Jenny’s coffee House by Eugenie Williams

Transit Lounge, Yarraville Vic. 2009

ISBN:9780980571707

Eugenie or Yenni or Jenny Williams arrived in Hobart from Czechoslavakia in the 60’s with her family.  In this humorous biography she tells of their arrival in  the slow paced capital of Tasmania, of their easy acceptance by Tasmanians.  She describes

 the hard work, the learning of a new language, a new romance, her parents death and of her children growing up as Aussies.  Jenny begins her employment as a hotel dishwasher, moves into a job at the Cadbury chocolate factory and at last has the opportunity to become a laboratory assistant.  This requires her to use an English dictionary as she translates Czech into English and many cups of coffee before she sets the exam at the top of the state in Launceston.  This is a tale of a family’s ups and downs and the ultimate purchase of the Coffee House in

77 Elizabeth Street, Hobart

, a fulfilment of Jenny’s dreams.