Bee Miles

The untold story of the uncompromising and fearless woman who captivated mid-20th century Australia with her spectacular acts of defiance.


Shortlisted for the Australian History prize in the 2024 Prime Minister's Literary Awards 

Shortlisted for the 2024 National Biography Award


Bee Miles was a truly larger-than-life character. Famous for being outrageous in public, or, as she said, living' recklessly', she shocked and intrigued cities and towns across Australia. But she was no ordinary wanderer. 


Born into a wealthy family, Bee moved in Sydney's literary and artistic circles in the 1920s and 1930s before she took up residence on the streets. A consummate performer and a perceptive critic, she caught the public's imagination with her spectacular acts of defiance, emerging majestically from the surf with a knife strapped to each thigh, stopping a country train in its tracks, hitchhiking across remote Australia and drawing large city crowds with her Shakespeare recitations. She was once even voted more famous than the Prime Minister. She was also repeatedly incarcerated in prisons, confined to mental hospitals and treated brutally by a succession of authority figures, starting with her father. 


Bee constantly defied conventional expectations of female behaviour. The public found her captivating and fragments of her story have been told again and again in many forms. Until now, no-one has uncovered the real story behind the colourful legend. This first full biography offers a fascinating glimpse into a dark side of Australia's history.


'Empathetic and thoroughly researched, this superb biography is the most outstanding Australian non-fiction book I have read so far this year. Miles tended to be caricatured during her lifetime, but now we have a full portrait of one of the most remarkable individuals ever to call Australia home. Bee Miles at last has been accorded her rightful place in history.' -The Sydney Morning Herald 


'These pages dance with details of a forgotten Australia, in which the sane were in asylums, the rich were on the left and clever Bee Miles dominated the city of Sydney.' -Alison Bashford, author of An Intimate History of Evolution


'The remarkable tale of an eternal vagabond, Bohemian to her core.' -Lucy Frost, historian and author 


'A thrilling ride through the life of one of Australia's most gifted yetmisunderstood characters. I adored it!' -Mandy Sayer, award-winning author 


'A brilliant rollercoaster of a book.' -Craig Munro, author of Literary Lion Tamers