bubbling in my head.

Of course, Joe often lost patience with me, and rightly so. 'Stop dreaming, and concentrate! Hold that ladder steady or I'm going to break a leg in a minute!' But the book was relentless. As soon as I could, I unearthed all my records, notes, old emails to friends, and began to write.

It's funny where life takes you... When I was a little girl and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered, 'A zoo-keeper.' No, I never realised that ambition, but life in Spain has not been that far removed. Okay, I agree, chickens, mules and all the other animals (including humans) I wrote about may not be very exotic. But their behaviour was just as riveting as that of any grizzly bear or meerkat.

As I wrote, the book made me laugh and cry. I love Spain. I love the Spanish people. I love Spanish food. I hope all this shines through in my writing, even when I'm describing some of the less pleasant things that happened to us."

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
297 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Annette R. Lloyd
5.0 out of 5 stars WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
Coming from a dairy farm family (in Wisconsin, USA) I'm aware of how tough that life can be. Rain, drought, weather, births, deaths, disease, & all the issues are familiar problems. Reading Dulcie's letters was eye-opening & comforting in the insights they gave me into all my female ancestors. The strength & fortitude of Dulcie is awe inspiring. The life of being so far from civilization is hard at the best of times but she didn't complain. My family's farm - before road improvements happened - was a minimum of an hour away. Now it's 45 minutes. I've lived in a city for decades now and cannot imagine being that far from health care and stores. I definitely cannot imagine how Dulcie & her family could survive. And the primitive lifestyle is jaw dropping.
The ending of the book was first sad, then shocking. Poor Dulcie.
I also send a big thank you to her family for being so willing to share this story! Australians are reputed to have big hearts and this proves it. Hats off the Fran for providing the "meat" of this story. And a BIG hats off to Victoria & Joe Twead for bringing this story to life for all of us!
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Bert Pearson
5.0 out of 5 stars Just Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2023
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Thank Fran for saving all those letters and Victoria Tweed for realizing their value. Also Dulcie’s family for allowing the letters to be published This account of a young family’s life on a farm in Australia is at times funny, tragic and and always entertaining. And the ending! Fascinating and heartbreaking
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fabulouschrissie
5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing story
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2021
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What can I say? How can I give this book more than five stars? Some books you read and enjoy , maybe chuckle or shed a tear or two. Then you put them down and move on with your life. But this book, oh this book is so much more than that. These are the letters written from a young wife in the Queensland outback to a pen pal in America, from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. I was hooked from the first page. What an extraordinary life Dulcie led, and how marvelous to be able to read about it sixty years later. I can't say much about the book, as I don't want to give away any spoilers, but all I can tell you is READ THIS BOOK. If you only read one book a year, make it this one. I couldn't put it down: I read it in less than two days. This isn't just the story of one woman's life, it's an important part of social history, and is just captivating. Do I recommend it? Unreservedly. Dulcie and her story will stay with me for a long time. Thanks to Fran for keeping the letters for all these years, and to Victoria for compiling them into this incredible book.
5 people found this helpful
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KBarbieri
4.0 out of 5 stars So Many Questions Remain (Spoiler Alert)
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021
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What a gift this book is. Thank you Fran for reaching out to Victoria Twead and her publishing prowess. Thank you Victoria for seeing something special in this story and sharing it with us all. It is a fascinating tale and really gives a personal insight into rural Australia of the time. It's a story that will stay with you - well, it has stayed with me. And this brings me to the one lone star that I omitted - surely someone had contact with Dulcie in the intervening years. Why did she do what she did? Was her husband seeing someone else? Terry said she rarely kept up with family or his own children. It would be good to hear from people that could shed light on her activities and mental state. Much like Fran, I was left wanting more.
2 people found this helpful
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SALLYANNE EMMERSON
5.0 out of 5 stars I can’t stop thinking about this story .
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
Such an amazing story, it’s a good thing that Fran had saved all those letters and had the brilliant idea to send them to Victoria to put them into a book , otherwise we would not have had the pleasure of seeing into the lives of two friends that had never met, and feeling like we know them so well .
All the time I am reading Dulcie’s account of all the Farm work and chores that she did I am thinking how is this humanly possible for one young woman to do .. I thought she must be super human , It makes me wonder how much was actually true, I guess it’s easy to fabricate things when living so far away, but she obviously did many of the things she mentioned, I I kept wondering why do you want such a hard life, there must be an easier option .
She was a very good letter writer, I did feel very sorry for her, so much sadness and isolation , but she made the most of it .
The ending was so bizarre, I am so pleased that Victoria did all the research to find out more, I didn’t want to be left hanging .. how sad for Fran tho, I can’t get this story out of my mind xx
Great job Victoria tweed xx
One person found this helpful
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J. Hamil
5.0 out of 5 stars Read to the end.
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2021
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First, I am not drawn to these types of books, but because Victoria and Joe compiled it I wanted to read it. They both put out good works. I have read several of their books and enjoyed them all. I was drawn in by at least the middle of the book to where I couldn't put it down. The things Dulcie wrote to Fran were absolutely amazing of what she was doing on the farm/ranch. I got to the end and I didn't know what to think. I still don't. It's very thought provoking. Was a lot of it a lie? Was part of it a lie? Was none of it a lie?
This is the second book that I finished within a week that just left me dumbfounded. Both excellent authors. This is definitely a must read because you will be absolutely astonished at the end.
One person found this helpful
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Uhf
5.0 out of 5 stars Ten stars!
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
I just finished reading it.  WOW is the only word coming to mind.  The surprise ending wrenched my heart.  How beautiful the gift of friendship!  I could not stop reading and now it may never leave me.  Fran was Dulce's lifeline when she wouldn't admit her pain and didn't have the luxury to cry.
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PatriciaS
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and unsettling
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2021
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This is the story of two women who are pen pals and over the years, share their life experiences. The letters were compelling, but as I read the book I kept wondering if the woman's daily life experiences could possibly be true? They were amazing, wonderful, down to earth and somewhat dreamy. When I got to the end of the book and learned the surprise at the finish, my mind was unsettled. It will stay with me for a while because I felt like I could see into Dulcie's life from the inside out. Well written and lovingly put together by Victoria Tweed. It is well worth reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

Petronella
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping!
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
I would read anything by Victoria Twead, so pre-ordered this book and began reading it as soon as it was available. Having lived for more than twenty years in North Queensland during the fifties and sixties I could really relate to Dulcie's story. But this is a book for anyone to enjoy, no matter where you live or how old you are. Victoria has done a wonderful job of relating Dulcie's life in rural Queensland via the letters she had written to her penpal Fran in the United States during their early married life and onwards. The Epilogue leaves the reader well satisfied, thanks to Victoria's diligence in solving a certain mystery that the letters presented. Way to go! This book is well worth the read!
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Mark Ritchie
5.0 out of 5 stars Never saw that coming!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2023
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What a beautiful, sad, glorious, thought provoking, piece of writing. A hard life described in snapshots from another time and culture. Emotional and insightful,. Inspiring and heartbreaking by turns. An amazing book club choice, but read it on your own too. Totally recommend x
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Tia Turquesa
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely spellbinding!
Reviewed in Spain on July 7, 2023
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What an amazing book! I just couldn't put it down since starting it yesterday, and I'm sad that I've just turned the last page. Such a wonderful connection between two women from such different backgrounds! How difficult life was for Dulcie in Australia. We don't realise how good we have it nowadays! A highly recommended read!
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Colin P.
5.0 out of 5 stars What a story!
Reviewed in France on September 10, 2021
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As my title says, What a Story! I will not say much except to say this is a book for anyone who's interested in human life styles that are quite extraordinary. The story of a pen pal's letters keeps the most extraordinary to last! You will not be let down!
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jean henrickson
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I have read in recent times!
Reviewed in Australia on July 13, 2021
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I waited eagerly for months for Dear Fran love Dulcie as I always enjoy Victoria Twead's books. This one is a truly fabulous read! Victora Twead assisted by her husband Joe, spent many months working on Dulcie's letters and also used some detective strategies to find current members of Dulcie's family. The letters were sent to Victoria by Fran Globke to whom Dulcie's letters were written.
I had no idea before reading this book aboutthe poverty and hard life led by farmers in Queensland Australia in the 1960s. Dulcie faced tge death of two children, bush fires, floods and drought. She was also tasked with shooting her own livestock as the transport costs to the city meant selling them was not financially viable.
Dulcie's simple prose serves to highlight the huge discrepancy between her life and the far more comfortable life of Fran in Detroit USA. The very surprise ending of the book leaves so many questions unanswered and tantalises the reader.
Buy the book and treat yourself to a social and economic Australian history all written in simple though often very moving prose!
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