Eva Wong Ng, who moved from Dunedin to live with her daughter Denise Ng, in Gibbston, three years ago, is considered to be the first Chinese NZ creative writer.
Denise uncovered her mother’s short stories, poems and an essay and, at her 90th birthday, convinced members of her long-time Dunedin writers’ group to edit and publish them, along with herself.
She says the hybrid memoir is "funny, touching and insightful".
"These pieces reflect Eva’s experience growing up [in Auckland] within a Chinese community in a predominantly European society.
"Together, they form a quietly powerful chronicle of culture, identity and community life from the 1940s through to the early 2000s."
The book received funding from the NZ Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust.
Eva and her late husband, Dr James Ng, an NZ-Chinese historian himself, formerly owned a Queenstown crib in Suburb St from the early ’70s.
The book’s for sale at Arrowtown’s Lakes District Museum and via deniselinda.ng.yp@gmail.com
