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Elspeth McLean
Elspeth McLean
Elspeth McLeanColumnist
elspeth.mclean@odt.co.nz

Latest

The MixSeptember 18

Review: Heart-wrenching meditation on memory, trauma

Poet and academic Siobhan Harvey’s memoir may be a slim volume but that does not lessen its impact.
Review: Heart-wrenching meditation on memory, trauma
Review: Heart-wrenching meditation on memory, trauma
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OpinionSeptember 8

Ministerial girl power movie dreaming

Girls can do anything. So, channelling the late Dolly Parton, I am trying to persuade myself dreams are special, but they are ``of no value if they’re not equipped with wings and feet and hands and all that. If you’re going to make a dream come true, you’ve got to work with it. You can’t just sit around. That’s a wish. That’s not a dream.”
Ministerial girl power movie dreaming
Ministerial girl power movie dreaming
The MixSeptember 4

Review: Familiar feelings in difficult characters

Elizabeth Strout’s strength is in creating everyday characters in which we can see ourselves.
Review: Familiar feelings in difficult characters
Review: Familiar feelings in difficult characters
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OpinionAugust 25

Questioning Question Time

You have to love the optimism of those who compile information on the New Zealand Parliament’s website.
Questioning Question Time
Questioning Question Time
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OpinionAugust 11

When Moths Collide: Time for gunpowder plotting

Lord knows, I try to be upbeat. Effusive Elly, not Negative Nelly. That’s me.
When Moths Collide: Time for gunpowder plotting
When Moths Collide: Time for gunpowder plotting
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OpinionJuly 28

Broken dreams and back scratchers

If ever there was a symbol for last week it was my broken back scratcher.
Broken dreams and back scratchers
Broken dreams and back scratchers
OpinionJuly 26

Getting to grips with Bill harder than grasping rugby stats

Sometimes I wish I could care about the All Blacks.
Getting to grips with Bill harder than grasping rugby stats
Getting to grips with Bill harder than grasping rugby stats
OpinionMay 3

It is hard not to be sceptical of hopes social media will improve

It's a pity my nearly 5-year-old grandson cannot be on Twitter.
It is hard not to be sceptical of hopes social media will improve
It is hard not to be sceptical of hopes social media will improve
OpinionFebruary 22

Nay, it’s never OK to hit a horse, even if it’s done by a person you admired

Where's Mark Todd when you need him?
Nay, it’s never OK to hit a horse, even if it’s done by a person you admired
Nay, it’s never OK to hit a horse, even if it’s done by a person you admired
OpinionNovember 30

Doing your task with due process difficult

There is a long way to go yet, but I am convinced we could not do a worse job than our Parliament last week.
Doing your task with due process difficult
Doing your task with due process difficult