Blog Archives

The archaeology of childhood, Jack Lasenby

Desert Shorts Norman Bilbrough Canterbury University Press, $24.95, ISBN 0 908812 81 7 The first paragraphs of Norman Bilbrough’s title story catch the moment when the boy-child’s uncritical admiration of the parent turns to youthful embarrassment – so like and

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Short stories

Adolescents and other animals, Kate De Goldi

Dog Breath and other stories Norman Bilbrough Mallinson Rendel, $15.95, ISBN 0 908783 30 2 Raindancer Vivienne Joseph Mallinson Rendel, $15.95, ISBN 0 908783 34 5 Go Horatio! Pat Quinn Scholastic, $11.95, ISBN 1 86943 404 8 Comes Naturally David

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Posted in Children, Literature, Review, Young adults

Likely stories, Norman Bilbrough

Being a writer requires three essentials. In rough proportion they are 90% determination (in other words, hard work), 8% talent (which includes imagination), and 2% luck. I suspect that those who think that creative writing classes are pointless would see

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Seamless and civilised, Norman Bilbrough

The Blind Blonde with Candles in her Hair C K Stead Penguin, $29.95, ISBN 0 140 27375 1 The best stories in this collection are world-class, and the lesser ones are still full of interest. I felt a certain loss

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

Putting in the bits the author forgets, Lesley Moyes

Beaten by a Balloon Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jonathan Allan Hamish Hamilton, $29.95, ISBN 0 241 13 778 0 The Bump Joy Cowley, illustrated by Linda McClelland Scholastic, $12.95, ISBN 1 86943 345 9 Nicketty-Nacketty Noo-Noo-Noo Joy Cowley, illustrated by

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Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review

Prolific and professional, Norman Bilbrough

Focus and the Death‑Ride; The Ghosts of Triton; Shadow of Phobos, Ken Catran HarperCollins, $14.95 New Zealand children’s writers have come of age. They have reached a maturity that adult fiction writers in this country often fall short of. The

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The sacred fish, Norman Bilbrough

Norman Bilbrough looks at some short fiction currently available – and sorts the big from the small. Motel View Forbes Williams, Victoria University Press, $19.95 Animal Passions Sheridan Keith, New Women’s Press, $24.95 Just Like You Said It Would Be

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Determined industry? Andrew Mason

Foreigners Mike Johnson, Penguin, Auckland, 1991, $19.95 Distortions John Connor, Reed Books, Auckland, 1991, $24.95 Man with Two Arms and other Stories Norman Bilbrough, Vintage, Auckland, 1991, $19.95 The Lie of the Land Michael Henderson, John McIndoe, Dunedin, 1991, $19.95 Shallow

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review, Short stories
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