Barbara Anderson (1)Besprekingen

This is the first novel by this acclaimed New Zealand novelist. Her stories, like Fiona Kidman’s, reflect the period of her life living in New Zealand. As I suspected this author was a teacher in her younger years. Many of her books remind me of women’s lives of my mother’s era. I recommend trying her, especially her prize winning A Portrait of the Artist’s Wife and I personally recognised the women depicted in A Long Hot Summer

(7.5) I picked this up as i was waiting for a library book for our discussion. I have enjoyed this writer's novels for her depictions of life in New Zealand during the years I grew up. In many of these short stories the settings, language and characters created that sense of times now past.
I am now keen to read one of her novels again.½

Very good - definitely another half a star. Particularly clever how the narrator of the book changes at certain points without any warning to illuminate the main character from outside - I was always aware when the switch happened - and it was done without putting the internal life of the other character on the line - so produces a real sense of the main character achieving a change (of heart!) without commenting on the other characters who may or may not be changing - who knows? because the narrative is not focusing on that. Hard to describe. Also a nice 'New Zealand' feel - I felt I was there and not here (UK). A pleasure to spend some time with this book.

Very good - definitely another half a star. Particularly clever how the narrator of the book changes at certain points without any warning to illuminate the main character from outside - I was always aware when the switch happened - and it was done without putting the internal life of the other character on the line - so produces a real sense of the main character achieving a change (of heart!) without commenting on the other characters who may or may not be changing - who knows? because the narrative is not focusing on that. Hard to describe. Also a nice 'New Zealand' feel - I felt I was there and not here (UK). A pleasure to spend some time with this book.

I particularly enjoyed the first two stories in this collection - 'The Westerly' and 'We Could Celebrate'. The author beautifully captures a moment in the lives of ordinary people creating a sense of recognition with time place and characters for this reader.
A lovely edition beautifully bound.½

This NZ author died last week, so I felt it only appropriate to read the one title of hers in my TBR pile.
This story is set about 1980, when the Minister of Cultural Links and Trade, an ex Waikato dairy farmer called Hamish Carew, sets off on a 'Swing Around' of New Zealand's Asian neighbours, Hong Kong and Malaysia. With him are his wife Molly and two young officials, Fred Manders and Violet Redpath.
What should have been a routine trip, is beset with problems. Molly doesn't like shopping and is worried about their only daughters involvement with the married sharemilker on their farm. Freddy is consumed with bitterness at the wife who has left him and the superiors who have sidelined his career and Violet unattached and efficient becomes destabilised as unexpected events occur.
I found this a pleasant undemanding read, which quietly laughs at the self-important posturing of government ministers. It would not be my favourite of hers, but nonetheless, I was pleased to have one of her books on my shelves unread, to read in her memory.½

Set mostly in Wellington, New Zealand, Robin Dromgoole, only child of his widowed mother Eileen, grows up with Emmeline and her aunt Miss Bowman, living one side, while Lisa lives the other side with her disappointing brother Murray and her abandoned mother Maureen. "Three in a row and not a man in sight. Funny isn't it? Four kids and not a father between them, if you count Emmie"

Barbara Anderson is skilled at drawing her characters with quick bold strokes, rather like a verbal Rolf Harris painting. They have well-defined and recognisable characteristics, but somehow even more so, while not actually larger than life, they appear to be more distinctive in their idiosyncrasies. I love the way she captures the essence of growing up in New Zealand.½

Robin Dromgoole lives with his widowed mother Eileen. Through the years their lives become entwined with neighbours Maureen, Lisa and Murray on one-side and Miss Bowman and Emmeline on the other.
Robin, as a teenager, is enchanted by Lisa, 12 years his junior and is determined to marry her. Tragedy ensues.
For his thesis Robin decides to research why American writer Alice O'Leary ceased writing following immigration to New Zealand. He is surprised by what he uncovers and has to decide whether to continue on his chosen topic or risk permanently damaging his fragile partnership with Emmeline.
This writer has creates vivid characters from a time when the population was less transient and neighbours lives intersected more often.

This was cleverly written but hard work. I read the opening pages at least five times before I felt confident enough to continue – the constant switching around of the point of view, the abrupt changes from past to present tense, the way that everything is left for the reader to work out, nothing is explained – it’s quite disorientating. Again and again I marvelled at the way the words were made to work hard, but it’s a bit like doing one of those impossible jigsaw puzzles, the ones that are all baked beans and nothing else...it gets your brain working but halfway though you stop and wonder : ‘am I enjoying this?’

The story concerns two generations of a family members of which have kept various secrets from one another, opening the door for a spot of blackmail. One of them is into retifism, which I’m confident isn’t a spoiler as it wasn’t even in my dictionary. I’d be willing to bet it never came up in ‘Call My Bluff’.

One to read if you enjoy a well turned sentence and don’t mind exercising the grey matter. It can’t be rushed, it has to be taken slowly and the end isn't exactly a neat tie-up. I was left wondering what it was all about but with the sense that I had read the work of a clever author nonetheless.

Wow this was such a brilliant book it blew me away. What a shame her books are so hard to get hold of - I will have to try anyway. This was fab from start to finish, telling the story of the New Zealand Minister for Culture, Links and Trade on an official visit to Hong Kong and Malaysia with his entourage in tow. Quite a novelty really as we don't get to hear much about Antipodean politics in the UK; they only really feature on the radar when the Aussie Prime Minister launches into an expletive-riddled tirade, or gooses the Queen.

This book will do little to dispel any preconceived ideas about earthy language amongst politicians 'down under', and so much the better. It's written in an exuberant, witty style with some great dialogue, loads of swearing, believable characters and a superb offbeat romance.Of all the books that have accompanied me into Costa Coffee, this has come the closest to having me ejected for an unseemly display of mirth that would have put Stuart Hall to shame. I really can't say anything negative about it, except perhaps that the end came too soon. I only wish they could have carried on touring the Pacific Rim into perpetuity!

The first few chapters of this book drove me to distraction with their constantly shifting viewpoint - often multiple changes within a single paragraph. Most disorientating! Not to mention the way characters seemed to appear and disappear in scenes as if by magic.

Fifty or so pages in and things improved, with the narrative moving onto more familiar ground with a bit of fornication and mild farce. By the time I reached the end I was surprised just how much had happened in such a short book. I think this is down to the author's knack of zeroing in on a situation, concentrating on the essentials and leaving the rest out. Similiarly, the storyline is seldom boring because just as you feel a yawn brewing, the narrative cuts directly to the action.

On the other hand I would have liked to learn more about the character Edward, given that he is so central to the plot. In a bid to pack in more characters, situations and drama I felt he was starved of personality time. By the time events reached their conclusion I felt unqualified to decide who was right about him - Sophie the Junior Navy Wife and sometime feminist who has an affair with him, or her unsuspecting husband.

All in all worth a read, but not as good as Anderson's superb novel The Swing Around½

Part of book project. Spoiler Alert.
Kind of a nutty book. The first wife is such a nudge and he adores her so much and it seems like such a yucky relationship...but what a nutty way to kill her off! And Emmy, why is Emmy putting up with him? And the scene where the little boy is almost stolen? It just is way too much. And the cruelty of Aunt? I don't know, it seems like a caricature.