My Pacific odyssey and the son I left behind
When Ruth Shaw's world was turned upside down at just 17 years old, she sailed the Pacific to outrun her past, until she found peace when she reunited with the loves of her life.
Ruth Shaw left her home in New Zealand as a young woman, driven away by a traumatic attack that would shape her life for years to come. She tried to find escape on sailing ships, in Tahitian gambling dens and in the bars and kitchens of Papua New Guinea. But ultimately she had to head home, to face up to deep personal scars, and to find the child she’d been forced to give up years before. Ruth's written a book about her life called The Bookseller at the End of the World.
If you've been affected by any of the issues covered in this programme, support is available at www.befrienders.org.
Presenter: India Rakusen
Producer: May Cameron
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Ruth Shaw. Credit: The Bookseller at the End of the World)
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