Backbencher

I recently read The Quest for Grace, Puzzles of Childhood, by Manning Clark. This was a story of Dymphna Clark and the relationship between her and her husband, Manning Clark. In her last year at Melbourne University she met Manning Clark. He told the story of their courtship, engagement and journey to Europe in 1938. A brief background on her is given, describing how she was born in Melbourne in 1918, and grew up in Mont Albert. Her first name, Hilma, came from her Swedish ancestry; Dymphna from the Belgian. Her father, Augustin Lodewyckx, was Associate Professor of Germanic Languages in the University of Melbourne. Manning’s book gives an account of their early married life in England and of their return to Australia in August 1940. They had 8 children throughout the book, but not all at the same time. There's detail's of Dymphna's life alongside Clark, and I found it amazing she could even have another productive life with 8 kids! She established the lifestyle of learning, hospitality and good conversation. His wife seemed very down to earth, especially when it came to domestics and cooking. She seemed very natural, and I got this from the fact that she cooked from her own garden. The two seemed to be soul mates, but not in a romantic, passionate love novel way. It seemed very practical. She teached and translated and Clark discovered the world, well kind of! She received most of her talents of translating from her father when she was growing up. She helped Clark translated historical pieces and they went together like a puzzle themselves. Overall, I found the book very informative and interesting, and gave a better look into the life of Manning Clark, but more importantly introduced me to his wife and made me have a great sense of appreciation for her and their relationship together.