In 1961 Jan lived in Mangakino when resident Frances Keinzley published her first novel, Tangahano. According to the Oxford Companion to NZ Literature Tangahano 'survives as a vivid social document of a 1950's construction town.' Chatting about books as we do, customer Clancy Hunt mentioned that she was Frances Keinzley's daughter, and supplied us with this photo of some of her other books, which have been translated into several languages. Keinzley seems to have been more critically acclaimed overseas than in her own country.
For me the meeting with Jan made my day. Jan was the first "stranger" that knew the book and had heard of my Mother... So special, Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt was a special meeting for me too Clancy. My Mangakino years seem so long ago, and it was great to meet you and share that connection with what now seems a unique town to have lived in. {Jan}
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