Christchurch

The city of the plains', 'the garden city', 'the cathedral city': Christchurch has traditionally been characterised by its geography, its horticulture and its Anglican heritage. But Christchurch also has a strong literary pedigree, signalled early on by Canterbury settlers like Sarah Amelia Courage, and later confirmed by the establishment of the Caxton Press and the Pegasus Press, both enlivened by the irrepressible Denis Glover, and by the vibrant theatre associated with Ngaio Marsh. For this wide-ranging anthology, Anna Rogers has selected poetry, prose and fiction that both celebrates and gently satirises the city on the Avon. Novelists James Courage and Steven Eldred-Grigg rub shoulders with columnist Joe Bennett, poet Hone Tuwhare and short fiction writers Owen Marshall and Fiona Farrell. It is a collection that citizens and visitors alike will appreciate and enjoy. The 'Our City' series offers a new perspective on New Zealand's major cities. Each volume presents a selection of the literature inspired by one of New Zealand's four major cities. Chosen with care by a well-known editor from each city, the selections include short stories, poems, and extracts from novels and writers' memoirs. Each contributor, whether contemporary or historical, has a strong association with the city concerned, and every selection has something significant to say about the character of the city. Together they create a vivid picture of what makes the city unique.