AWRF 2012

This year's Writers' and Readers' Festival in Auckland showcased 22 international writers and more than 100 New Zealand writers in a range of sessions at various venues. There were readings, conversations, debates, lectures, live drawing, music and film, poetry performance, play reading, a business breakfast, a lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and a dinner; something indeed for everyone. It was impossible to be in three places at once and so I enjoyed some excellent blogging from Graham Beattie and the team from Christchurch Libraries who kept us well informed about what everyone was saying.

The finale, a new initiative Honoured New Zealand Writer, resulted in a standing ovation for Maurice Gee, appearing in public for the first time in 10 years and admitting that he has finished writing fiction. But we have an amazing body of his work to read and a biography from Rachel Barrowman to look forward to.

There was also a tweet wall working in real time offering amusing, philosophical, sublime quotes from writers and fascinating comments from readers and it was right over the Festival Bookstall where several books sold out. What a weekend.

The gift of food

Charlotte Wood will be at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival in May promoting her new book Love and hunger: thoughts on the gift of food. A prizewinning Australian novelist and short story writer she also writes about food in magazines, newspapers and in her very interesting blog.

Love and hunger describes Charlotte's relationship with food and cooking. It contains recipes but is not a recipe book. It includes handy hints but it is not a kitchen companion. It includes family memories but it is not an autobiography. It is a highly readable feast with lots of courses and I will follow some of her advice. She writes thoughtfully and intelligently and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing her at the Festival.

Look out for further posts from the Festival on more new discoveries.

Just a beginner

In a nod to the Dummies series of books, the publishing firm in Anne Tyler's latest novel has created the Beginner books, introductions to essential skills like wine, the monthly budget, dog training, the spice cabinet, birdwatching and many other amusing titles. The Beginner's goodbye refers to Aaron's grief at the death of his wife and the steps he takes to recover.

I have read several examples of bereavement memoir recently, for example A widow's story by Joyce Carol Oates and The year of magical thinking by Joan Didion but this fictionalised account of loss and questioning I found really enthralling. I zipped through the book in almost one sitting with my thoughts both challenged and reassured.

Anne Tyler is an excellent storyteller with an eye for interesting character traits and an ability to round off a book with a satisfying conclusion. Try also Digging to America and Back when we were grownups.

Plenty to read

but not too much to recommend. My list of books read this year is in the right sidebar. 19 books read so far but only 7 reviews. You can be sure that the titles I review are heartily recommended. I'm ready for another great read now.

I'm currently reading Paula Green's new anthology of New Zealand poetry Dear heart - a lovely book, beautifully designed and a perfect gift for a book/poetry lover. It sits very happily beside My heart goes swimming compiled by Jenny Bornholdt in 1996 and complements it nicely.

The importance of others

Recently longlisted for the Orange Prize is American writer Leah Hager Cohen with her fourth novel The Grief of others.

At first I thought that I might not manage to read this book; the prologue describes the death of a new born baby and the first chapter concludes with a ten year old child "slipping into the water". Having respect for the Orange Prize I persevered. This novel dissects the lives of one family in a year that sees the death of two babies. It explores individual feelings and responses and also familial approaches to difficulties. The narrative begins in the present and looks back one year and then also flips back to eight years ago when things were good. The family members, adults and children, have credible voices and reasonable reactions and are described sympathetically.

This novel shows that although we have the ability, through ignorance, despair or fear, to mess up our lives, we also have the power to restore balance and create a better future.

This is definitely worth reading.

Round and round

A book that is character driven and appeals to me for its roundedness. The title refers to Quinn who has made his home on a motorway roundabout. Who is he and why is he there? Clare Morrall's fifth fascinating novel, The Roundabout man, criss-crosses time and space to describe a childhood of privilege and neglect and to suggest an adulthood of lost opportunities. The characters, mostly family members, are well drawn with their own back stories and serve to underline the special nature of Quinn's position. Amanda, the manager of the motorway service station is similarly a complex character; remote at first and then influential. The development of the novel is slow but steady and definitely satisfying.



A perfect book club read; there is so much to discuss. Start with the front cover!

I can also recommend all of Clare Morrall's previous books especially Astonishing splashes of colour, that was shortlisted for the Booker prize, and The language of others.

Unlikely?

Unlikely may be the key word in the title of Rachel Joyce's first book but the events, problems and feelings that unfold are highly probable. The Unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry follows the steps of recently retired Harold as he walks the length of Britain and reveals his hidden character. His wife Maureen is similarly revealed from her reflective spectator's position at home.
Harold, without any necessities or comforts, walks from Devon to Cornwall; 627 miles in 87 days. Why? Well, that's the whole story. Along the way he meets a multitude of needy people but eventually continues his self-assessing journey on his own.
This is a gentle, heart-warming read with substance and surprises - you really want to follow the journey to the end.