The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: Literary fiction
All Our Yesterdays – Natalia Ginzburg
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Published in 1952 and set against the rise of fascism and the Second World War in Italy, All Our Yesterdays explores how history unfolds through ordinary lives rather than extraordinary events. Natalia Ginzburg examines family, love, duty and the… Continue Reading “All Our Yesterdays – Natalia Ginzburg”
1985 – Dominic Hoey
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Tessa Set in 1985 Auckland, this novel follows an 11 year old boy named Obi who is on the cusp of teenagehood but has a maturity shaped by poverty, dysfunctional family dynamics, (dis)organised crime and violence. His dad’s delusional, his… Continue Reading “1985 – Dominic Hoey”
The Last Living Cannibal – Airana Ngarewa
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Set in the 1940s Taranaki, The Last Living Cannibal is narrated by an old man, Koko, from both the present and afterlife. It examines muru or the restoration of balance within an iwi or community, and is put to… Continue Reading “The Last Living Cannibal – Airana Ngarewa”
Before The Winter Ends – Khadro Mohamed
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Set during a cold Wellington winter, Before The Winter Ends explores the immigrant experience via Omar, a teen whose grades are slipping and is losing connection with his best friend, and his mother who recalls her life two decades… Continue Reading “Before The Winter Ends – Khadro Mohamed”
Love is Blind – William Boyd
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Sally Brodie Moncur is a young Scottish piano tuner who moves to Paris for a job and to escape his tyrannical father. There, a fateful encounter with a famous pianist changes his future and sparks an obsessive love affair with… Continue Reading “Love is Blind – William Boyd”
2026: Timelines
In 2026 we are focused on the intersection of time, or what do we owe the past, and what do we owe the future? We have a new and evolving bookclub that is considerate of the past members and reading history but also focused… Continue Reading “2026: Timelines”
2025: End Of Year Thoughts
When we talk about the world being global, it’s easy to imagine overwhelming vastness and perhaps feel a little lost in it. When in fact the world is not stretching away from us, it’s coming to us. Wherever we are, we are surrounded by… Continue Reading “2025: End Of Year Thoughts”
As Rich As The King – Abigail Assor
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Rachel Sarah is poor, but pretty and French, which gives her standing in Casablanca. Driss is older, quiet and not particularly good looking but he’s rumoured to be the richest guy in the city. Sarah decides she wants a life… Continue Reading “As Rich As The King – Abigail Assor”
Bookerthon – 2025
For our 25th Bookerthon, we hunkered down in Arrowtown, Central Otago, where fresh snow made for great photos against the blue skies and Spring blooms. The setting, as it turned out, mirrored the prose of this year’s Booker shortlist: crisp, clear and alive. They were… Continue Reading “Bookerthon – 2025”
The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny – Kiran Desai
READ FOR BOOKERTHON The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny follows two immigrants navigating the quiet ache of isolation in a globalised world. Sonia and Sunny are writers in America, out of tune with their partners and confessing to loneliness and homesickness for their native… Continue Reading “The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny – Kiran Desai”
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