A Life of Surprises by Susanna Burton-Thompson

What an extraordinary life! Susanna Burton-Thompson shares stories from her life, as well as favourite photographs from her years working as a photojournalist. There is a lovely sense of joy when reading this episodic memoir.

Susanna earned her Master of Photography from the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography. She worked for the New Zealand Truth newspaper as a teenager, and later her photography was used for aid organisations such as Operation Mobilisation and World Vision. Her excellent photos are a welcome addition to this book, adding a compelling visual element, with images taken all around the world.

But this award-winning photographer is no slouch when it comes to telling a great story, and without giving too much of the book away, her stories are incredible! There are tales of rescuing an inmate from a Zambian prison, surviving a shipwreck, and marrying her next-door neighbour, a widower. Susanna married for the first time at the age of 69 years, and the photograph of them walking down the aisle as husband and wife is my favourite in the book!

Susanna’s Christian faith shines through in this lively book, and her humour and sense of adventure make this an enjoyable read. As the title suggests, hers is a life of surprises, no doubt with more adventures to come. I am sure many people will find this book inspirational.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Castle Publishing