Leaving Australia - Memoir Series

Introduction

Long before or after ChatGPT could exchange this with that, there is and was this story. With or without change. Listenable, hearable, readable. Passed on momentarily or forever. Before and after. As this is the oral version, I whisper or scream it in symbols for your silent understanding. All noise removed. You are welcome!

Leaving Australia is a memoir series by Dr. Terrell Neuage, formerly Terrell Adsit (pre-1980), chronicling his life as a traveler, hippie, cult member, single parent, tofu maker, astrologer, and survivor of hepatitis C and personal tragedies, including the suicide of his son, Leigh Neuage, a Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher at age 20. The series reflects on his identity as an adoptee, dual citizen (USA and Australia), and self-described new-age atheist, covering his journey from the 1960s to his current life in Adelaide, South Australia.

Books in the Series

• Leaving Australia 'Again' deluxe: Before the After (Hardcover)

  This hardcover memoir captures Dr. Neuage’s early life, from a high school dropout in 1960s New York to a world traveler, hippie, and tofu manufacturer in Australia. It details personal challenges, including battles with hepatitis C, the loss of his adopted brother to AIDS, and the tragic suicide of his son, Leigh. Available on Kindle for $3 USD and in paperback.

• Leaving Australia, 'Again': Book 2 ‘After’ (Kindle Edition)

  Book 2 focuses on Dr. Neuage’s journey as a single parent in Australia, raising two sons—one who became a Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher before his untimely death, and another who overcame a difficult adolescence. It traces his path from dropout to earning a PhD at 58 and his varied careers, including seven years as a tofu manufacturer.

  

• Thoughts in Pattern - Series

  A companion series of picture poetry, blending visual art with poetic reflections on life, love, and discovery. These works showcase Dr. Neuage’s creative and introspective style, complementing the narrative of his memoirs.

About the Author

Dr. Terrell Neuage (1947–2025) is a prolific writer and creative artist known for his unique perspective on life. A dual citizen of the USA and Australia, he considers himself a world citizen and your neighbor. His diverse career includes teaching at universities in New York and South Australia, nursing in Maryland and Hawaii, and being Australia’s “tofu king” from 1981 to 1987. His education includes a PhD from the University of South Australia (2005), multiple degrees from Deakin University, and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching from Charles Darwin University (2010). Neuage has authored a dozen books, including picture poetry, and maintains blogs about his travels at neuage.me. He has been married to Bernarda (Narda) Biemond for 22 years as of 2024, and they enjoy traveling in their caravan, Holiday, and truck, Billy, when not overseas.

Explore more of his work, photography, art, and blogs at neuage.org or view his career history at neuage.org/r.html.

Education

• PhD, University of South Australia, 2005
• Master of Arts, Literature, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 1997
• Bachelor of Arts with Honors, Children’s Literature, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 1995
• Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Literature, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 1994
• Graduate Diploma in Teaching And Learning, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 2010
• Advanced Diploma of Arts, Professional Writing, TAFE, Adelaide, South Australia, 1991
• Shenendehowa Central School, New York, 1954–1964 (partial high school)