Lighthouse Keeper's Wife: An Autobiography

by Jeanette Aplin

Genres: Autobiography, Nonfiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Jeanette Aplin lives with her husband Pip on D'Urville Island . On her own most of the time while Pip works on the mainland, Jeanette deals with rampaging wild pigs, friends anchoring offshore with crayfish for supper, arranging transport for her kunekune pigs to other breeders, by boat to the mainland, air and then road transport, and the rest of daily life.

Reviews

[Derek Macleod · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a past connection with the Aplins and the privilege of a weeks residence on Stephens Island when working as a ranger with D.O.C this read was a real joy and a resurfacing of impressions and experiences. I enjoyed Jeanettes honest and reflective writing and the capacity to express her vulnerabilities living in such a challenging environment but also her resilience and fortitude to work through her battles.
To add to the colourful anecdotes, I took the opportunity to drop in to visit Pip and Jeanette some 20 years ago when I took my mountain bike and rode Durville Island where they were living, down on their coastal property in the south corner of the island. I had forewarned them of my visit but without a exact day or time. As I scrambled down a steep incline with my bike to the rocky foreshore of the bay where the Aplin’s humble and homely beach cottage nestled, I approached their front door thinking as to what this day might look like relative to every other day they had lived in this remote and beautiful bay. Behind the door came peals of laughter and excitement! After initial hugs and a cold beer fetched from the kerosine fridge, Jeannette explained that Pip had just finished connecting the wetback to the coal range in the kitchen and for the first time since first setting up home on Durville many years before this, they had hot running water in the house. This also meant that the daily bath down on the sea edge, summer and winter was no longer an essential. I had a memorable evening with Pip and Jeanette. The beer kept flowing and for dinner It was Pips job to cook a pot of porridge but spiced for this occasion with dried fruit!

[Margaret Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book. auto biography of Jeanette Aplin a lighthouse keepers wife set on Stephen's Island in the cook straight area of NZ. Bits of her earlier life as a child and marriage to Pip. The year isc1966
They have a 2 year old son Fred and a new born girl who as she awaits the birth she has to stay on tge mainland whilst Pip goes to the Island to commence hus duties. The worry of being so isolated and way from help shows up many times. No helicopters during this time.
Can't see that happening in the 2020s He would not have been required to commence his job until after the birth.
Going to read her follow up book as this one finishes as they leave Stephen's Island and the Tuataras and move to Dog Island in Foveau strait as this sounds a freezing place to live. Jeanette at tge end of this book is already dreaming of civilisation tge shops etc.

[Pixi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful honest account of not only being a young New Zealand housewife, but a lighthouse keepers wife and the extraordinary, challenging yet super rewarding lifestyle that was living at the lighthouses around New Zealand.

[Susan Wilson]

Loved as an interesting true story told with real vulnerability.

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and learning about her life. I was impressed how she recalled the emotions of the time and let us into her inner monologue. She does seem to be aware of writing about real people and skips things the reader is interested in probably so that she doesn't hurt people's feelings. Some of my book group found it annoying because she seemed old fashioned for her time, but I think it reveals how staggered change was through the 50's and 60's, not everyone's world changed as quickly as in retrospect we think.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting read, but the lack of plot didn't float my boat- common issue with me and autobiographies. I enjoyed the parts about the island ecology and the lighthouse keepers' effect on the island. I was surprised to find a lack of kiwi-isms in the language.

[Mal Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book - and her story - I couldn't imagine living in such isolated conditions most of the time - but her stories were delightful and the realities of living there too - a hard life but a rewarding one if you could stick it.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review for her other book (Lighthouse Children’s Mother). Books are similar in style and tone - basically Part One and Part Two of the same story.
I enjoyed both very much.