The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: NZ Book Awards
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…
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…
All This By Chance – Vincent O’Sullivan
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS All This by Chance is a moving multigenerational family saga about the legacy of the Holocaust and the burden of secrets never shared ⚑ “I was all in for I would say three-quarters of this novel but then as…
The Cage – Lloyd Jones
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS The Cage is a profound and unsettling novel about humanity and dignity and the ease with which we’re able to justify brutality. ⚑ “It’s like Lloyd Jones got in my head and seeing my worst fears was then inspired…
This Mortal Boy – Fiona Kidman
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS The re-creation of one of the last executions in New Zealand leading to the abolition of capital punishment. ⚑ “Poor Albert Black. I appreciated the way this novel explored the impact on everyone involved in his trial and sentencing…
2018 NZ Book Awards
Social commentary is a traditional feature of literature, but with Millennials coming of age, outspoken hypothesising on the state of the world looks to become a staple of modern story telling. This year’s Ockham’s shortlist highlights this. A solipsistic tale of youth and immediacy, an immigrant’s…
Salt Picnic – Patrick Evans
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Mimicking Janet Frame’s travels, a young woman arrives on the island of Ibiza in 1956 and falls into a relationship with an American photographer. ➽ “Patrick Evans is an accomplished writer and obviously has a lot of intelligent thoughts swirling around…
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