The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: Kiwi lit
Toto Amongst The Murderers – Sally J Morgan
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS ● In the 1970s, at age 21, Sally J Morgan was hitchhiking in Yorkshire and was offered a lift by Fred and Rosemary West. This close call inspired her novel Toto Amongst The Murderers, in which the protagonist, Toto, is… Continue Reading “Toto Amongst The Murderers – Sally J Morgan”
Driving To Treblinka – Diana Wichtel
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Sonya Driving To Treblinka is a memoir by New Zealand journalist Diana Wichtel. In it she seeks to redeem the past, a past in which she did not truly know her father Ben, nor his sufferings trying to evade… Continue Reading “Driving To Treblinka – Diana Wichtel”
2020 NZ Book Awards
Internationality, borders and sentimentality over the comforts of home have been under the microscope lately with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. When disaster strikes it’s in one’s nature to analyse what home really means, what it comprises and the emotions it stirs up.… Continue Reading “2020 NZ Book Awards”
Auē – Becky Manawatu
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Auē is about the struggles to escape a life of violence, told through the experiences of brothers Taukiri, 17 and Arama, 8. Tauriki decides to undertake a quest to locate his birth mother. Responsible for Ārama, he entrusts the… Continue Reading “Auē – Becky Manawatu”
Pearly Gates – Owen Marshall
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS The mayor of a small NZ town recalls his successes and failures in the lead up to an election and school reunion. ✚ “Pearly was such a recognisable character it was disarming. We all know a Pearly – a… Continue Reading “Pearly Gates – Owen Marshall”
Halibut On The Moon – David Vann
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS A suicidal man visits his family in California before deciding his fate. ✚ “My previous experience of David Vann was of the book Goat Mountain, which both freaked me out and captivated me. I wanted to recommend it to… Continue Reading “Halibut On The Moon – David Vann”
A Mistake – Carl Shuker
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS A surgeon is investigated after the death of a patient. ✚ “I have to preface this by saying it’s been at least six months since I read A Mistake. I bought it after reading numerous positive reviews. I remember the… Continue Reading “A Mistake – Carl Shuker”
Dogside Story – Patricia Grace
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Jo Conflict in a North Island whanau means one man must reveal a great secret. ⚑ “Considered one of NZ writer Patricia Grace’s (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa) masterpieces, Dogside Story presents a portrait of Maori: their… Continue Reading “Dogside Story – Patricia Grace”
2019 NZ Book Awards
The past few years have been an interesting time globally as opinions around nationalism and free-speech have become hot topics. Yet, is it new? Or is history simply repeating itself in a more raw, no-holds-barred medium? Perhaps we can look back on history and… Continue Reading “2019 NZ Book Awards”
The New Ships – Kate Duignan
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Peter Collie reassesses past events in the wake of his wife’s death only to discover new secrets. ⚑ “Family matters are at the fore of Peter Collie’s life. Upon his wife’s death Peter learns of secrets kept about his… Continue Reading “The New Ships – Kate Duignan”
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