I first heard Ann Peters read from this book in the summer of 2012 in Wisconsin; it was one of the most compelling and enjoyable book readings I’ve ever attended. I’ve since read the book in its entirety and found powerfully moving its many keen observations and her heartfelt chronicling of her family, the town she grew up in, and the cities and towns she’s moved through on her journey. I love the way she seeks images of family and life in literature and film – don’t we all do that? It’s so thoughtful and rich without being stuffy, even when she quotes Henry James or William Dean Howells, or the opening line of the movie “Rebecca.”
This is a beautiful book – elegant and powerfully moving.
A new collection of Janet Frame stories, many of them previously unpublished, has been released by Counterpoint. Janet Frame, one of New Zealand’s most distinguished writers, is one of my favorite authors.
