Author(s): HARRISON & BOYD

NZ History | Secondhand

Secondhand.

In this absorbing book, ten New Zealand women look back on their lives throughout the twentieth century. They share memories of their families and themselves: Enid hides naked in the broom cupboard to avoid the mter reader; during 1942 Wellington earthquake Shirley runs through the heaving night-time streets to find a doctor; Oho helps restore a special house on the marae dedicated to her ancestor, Hinepare, and remembers the news of her father's death during the war; and Janne discovers the mysteries of the bovine digestive system when a calf swallows her raincoat belt.

Poignant, funny and highly readable, this collection includes stories and anecdotes about marriage, childhood, families, holidays, first loves, travel and newfound independence. The ten writers, who met through a summer writing course, are from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, and include Maori and immigrant women. Their experiences reflect those of a large number of New Zealands, who will recognise with delight many of the events in these pages.

VG. Mild foxing on page edges.