Content Warning: This article touches on the topic of child sexual abuse, which may be triggering for some readers.
The wait for Grace Tame’s The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner: A Memoir has finally come to an end and has promised to tell all of her “raw” and “real” lessons.
In 2021, Grace was named Australian of the Year and has strongly advocated for the survivors of child sexual abuse. While her name will go down in history, child abusers will not. As she said in her book, the events of her life were “undoubtedly traumatic” they have not defined her “unfinished experience of life”.
“To Christian, Keyy, Janet and all the children whose lives were taken, even in part, before they were able to live them to the fullest, on their own terms. Telling your stories will make us whole again,” she wrote in the books dedication.
What Is Grace Tame’s book about?
Grace admitted to preferring the title Diamond Miners and Rock Spiders but her editor turned down the name, including Grace’s other suggestion: A Diary of Daddy Issues.
The book begins with an unexpected story. Grace reflects on her time “living in a ramshackle share house” in Portugal in 2014 where she met Jorge.
She quickly goes on to discuss her terrifying journey of having cruel insults thrown at her since she was two-years-old, declining mental health, being groomed and the various times she was sexually abused, including by her 58-year-old school teacher when she was fifteen.
“In spite of the painful turbulence of my upbringing, I am eternally grateful for all of it; for the invaluable lessons it continues to teach me, and the ways it continues to shape me.”
“Child abusers groom through isolation, fear and shame.”
“All of us, to some extent, have been groomed. You included. Yes, you. You have been groomed without even realising it. Groomed to reinforce the mythology that child sex offenders’ actions can be somehow intellectualized, minimised or deflected onto someone else.”
What has Grace Tame said about her book?
For the launch of her memoir, Grace Tame took to Sydney’s City Recital Hall where she compared perpetrators to rock spiders – which relates back to the original title for her book.
“Every feeling I could possibly feel, I am feeling all at once,” she said.
“One of my beliefs is that the real riches in life are the connections we make.”
The activist admitted the memoir would have been ten times longer, but her editor convinced her to stop writing. She also said her autism and ADHD helped the book progress.
Where can you buy Grace Tame’s book?
Those interested can purchase a signed copy of The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner online at Booktopia. The autobiography has been rated a 3.5 out of 4 by Goodreads.
What do people think about Grace Tame’s book?
The feedback from fans has been largely positive, one titling it a “gut punch of a memoir”. Fans have been appreciative of Grace’s willingness to share her story.
“Grace’s voice is strong and her comments about how trauma makes memory disjointed foreshadow the chaotic structure of the book,” one wrote. “It would take a big tree/map to understand all the familial ties described in the early chapters, and I find myself surprisingly jealous of all Grace’s friendships.”
Another one commented: “The courage and honesty of this author have my greatest admiration. Her dedication to family, friends and truth in the quest of helping other survivors made the reading of this book to be a significant and inspiring message.”
A fan also encouraged Grace to keep speaking out about her story and said: “Keep being the voice for those who’ve yet to find their own.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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