By Sarah Goldman. Published by Harper Collins, 2017. Reviewed by Teresa Hanratty.

On the cover of this biography is the portrait of Caroline Chisholm made for the Australian 5c stamp issued in her honour in 1968. The book portrays Caroline as a coloniser, an extraordinary woman who helped shape the Australian nation.

Caroline was born in Northampton, England in 1808 and lost her father, William Jones, just before her sixth birthday. As a small child her games foreshadowed the great interest she developed in adult life — she played sending her dolls by boat to friends.

She married Captain Archibald Chisholm and spent her married life in England, India and Australia. In Australia Caroline responded to the haphazard arrangements for new immigrants. Her goals included reuniting families, especially children who had been left behind when their parents emigrated to Australia; sending more female emigrants from Britain to address the gender imbalance; and assisted passages for poor people so they could have a chance of a better life in the colonies.

She was well educated and appeared to have unwavering self-belief. Her work on behalf of new immigrants and settlers showed determination and confidence in the face of inevitable opposition. She entered predominantly male domains and voiced her concerns in lectures, pamphlets, newspaper articles and meetings with influential people. And she combined clarity of vision with practical abilities. One of her most successful ventures was establishing a shelter in Sydney for vulnerable young women arriving in the colony.

Over 20 years Caroline bore eight children. She largely delegated the care of her children to others: a wet nurse and nannies. Sarah Goldman describes Caroline’s struggle for work-life balance — which remains a challenge for many modern women. It appears Caroline gave her advocacy work priority.

The author offers, in italics, personal stories of Caroline at the beginning of each chapter. One tells how Caroline received Charles Dickens into her London home and showed him some letters written by Australian immigrants — with her two young sons creating chaos in the background all the while.

Caroline Chisholm is a well-researched, easy-to-read biography of a remarkable woman. It encompasses issues such as the rights of women and the equality of all no matter their sexual orientation, class origins, race or religion. It will appeal to those who are interested in the history of British colonisation in Australia and to a wider readership of people looking for prophets who foreshadow changes long before they are enshrined in culture or legislation.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 226, May 2018: 28.