July 2011
$27.95 paperback ISBN 978-0-9807904-6-7
A Break in the Chain: The Early Kozminskys
by Tangea Tansley
In 1856, Simon Kozminsky travelled from Prussia to begin a new life in the fledgling colony of Victoria. In the heady days of the gold rush, he established a jewellery house that would gain world renown. But behind the glittering facade of wealth, glamour and influence lay a darker, sadder story: a mysterious rift between Simon and his eldest son.
In an extraordinary coincidence, the answer to this life-long estrangement was painted by Australia’s pre-eminent artist of the time, Frederick McCubbin. The portrait depicted the beautiful young Irish woman, Eileen Watkins, who unwittingly drove a wedge between father and son.
A Break in the Chain is a brilliant imagining of three generations of real-life Kozminskys. With authenticity and dramatic verve, Tangea Tansley brings alive Melbourne of the past in a tantalising tale of fortune and faith, love and betrayal.
Praise for A Break in the Chain
'Splendidly illuminating, A Break in the Chain is an emotionally dense and intriguing Australian story of high achievement.' Michael Meehan
'A beautifully written imagining of three generations of her family.' Herald Sun
'This is a warm, lively, empathetic novel full of fascinating social history.' Sydney Morning Herald
'Told with the dedication of the historian and the imaginative flair of the novelist...a gripping book.' Alan Gold, J-Wire
'This has got movie written all over it.'
Denis Walter, 3AW
Tangea Tansley
Tangea Tansley was born in Zimbabwe and moved to
Australia when she was fifteen years old. She has since lived all around the world. She is a descendent of the Kozminsky family. She holds a PhD in comparative
literature from Murdoch University. Tangea lives in
Western Australia. The Early Kozminskys is her first novel.
