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Writer's pictureNZ Booklovers

Between the Harbour and the Mountain by Patricia Williams


This collection of personal reflections on everyday life, Between the Harbour and the Mountain is publishing this year, after winning the 2020 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Best Manuscript Award.


Reading this thoughtful collection, it is easy to see why it won this coveted award. Patricia Williams contemplates the mystery of daily living, drawing on her encounters with the people around her, the natural world, and global events. She reasons that no matter how busy our lives are, we all experience pivotal moments that cause us to pause and consider the many mysteries of life more fully.


The book is organised by theme, ranging from the inner self, culture, nature, faith, te reo Māori and global challenges.


In the introduction the author writes, “I felt impelled to record ‘magical’ moments. ‘Magic’ in the sense that ordinary, everyday encounters will sometimes drop one into another realm of hidden depths, a liminal space where physical processes quieten down and intuition, insight, joy and spirit reign. These moments are transformative, and I wanted to record them.”


This is a book to dip into and savour. Each of the musings are brief, but illuminating, and the author’s insights offer hope for a brighter future, inviting people to explore a more thoughtful, contemplative way of living.


In a world bombarded with messages about the current pandemic, global warming and climate change, people are anxious about the future. Between the Harbour and the Mountain offers hope, light and peace, as the author shares her interactions with people and the natural world. It encourages all of us to savour the small moments in life that are both precious and profound.


Reviewer: Karen McMillan

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