Author(s): Patricia Grace

Biographies & Memoirs | NZ Non Fiction | NZ Biographies & Memoirs

'We live by the sea, which hems and stitches the scalloped edges of the land.' Renowned writer Patricia Grace begins her remarkable memoirs beside her beloved Hongoeka Bay. It is the place she has returned to throughout her life, and fought for, one of many battles she has faced- 'It was when I first went to school that I found out that I was a Maori girl... I found that being different meant that I could be blamed...' As she shows, her experiences - good and bad, joyous and insightful - have fuelled what became a focus of her life- 'I had made up my mind that writing was something I would always do.'

It was while studying at Teachers Training College that Patricia Grace understood that she could have her own voice through stories about what was close at hand, that people would read and relate to. She made up her mind to be a writer and has been a long time advocate for Maori writing. I first read her novel Potiki many years ago and can still remember the profound effect it had on my understanding of how it feels to be Maori in this country. It opened my eyes to the prejudice and racism that exists.
Understated and humble, From the Centre is the memoir of a proud and strong woman who has refused to stay silent about the things that matter to her. Written in her unique and rhythmic style it reads as though she is recalling anecdotes from her life and relaying them to the reader. She has written seven novels, seven short story collections, eight children's books and three non-fiction books. A writer of unassuming magnitude. Lynne