Fiona Kidman
Genre:
Skills:
Branch:
Wellington
Location:
Wellington
Publications:
This Change in the Light: A collection of poems (2016)
“A superb collection of poetry from one of New Zealand’s top writers. Fiona Kidman’s exquisite and adroit poetry invites the reader into her life, introducing us to her family, friends and places she has loved. In turn it touches our own experiences, offering universal relevance and insight.” — Random House New Zealand
The Infinite Air (2013)
Aviator extraordinaire and international icon, Jean Batten was as elusive as she was glamorous. One of the world’s most courageous and daring aviators, she broke “men’s records” and became a legend. But who was Jean Batten and why did she die in obscurity in Majorca; lost to the world and buried in a pauper’s grave until a film crew came looking for her, some five years after her death? The Infinite Air is an intriguing and evocative novel that delves into the life of one of New Zealand’s foremost heroines, uncovering long-held secrets and mysteries which Fiona Kidman only discovered during the reading and research she undertook in order to write the novel. Her meticulous approach rewards the reader with character insights and intrigues that would otherwise never have been brought to the page.
The Trouble with Fire (2011)
Eleven long stories make up this collection, linked by the theme of fire. Fire is a dangerous lurking event, which is also beautiful and alluring in its physical manifestation. Like memory, one is never sure when it will catch up with you. In several of these stories, the past captures the mostly female central characters and reveals different aspects of their lives and perspectives on how others see them. The book falls into three sections. In the opening story, “The Italian Boy”, a woman novelist called Hilary is confronted at her house by a friend from her school days. Hilary has her own view of what really happened many years ago, but the friend sees it another way, and still wants answers. Truth is elusive. The Trouble with Fire was shortlisted for both the New Zealand Post Book Awards and the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize.