The lioness of literature _{by Madelaine Empson}

On the 3^rd of September at 6pm, award-winning writer Emily Perkins will sit down with audiences at Marsden Auditorium to discuss the books that have shaped her life and writing. Described by the judges as “unforgettable”, Emily’s latest novel Lioness won the prestigious Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

We caught up with Katherine Mansfield House and Garden director Cherie Jacobson about Lioness of Literature: Talking Books with Emily Perkins, a fundraising event for the iconic Category 1 Historic Place and writer’s museum in Thorndon.

What do you personally love most about Emily Perkins’ work?

I recently read Emily’s new novel, Lioness, and it took over my weekend! I couldn’t put it down. The plot urges the reader along and she has created such vivid characters – people I felt I knew or had met, which is heightened by the Wellington setting. I had such vivid imagery in my mind of the places in the novel as I read and the imagery she creates is something that stayed with me from her previous novel The Forrests – I can still picture scenes from that even though I read it about 10 years ago. I also love that Emily writes across different forms – not just within fiction, but for the stage and screen as well.

Are there any parallels you would draw between Emily’s and Katherine Mansfield’s writing?

Emily’s first book was a collection of short stories, so of course they share writing in that genre. Emily has actually written the foreword for a popular collection of Mansfield’s stories and in it she writes, ‘The problem of sex features in Mansfield’s stories, as do kindness, betrayal, strange alliances. And they’re funny. The humour is absurd and often sharp.’ Emily could equally have been writing about her own work!

Why are the Talking Books events important for the fabric of Katherine Mansfield House and Garden?

Our guests have included Karen Walker, Jane Campion, and Annabel Langbein in the past. They’re important because they raise crucial funds for the care of our Category I Historic Place and its collection [… and] because they’re focused on books and reading – every event is different because we’re hearing from a different person about the books they loved as children, books that changed their life, what they’re reading now, if they have favourites they go back to. The range of books discussed is incredible and the guests we’ve had have all been fantastic speakers – there have been lots of laughs but also a few very moving moments because books are there for people through the good and bad times. They can inspire people, give them hope, encourage empathy. The opportunity to have a night that celebrates books and creativity is so important. It’s also just a fantastic evening out that begins with a glass of wine and canapés!