May 05, 2007

Curious George: I really really want to read more books by author Keri Hulme. But how?? Hope me, Monkeys.

I've just fallen in love with Keri Hulme's writing via her moving and powerful first book The Bone People, and I'd love to read more of her work. She's a New Zealand author, and her books are teh suck to find. Not only that, but they're EXPENSIVE! $50 bucks for a paperback--*choke Does anyone have copies of her books they would be willing to lend*, or failing that, a good purchasing source? Wanted: Kerewin; Stonefish; These are the two I'd really, really like to read and Te Kaihau: The Windeater; and Strands. *ransom of my firstborn? vial of blood? Fer shure would pay postage!

posted by BlueHorse 17 years ago
  • Short stories I could pay you to photocopy? Poems someone would transcribe here? *stands up, brushes off clothing, looks around to see if anyone notices the groveling, blushes
  • The Windeater Kerewin Stonefish Cheapest they have for Strands, sorry. There's also a collection of short stories in there if you search by author name that I'm too lazy to dig up for you now. abebooks.com roolz ur wurld, n00b. I bought half my textbooks (international editions, god bless 'em) there.
  • BlueHorse, have a look on TradeMe, which is NZ's eBay equivalent. I see a few Keri Hulme books there. I have an account and can purchase on your behalf if you like. If there's nothing there of use to you, I'll dig around for used copies online and at the local used bookstore. It's an excuse for me to shop for books!
  • *Will ask voracious reader mrs roryk and assorted kiwi friends*
  • TradeMe only seems to have The Bone People listed. The local online second-hand book place Hard to Find Books confirms the high prices.
  • I did see a copy of The Windeater on there, but it may have sold already. I'll ask around friends at college, see if anyone has an old copy they're willing to part with for a good cause.
  • Wow, thanks for the response, everyMonkey! MCT, got all excited about Kerewin, but unfortunately it's in Dutch. Seems like there are lots of Dutch/Fin/German translations out there. And Abebooks 18 bucks shipping? Weeewoo! Trac: do books usually have these high purchase prices in NZ? I can understand a first edition hardback, ($208) but paperback reprints of novels ($50) WHAT!? Hulmes does poetry and non-fiction, and I can understand higher prices for these books, but seeing as she's a contemporary writer, I'm astounded her paperback fiction reprints can be so high. Bone People has won a Booker Prize, and is apparently the most easy to find. I bought mine used at a thrift shop sale for 2 bucks, as an English Lit textbook discard, and didn't know what a deal I was getting! Powerful, gutsy book, not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure, but this woman shines words like precious jade. Hulme tosses in Maori sentences and exclaimations. The te reo Maaori, with wonderful liquid vowels, is lovely to listen to as well as to read.
  • I'm assuming book prices here will be more realistic; school students often are required to read something of Hulme's so I'm guessing there's a surplus of cheap paperbacks out there somewhere. I'll go hunting this weekend and check out used book prices!
  • Bless you, MonkeyBashi!!