My Father's Island: A Memoir

by Adam Dudding

After the death of his brilliant, eccentric father, Adam Dudding went in search of the stories and secrets of a man who had been a loving parent and husband, but was also a tormented, controlling and at times cruel man.

Robin Dudding was the greatest New Zealand literary editor of his generation – friend and mentor of many of our best-known writers. At his peak he published the country’s finest literary journal on the smell of an oily rag from a falling-down house overflowing with books, long-haired children and chickens – an island of nonconformity in the heart of 1970s Auckland suburbia. Yet when Robin’s uncompromising integrity tipped into something much more self-destructive, a dark shadow fell over his career and personal life.

In My Father’s Island, Adam Dudding writes frankly about the rise and fall of an unconventional cultural figure. But this is also a moving, funny and deeply personal story of a family, of a marriage, of feuds and secret loves – and of a son’s dawning understanding of his father.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2016

Reviews

[Caroline Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dudding is a rare species of writer—a journalist with the ability to weave a book-length-work without subjecting the reader to the obvious who, what, when, where and why, right up front. He ekes out the poignant story of his father's literary and family life, weaving through time and place and endless correspondence, meting out the dramatic highs and lows at such a natural narrative rate to leave this reader turning pages long after the bedside light should have been out.

It is a beautiful memoir, a turning over and examination of a father's life by his son, and an impressive record of the 50s-00s NZ literary scene.

Five stars.

[Susan Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every reader in Aotearoa needs to read this. Entertains & illuminates.

[Olivia Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply adore memoirs written by writers; there's something quite absorbing about a real tale really well told. This is an intimate portrayal of a man and a family, set against the backdrop of Aotearoa's literary scene and the glorious North Shore beaches. I particularly relished one of the later chapters in which Dudding unveils the distance between his own memories and reality.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like books about unusual childhoods so enjoyed the author's stories of an unconventional upbringing. I think this would have been a better book of it wasn't so focused on his father because frankly I think his mother comes across as more interesting.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting, captivating - all those things. Fascinating literary figure who you sometimes detest while reading this book written by his son. But it is not black and white as most things in life are not and you can see how Robin Dudding was a complex, frustrating character who could be equally loving and cruel. Highly recommend both as an enthralling read and also an insight into mid-late-20th-century Aotearoa. I like to think Christchurch has changed a bit from its unlikable depiction in this book!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I chose to read it after realising I had met the author once and it seemed like a nice symmetry. I had hoped to hear him talk at the readers writers festival, only life got in the way. So I did the next best thing and bought the book.

I was totally unaware of who Robin Dudding was and the whole NZ literature scene. So not only was it a moving tribute to a flawed tenacious and talented editor, it was contextual to what came before now. The description of Adams early life and teenage self were really enjoyable. The eccentric aspects of Robin Dudding were what made this such a good read. I had a wee tear in my eye at the end.

Adam is able to show his truth and somehow protect himself and his family. As Kim Hill wrote "an extraordinarily good piece of writing".

[Andrew Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had difficulty putting this down. Maybe it's because I know the author and some of his family (and miss them!), but maybe it was because it was so honest, enjoyable and moving. I admit, I have no knowledge of the NZ literary scene (the names were unknown to me) but had fun looking up several Kiwi words and authors. I couldn't stop talking about the Duddings' eccentricities to my poor coworkers, and in my head, comparing their ramshackle home to my own childhood recollections of poorly maintained houses with bad plumbing. I particularly enjoyed the varied structure - sometimes we go along with the author to interview a poet or two, then there will be an interesting list. Hopefully there will be an ebook available in the US one day!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did find parts of this book interesting, it never really fully grabbed my attention. I think a big part of that was the jumpy timelines. I prefer memoirs and biographies that are more linear, and I found myself getting a bit lost in the thread of Robin's life and accomplishments.

The writing is good, and there are some parts that really resonated with me and reminded me of my own father in some ways. But again, because of the way the book is structured, I found myself focused more on keeping track of what happened when than on the book itself.

I think I would also have enjoyed this book more if I'd know more about Robin going in (or even just the New Zealand literary scene in general).

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

This is another one of those biographies about someone who I have never heard of before, but quite enjoyed. This put me very much in mind of Nick Bollinger’s “Goneville”, another Kiwi memoir that came out around the same time, which focused on some of the same issues in similar ways.

Written by his son Adam, this is the story of Robin Dudding, a renowned literary editor within New Zealand. His reputation largely came about through his work in three literary magazines, “Mate” during the 50s and 60s, “Landfall” in the 60s and 70s and “Islands” which ran in the 70s and 80s. He also worked at the “Listener” at the very end of his career.

Barry Crump, Maurice Gee, Keri Hulme, Fiona Kidman, Patricia Grace are just some of the names that he spotted first, or early on and published in his various publications. Dudding makes for an affable and interesting guide and the fact that he was the subject’s only son, clearly gives him some unique insights and privileged access. Though I have to say I was quite surprised that a man from a journalistic background would mistakenly call Scottish author Kenneth Grahame English, and J.K. Rowling is certainly not “a Scottish woman”, but there we go.

All told this was an enjoyable memoir by a good writer, there were many nicely turned phrases and colourful descriptions that really brought the spirit of his father and family life alive and helped paint a vivid and three-dimensional picture, with all of his flaws and faults keep intact, whilst also praising his many admirable achievements without being overly sentimental or turning it into a sickly hagiography.

[Selina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this might be about living on an island, or something exciting but no. It's a son's memoir about a dad who was a somewhat famous editor for a New Zealand literary magazine (which I have never read) called 'Islands' who ran it on the smell of an oily rag, had 5 girls and a boy and was a general prick (i.e jerk) to his own wife.

All the writers and poets apparently adored him and he was a great dad but terrible husband at the same time. The son, Adam, is going through his papers writing this memoir, and it's a bit confusing, but I do think his dad's nastiness came about because of unresolved issues when his dad (grandfather) died. And he won't ever know what went down, because he was a child at the time, and his wife's memory is hazy.

It was sort of like my recent read The Bridesmaid's Daughter: From Grace Kelly's Wedding to a Women's Shelter - Searching for the Truth About My Mother except he doesn't end up homeless but dying of emphysema (he smoked a lot). But in his hey day his Dad was the scion of the (small) literary world in NZ. If living in a rotting house on the North Shore in Auckland (my suburb gets a mention, once) and having 6 children and a mortgage he couldn't afford while editing a floundering literary magazine is what it took to be famous in NZ. Robin Dudding anyone? No, never heard of him either. But I wasn't around in the 70s. File under 'eccentric fathers' as it has shades of The Glass Castle about it.

[Angela Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Ockham Book Award winner, this memoir by Adam Dudding is a vivid portrait of a family of the 70s and in addition a glimpse into the New Zealand literary world in the 70s and onwards. Robin Dudding is not a particularly likeable character and some of his story vears towards “too much information”
but the writing draws the reader in and his son, the author, Adam Dudding,
makes the colourful details of his father’s life into a readable account of an interesting life.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book which provided a wonderfully warm reflection of an unusual life with one of nz’s literary figures from the 60s. So much of the well written tale reminds me of my own childhood. While there is a lot of personal memoir about thd extraordinary family and life, it is also a classic cultural reflection familiar to anyone who was a child through the 70s

[Ian Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I was reluctant to pick this book up and couldn't quite articulate why - but I started anyway. Then a short way in the author describes a meeting of fifties writers of NZ literature as a jerk circle and once I'd deciphered what was meant by that charming description, I laughed. That was why. The author is indeed frank and as a result his book is great.

[sunghee kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the best Memoir I've ever read.

[ourhouseinquercy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this story about a madcap family. I would have enjoyed it even more if I knew all the NZ writers referred to - my ignorance of NZ lit is clearly high! A refreshing read.

[Robbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about Robin Dudding (Adam's Father), a pioneering man in NZ Literature. Fascinating & lighthearted look into his story.

[Karen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all knowing the opportunity to grow up in New Zealand provides us with special place in this world.
This book is a treasure

[Richard Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book in the space of a day. While I'm not usually moved by stories of this nature it got me right in the feels. Maybe it's because I found quite a lot of it relatable - growing up in ramshackle but cheerful squalor with a big family of long-haired bohemians. It also provided a fascinating glimpse into the New Zealand publishing scene, with all sorts of literary leviathans casually wandering through the Dudding household.

All in all it's a fascinating piece of writing - I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it, stylistically or structurally. Adam Dudding is a great journalist, and should be very proud of his debut as an author.

[Hamish Mack]

A good book.