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maplessence's review
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
My sister finished this book recently & just raved about it! I am a Ruth Park fan & already owned a copy, so I bumped it up in my reading queue - & I'm very glad to do so!
For a New Zealander this book is a masterpiece - it isn't just Ruth's memoir of her life up until she joined her long time correspondent & admirer D'arcy Niland in Australia - it is also a slice of life of life in New Zealand in a time of great hardship. Ruth's father was a hardworking, decent man - but he refused to allow his wife (a notable needlewoman) to set up her own sewing business- because of the shame of a man not being able to support his family. This became more than unfortunate when, through no fault of his own, (other than maybe being too kind & trusting) Mira went bankrupt. There was no Welfare in those days, so the family moved from the Te Kuiti area to Auckland, staying with various family members. Ruth was a bright child & already showing signs of being a talented author. With the help of an inspirational nun Ruth obtained a scholarship to attend secondary school. She could have still used this in Auckland, but her mother was worried about the cost of school uniforms & other incidentals & wouldn't let her attend. When Ruth eventually got to high school, she did four years work in two years. All of this is recounted in a matter of fact tone without any bragging. Ruth had set her heart on becoming a writer & she knew that nearly impossible goal in early 20th century New Zealand would become impossible without a decent education.
Ruth ended up working at a newspaper (the now defunct Auckland Star) Because she was a woman she was only able to work in the children's section (don't we all miss those from our modern newspapers.) Among other people, she met the tragic figures of Robin Hyde and Australasian author Eve Langley Google them if you haven't heard of them - their stories will break your heart. When the children's section was removed altogether (& with so many of the young male journalists going off to war) she was offered a job in the newsroom - but in spite of all her experience (a veteran male writer used to take her on his rounds with him) at a cadets near starvation rate of pay. So Ruth planned her next move.
Ruth got a job offer in San Francisco, but she was meant to set sail on the 10th of December, 1941. On the 7th, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. This meant entry conditions to the States had changed - & that is when Ruth moved to Australia. This was still a very brave move as Australia looked like it would be the next domino to fall in Japan's march through the Pacific.
I have left out so much in this beautifully written book - but this will give you motivation to read this book. In spite of Ruth being nearly unknown in her country of birth this memoir is very easy to get hold of here. I don't know how easy it will be to find outside of Australasia.
For a New Zealander this book is a masterpiece - it isn't just Ruth's memoir of her life up until she joined her long time correspondent & admirer D'arcy Niland in Australia - it is also a slice of life of life in New Zealand in a time of great hardship. Ruth's father was a hardworking, decent man - but he refused to allow his wife (a notable needlewoman) to set up her own sewing business- because of the shame of a man not being able to support his family. This became more than unfortunate when, through no fault of his own, (other than maybe being too kind & trusting) Mira went bankrupt. There was no Welfare in those days, so the family moved from the Te Kuiti area to Auckland, staying with various family members. Ruth was a bright child & already showing signs of being a talented author. With the help of an inspirational nun Ruth obtained a scholarship to attend secondary school. She could have still used this in Auckland, but her mother was worried about the cost of school uniforms & other incidentals & wouldn't let her attend. When Ruth eventually got to high school, she did four years work in two years. All of this is recounted in a matter of fact tone without any bragging. Ruth had set her heart on becoming a writer & she knew that nearly impossible goal in early 20th century New Zealand would become impossible without a decent education.
Ruth ended up working at a newspaper (the now defunct Auckland Star) Because she was a woman she was only able to work in the children's section (don't we all miss those from our modern newspapers.) Among other people, she met the tragic figures of Robin Hyde and Australasian author Eve Langley Google them if you haven't heard of them - their stories will break your heart. When the children's section was removed altogether (& with so many of the young male journalists going off to war) she was offered a job in the newsroom - but in spite of all her experience (a veteran male writer used to take her on his rounds with him) at a cadets near starvation rate of pay. So Ruth planned her next move.
Ruth got a job offer in San Francisco, but she was meant to set sail on the 10th of December, 1941. On the 7th, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. This meant entry conditions to the States had changed - & that is when Ruth moved to Australia. This was still a very brave move as Australia looked like it would be the next domino to fall in Japan's march through the Pacific.
I have left out so much in this beautifully written book - but this will give you motivation to read this book. In spite of Ruth being nearly unknown in her country of birth this memoir is very easy to get hold of here. I don't know how easy it will be to find outside of Australasia.
leannep's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Ruth Park's autobiography of her childhood growing up in New Zealand. Makes our lives today seem so much easier. Poverty. The Depression. War. Forced Labor camps. Attitude to women. S many interesting characters and anecdotes that appear later in her fiction in various ways. So well written. Enjoyed immensely.
robynsingleton's review
4.0
Thi is the first volume of an autobiography by Ruth Park. It follows her life from her childhood in the remote rainforests of New Zealand through to the Depression years. I am keen to read the second volume called Fishing in the Styx about her life in Australia married to D'Arcy Niland.
innerweststreetlibrarian's review
5.0
It's interesting to see how many characters and events were taken from real-life experiences, I suppose that's why she's such a good author!
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