Alan Duff - A Conversation with my Country

ONCE WERE WARRIORS

Alan Duffs first novel bursts upon our literary landscape with all the noise and power of a new volcano Michael Gifkins, New Zealand Listener

Far more intensely than any previous writer, Maori or Pakeha, he focuses on the countrys social underbelly. Michael King, Metro

a strongly written, well constructed novel which carries a forceful message Kathryn Rountree, Dominion Sunday Times

It is angry, disgusted, and honest, and it is written from a Maori perspective W.J. McEldowney

The style is grimly realistic but it is also highly readable. Alex Calder, The Dominion

Alan Duff looks at things no New Zealand novelist has had the knowledge perhaps the courage to look at directly before. Maurice Gee, Judge of 1991 Pen First Book Award

WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED?

a masterpiece powerful, authentic, moving, brilliantly written a profound and passionate novel a memorable experience. The Sydney Morning Herald

[What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?] carries the story on with doubled brilliance. The new book is just as dynamic, just as in-your-face as the first one, but less violent, more layered, more fundamentally thoughtful and challenging. New Zealand Listener

universal truths to be savoured for their poetic insight The Australian

a brilliant work poetic and full of hope Canberra Times

JAKES LONG SHADOW

With the same skill that he demonstrated in Broken Hearted, Duff weaves together a multitude of storylines and voices so we see all sides of this fractured community while this one has moments as shockingly violent as Warriors and Broken Hearted, there is a quietness that is slowly layering itself over the gore New Zealanders can be awfully polite when it comes to expressing ideas or passionate opinions. Well, there is nothing polite about Duff: hes out there, stirring us all up, tearing down shibboleths, facing up to public opinion with great courage, armed only with his mighty weapon, the written word Duff is revealed as an eloquent optimist, a powerful advocate for the possibility of individual transformation. Whether his work will be read by the people who could most benefit those still trapped in that social wasteland of Once Were Warriors is doubtful, as Duff acknowledges. But for the rest of us, it makes extraordinarily compelling reading. Margie Thomson, New Zealand Herald

ONE NIGHT OUT STEALING

One Night Out Stealing has many of the strengths of Once Were Warriors the dialogue, the pub culture, the reckless abandon of those who live hand to mouth and the rules which bend them together Alan Duff is doing something original and important. Geoff Chapple, Sunday Star

Duff hits the nail on the head again Mike Crean, Christchurch Star

Duffs great strength as a novelist is that he ventures with pugnacious gusto where others fear to tread Duffs extraordinary prose moves with dizzying momentum and crackles with compressed energy. Iain Sharp, Evening Post

I found it compulsive reading Clarke Isaacs, Otago Daily Times

this is one novel you wont forget in a hurry Paul Baker, Wairarapa Times Age

brutal, foul-mouthed, violent, despairing and real it cant be ignored. Jack Sulzberger, Hawkes Bay Herald Tribune

FREDERICKS COAT

Fredericks Coat is a novel about sin, redemption and revenge and Duff brings a lot of power to it Johno has to make a decision to live or die, to surface or sink, to accept or to deny. And thats the great trademark of Duffs writing the moral calls that must be made. Weekend Press, Christchurch

Violence is an integral part of the tale, but there is a commendable restraint that gives the writing all the more power. All-in-all, Fredericks Coat is an impressive return to form. Weekend Herald

Its certainly a page-turner. I read it within two days of getting it Johno, Danny and Frederick come across as fairly full, convincing characters and the message that, with extreme discipline, some people at least can escape their backgrounds is uplifting. Otago Daily Times

This is a superb novel. It deals with the real questions in life. If Duffy ever went away, this novel proves he is back. Manawatu Standard

It would make a gripping movie, so compelling are the characters. I loved Fredericks Coat heres the softer side of Alan Duff. The book is well edited, never drags and the ending is explosive. Daily News

unique and sensitive book in style and subject matter terrific writing and great characters judges of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel

Fredericks Coat is different. Beautiful, moving and a difficult book to read, it was an absolute privilege to do so. Crime Watch, kiwicrime blog

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First published by Penguin Random House New Zealand, 2019

Text Alan Duff, 2019

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Cover design by Cat Taylor Penguin Random House New Zealand

Text design by Katrina Duncan Penguin Random House New Zealand

Original cover photograph by Simon Devitt Photographer

A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of New Zealand.

ISBN 978-0-14-377327-6