To the Is-Land
Janet Frame
Random House, $30.00,
ISBN 9781869411305
The first volume of Janet Frame’s autobiography was initially a bit daunting to me. Not only because it’s the work of one of New Zealand’s most celebrated writers, but because I had no idea how I was supposed to pronounce the title, To the Is-Land, and feared the book would be full of intellectual wordplay that would go right over my head. But, upon reading further and having young Janet’s tendency for mispronunciation explained – “That year I discovered the word Island, which in spite of all teaching I insisted on calling Is-Land” – my nerves were soothed and I jumped right in.
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