Marion Taylor

The late Marion Taylor was an avid reader of books and lover of literary culture, who indulged her passion annually at the Brisbane Writers Festival. Marion could always be found with a book or two on the go, and she loved the writers festival for its opportunities to discover new authors and stories. After a chequered school history, she came to appreciate the value of education and literature for broadening the mind. Thanks to Marion's passionate advocacy, and the Taylor family's ongoing support, UPLIT can continue to connect Queensland through stories through the Brisbane Writers Festival, and projects like Angel's Palace. 

We sat down with Fiona Taylor to find out more about her mother Marion, and her memories of Marion's love of literature. 

What books did Marion most love and what did she love most about reading? 

Mum had a very eclectic library ranging from the Russian classics and Patrick White to the latest blockbuster thriller.  In her later years she came to prefer true stories of peoples courage, adventure or beating the odds.  She loved an Aussie battler or someone fighting the powers to stand up for the oppressed people.

Do you have any memories of your mum reading to you when you were small? What did she teach you about the importance of literature? 

Mum taught me to read before I went to school and was always happy to buy us new books.  I remember running home with the book club catalogue from school with all the books I wanted circled and she seemed just as excited as me to order them for me.  She always read to us both as well as to her grandchildren and Paul, as the only boy was a reluctant young reader, and mum used all kinds of strategies to encourage him, from reading a book with him to the exciting bit and leaving him to finish it to paying him per book read.  It took a few years to pay off but he now has the biggest library of all of us.

What did Marion enjoy about the Brisbane Writers Festival? Were there any particular sessions/guests you can recall that really inspired her? 

Mum wasn't particularly interested in following an author or getting books signed, she most enjoyed, I believe, hearing new stories and discovering new ideas. She would pick sessions based on the topic looking to learn something. She loved history, memoirs and travel stories.

How did Marion share her love of reading with your family and others? What did this mean to her? 

She loved reading to her grandchildren and talking about the books she had just finished.  In her last years, I would take her out for lunch or afternoon tea several times a week and these always ended in a visit to the local bookstore where she would buy at least one book for herself and me or any she thought the grandchildren might enjoy.

How many books did Marion have and how did she keep/store them?

Growing up there were always bookshelves overflowing but she would also randomly do a clear out and donate lots to charity to make room for more. Even in her small apartment in her last year, every surface had a pile of books as the bookshelves were full. I now have a full wall dedicated to book shelves in my living room and she enjoyed perusing those as well and stealing the odd one to take home.

What does your gift to the Brisbane Writers Festival mean to you in remembering your mother? 

It is a wonderful way of remembering not only our time spent with mum at the writers festival but also what was most important to her; reading, stories, education and children.