My friend Blanche d’Alpuget often spoke to me about death. She once likened it to ‘untying a million little knots’ | Derek Rielly
The woman so pivotal in Australian literature and politics blew into my orbit in a tornado of Doris Day hair and Sophia Loren lips in the winter of 2016 Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Thirty-six hours before Blanche took her last breath , I negotiated the plastic tubes and mask she wore over a still beautiful face and gave her one final kiss. I wasn’t sure, then, if…
Blanche d’Alpuget, a pivotal figure in Australian literature and politics, passed away in 2016. Thirty-six hours before her final breath, the reporter shared a final kiss with her. Blanche, known for her striking beauty and eloquence, had faced significant animosity after her affair with Bob Hawke became public in 1994. Her experience with death was profound, as she nursed her mother during her final hours and accompanied Bob Hawke during his own.
She likened dying to "untying a million little knots," believing that the soul seeks release but is held back by the body. For her final wishes, Blanche requested a red coffin on the inside, blue and white on the exterior, and for a band to play "When the Saints Go Marching In."
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian Australia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
