Book Review: The Penguin Book of New Zealand War Writing, edited by Harry Ricketts and Gavin McLean

Available in bookshops nationwide.

There is a maze of books being published at the moment related to the World War One 100th anniversaries of single battles such as Passchendaele, as well as on many of the Second World War battles. The Penguin Book of New Zealand War Writing however, is one book about many wars and battles involving New Zealanders, told by many contributors, from Captain Cook to Nicky Hager.

This is a beautifully published book edited by Harry Ricketts and Gavin McLean. It’s probably not a book to be read from cover to cover, but perhaps to begin by reading some of the poetry, then you could perhaps flick back to descriptions of particular battles or commentaries on the physical and mental effects of war. It is helpful that the book is broken into parts beginning with ‘Domestic Wars’, then ‘Wars of the Empire – from South Africa to the Western Front’. It is interesting that the writings relating to WW1 are in the empire section, while the Second World War is a part on its own, with many sections relating to different theatres, including the Home Front. A reflection that New Zealand had become a nation in its own right by then.

It was in the section North Africa that I was delighted to find a poem, ‘Sidi Reszegh’, written by my uncle, Donald McDonald, who was killed soon after writing it. Like a lot of the poetry in the book, there is no Empire jingoism, but rather a reflection of home: “– and of the green grass springing … but this is the desert – Earth’s bones to the old sun lying.”

This book is not all about the fighting of wars by New Zealand but also about fighting war – New Zealanders protesting about New Zealand being involved in wars. One of many poignant pieces is by Jock Phillips recounting how he was brought up to think he would fight in a war but “by the time ‘our war’ the Vietnam War came along, the old kiwi mythology of battle had become not something to inspire me but a burden to resist”. Jock did not march on the parade ground but rather on the streets in protest.

The description of an earlier protest is ‘The Charge at Parihaka’, by Jessie Mackay, who is sometimes described as a political radical. She takes Tennyson’s ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ and turns it into a parody of the attack by empire forces on the peaceful Parihaka pah.

In his introduction, Harry Ricketts writes that “Few of whatever persuasion would disagree…..that war has in the past has had much to do with the construction and maintenance of our national self image.” I am sure that this is correct: however, in view of all the different angles on war that this collection presents, it can only be said that “self image” is in the eye of the beholder. However, this very important book will be helpful in understanding our country’s view of war.

Review by Lincoln Gould

The Penguin Book of New Zealand War Writing
Edited by Harry Ricketts and Gavin McLean
Published Penguin Random House New Zealand
ISBN 9780143573098

The Penguin Book of New Zealand War Writing will be launched this Thursday 1st October at 5:30pm for 6:00pm start up at our Kelburn shop located at 1 Kelburn Parade, Kelburn, Wellington. It will be officially launched by historian and general editor of Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Jock Phillips.