The first review of 'The Fable of Flitcroft Point is in. It's five-star. Very perceptive. And it's from Germany.

 

It says, in English (according to Herr Google): 

"The acting persons [the characters] are very lively and you feel with them. This is not just a made-up story but could have happened several times - for the Maori in New Zealand and everywhere in the world."  

Found: A nice review of 'The Boys and Men of Auckland's Mickey Rooney Gang' in the Whanganui Chronicle.

 

Book review: The Boys and Men of Auckland's Mickey Rooney Gang

22 Feb, 2022 04:15 AM2 minutes to read

Whanganui Midweek

The Boys and Men of Auckland's Mickey Rooney Gang
By Robert Philip Bolton
Reviewed by Albert Sword

There is so much 'knowingness' in this exceptional novel, a knowingness bred of the author's deep wisdom, a common-sense knowingness of the surety of relationships and entanglements.

To say the characters are finely drawn is an understatement, for, from page one, each character is etched into the reader's consciousness; they become persons we knew growing up, or persons we know now, with hindsight helping form the connections.

Crudely put, we fall in love with Bolton's characters, who take us on a well-constructed romp through the 60s and 70s of the 20th century.

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My baby-boomer birth date of 1950 meant a catch-up of a few years to join these characters, but everything mentioned in this superbly researched book is strong in my memories of the time, vivid and meaningful.

Robert Bolton doesn't put a foot wrong in his narrative, I am there with him, all the way, and anyone growing up in working-class/middle class 60s/70s New Zealand will also be with the author. The ease of the everyday vernacular, and laid-back syntax instantly draws the reader into the narrative, also into trusting the writer.

There are no off putting gaps in the narrative, or in the way. Bolton stitches together the nine separate main characters, their families, friends and significant relationships. To bring together all these varied stories into one cogent and powerful novel is nothing short of magical.

Robert Philip Bolton is a consummate, and prolific, storyteller. In all his books, he creates interesting characters, hones them to perfection, then lets them tell their stories, just like a brilliant symphonic conductor can set parameters for the orchestra, then get out of the way of the musicians who are then left free to create their own realities. Wonderful stuff!

I enjoyed every word of The Boys and Men of Auckland's Mickey Rooney Gang.
Robert Philip Bolton is an independent New Zealand writer.

Like many dedicated and professional writers, he found it impossible to break into the small New Zealand publishing establishment.

"Thus," he says, "I happily publish my own books on Amazon and Kindle and sell them to loyal and satisfied readers around the world."

Some more reader feedback for 'My Marian Year'

My Marian Year keeps making friends. 
I received this email yesterday which contains typical reader sentiments. 

Hi Robert

I have just read “My Marian Year” and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was not sure if it was an auto-biography or a novel based on your life, or just a novel, but nevertheless I related to everything. Although older than you and a child of the war years, I could relate to all of what you wrote – even the small details like wrapping kitchen waste in newspaper and placing it in the steel rubbish bin.

I also enjoyed the tussle with the church. Living near St Michaels as a child it brought things home to me. I think we were a more affluent family than Johnny Boy as we had a car and even a beach house. However we were not allowed to fall in love with Catholics, even though at dancing class they were the prettiest girls with their black hair and a touch of the Irish. The reason we had to avoid them was because of the then discipline of the Catholic Church – fish on Fridays, the rosary, grace before meals, Mass every Sunday, confession etc. We therefore had to go to the more relaxed St Marks.

Where I lived it was a big neighbourhood with a big gully to play in. The war years meant an air raid shelter where boys smoked, and where there was a horse, sheep, bush tracks and huts and even the occasional unashamed nudity. I wrote a novel about it which is on Kindle and trickles out. It was called “The Par  Rem Kids.” It has not the detail of your book though. It just touches on the times. Your book retains the times for posterity.

The other books I have written are based on ruraldom. I ended up a farmer for many years with a tourist side to it and wrote for magazines from time to time among other things.

My older brother also enjoyed your book. He said it brought back his childhood very pleasantly.

Regards

Stuart Chambers

More wonderful reader feedback for 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

Yesterday I received more wonderful feedback for The Fine Art of Kindness. I have posted an edited version of here: 

"I want to tell you that with Kindness you have written a truly adult and most enjoyable book.  OK, you got me crying at the end, and I don’t cry just for anyone!  No, it was the real thing.

"Your characters are excellent, beautifully written and act the narrative assuredly and with true Kiwi panache.  Not just the main characters either.  I believed in ALL of the people in the novel, even the young student, Tim, introduced towards the end.  A meaningful addition, and excellently drawn.  I saw and believed the Hare Krishna gal and the slightly imperious nurse.   

"The two main characters, Jack and Betty were so believable; totally.  And Jack’s family.  Wonderful.  Superb supporting cast.

"Congratulations for a good read, and a good book, well written.  I hope it sells thousands, as it deserves to."

Readers love 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

I continue to get good reader feedback for The Fine Art of Kindness. 

For example this came in yesterday: 

'...I started reading and couldn’t put it down.  Nice gentle story that will touch many hearts, I’m sure.  Do hope it is well received. I bought a copy for a friend’s birthday and I’m sure she’ll enjoy it.'

And this:  
'Thank you for your beautiful new book. … You write so beautifully and simply, it was a joy to read. I love the way the stories are about ordinary people leading ordinary lives. I have a friend from NZ  and I lent her 'To The White Gate' and she is anxious to read 'The Fine Art of Kindness'. I also must mention the cover, so beautiful and gentle, just like the book! Thank you so much for your fine act of kindness, best wishes.'  

How to order my books

I get lots of questions about how to buy my books. Being an independent self-published author means having to set up independent sales channels as book shops are not interested in anything that’s not from a publisher and most New Zealand publishers are interested only in books about sports, celebrities, cooking and gardening.

In New Zealand I sell my books through my website. The biggest issue is payment. I’ve tried everything and found the simplest thing is to provide a way for readers to place their order(s) by email and pay online from their New Zealand bank account to mine; I provide the bank account number in the email which is generated when a buyer clicks on the website ‘Order Here’ button. It’s so safe and simple.

Seven of my books are also available from Amazon which is the best way to sell books internationally as postage from New Zealand is prohibitive.

Book shops will happily order any book on request (although you’ll probably pay extra for the privilege). The key is to quote the book’s ISBN although a book title and author name will also suffice. All my book ISBNs can be found here.

Auckland and Wellington libraries stock multiple copies of most of my books and most libraries will happily buy in a book on request.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to email me at robert@bolton.co.nz

More wonderful reader feedback for 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

I received this email this morning.

'Thank you for your beautiful new book. I have just finished it and I simply loved it. I was slow to get started as I had a book club book to finish and review before I could begin ( 620 pages! ) It was worth waiting for! You write so beautifully and simply, it was a joy to read. I love the way the stories are about ordinary people leading ordinary lives. I have a friend from NZ  and I lent her 'To The White Gate' and she is anxious to read 'The Fine Art of Kindness'. I also must mention the cover, so beautiful and gentle, just like the book! Thank you so much for your fine act of kindness, best wishes.'

'The Fine Art of Kindness' gets its first Amazon review. And it's a FIVE-STAR.

The Fine Art of Kindness

I sold my first copy of The Fine Art of Kindness at Parnell market yesterday and I told the buyer that  although he wasn't the first reader he was definitely the first sale.  Anyway, he  emailed me today to tell me how much he had  enjoyed the book -- he had read it in one sitting -- and that he had reviewed it on Amazon. 

His five-star review follows:

A thoughtful tale, well told. You will be entertained and richer for the experience. Don't miss it!

A touching story of 2 older folks reunited after 70 odd years and their time together, until one passes. Robert has done an excellent job of introducing us to the characters and unraveling their secrets over 234 pages. Having met the author I was surprised at the depth of his perception of the character of the subjects. A little challenging at first but the story evolved quickly into a chance encounter which for Jack carried many past memories of kindness and comfort. For a little boy who had a rough upbringing. He briefly experienced a world more nurturing than his own and this had a profound influence on his life's path and the impact of the meeting in later life. The character Betty in contrast experienced huge wealth and poverty in her life, latterly influenced by a medical event early in her married life. This drove her to become what she became and do what she did. Without people like Betty in our world, we would all be that much poorer. Her contributions both financially and physically to children's hospitals and her community were astounding, when you consider the heights her life experienced. While this is a work of fiction one cannot help but wonder if there really was a Betty out there. Judging by the contributors to this narrative it seems our lives are blessed with people like Betty, large of heart and small of profile. Robert has done an excellent job of drawing the reader into a "slice of life" story and telling us who the characters were. He makes us all, perhaps, look at our lives in a different way. An entertaining read. I completed the whole story in one sitting. Fascinated with who these people were and what was coming next. I have no hesitation in recommending the book and its author to all thoughtful readers.

Early reader feedback on 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

'I also think this is your best book to date. A sensitive story about how individual acts - some of kindness and others regretful - can cause strong later reactions that last a lifetime. An intriguing and most enjoyable read!'
Max Ross 

Some wonderful feedback for 'To The White Gate'.

Posted by: Robert Philip Bolton at 11:27, July 30 2015.

Just received this about To The White Gate:

'I would have to write a book to tell you how much I enjoyed To The White Gate. I loved your strong characterisations, fell in love with your characters and with the inevitability of the narrative.  

'Not only were your characters strong, the writing was strong.  It led me unerringly thru’ the narrative, made me smile and made me cry.  If I like a book I can’t wait to get back to it. I couldn’t wait to get back to 'Gate'.

'I hope The White Gate is a huge success for you, if not now, as a sleeper.  It should have a large readership because it is a very good book.'

Albert Sword
Whanganui

A truly amazing coincidence

My book My Marian Year is about growing up in Auckland in 1954. The photo on the cover was taken by Graham Stewart who was a tram enthusiast and a staff photographer on the New Zealand Herald. I found the photo in one of his wonderful books called Around Auckland by Tram in the 1950s and used it with his permission. The tram in the photo -- tram number 221 -- was standing at the Three Lamps terminus at the end of Ponsonby Road one Sunday morning in the early 'fifties. 

Just the other day I received the following email from Lorna Hambleton, a friend who lives in the Waikato: 

"I have just taken a look at your website and I noticed that the front cover of your book ‘My Marian Year’ has a picture of a tram on it.  We happen to own a tram in the Te Puru Holiday Park (Thames Coast) which has been converted into a holiday home.  The number belonging to our tram is 221, the very same tram which is on the front cover of your book.  How co-incidental is that. Bryan’s grandparents were among the first families to purchase trams back in the 1950’s after they had been transported from Auckland to Thames for use as holiday homes. We believe at least 30 were relocated to the Te Puru Holiday Park (which was previously known as the Boomerang Motor Camp).  25 still remain.  My sister-in-law owned the grandparents tram until she sold it in 2007 and moved to Australia.  Bryan and I purchased our tram in 1995 and we holiday there frequently during the summer months."

A truly amazing coincidence. 

'To The White Gate': a nice review from a Kindle reader.

This review of To The White Gate turned up on Kindle.

This is a great read!
This book takes the form of an elderly man’s recollections, starting with his early teenage years during the 1930s in Auckland, New Zealand.
With a beautiful and expansive public park, described in exquisite detail, as the anchor or central hub the story gently unfolds through to the turn of the century. There are many observations of the changing nature of life in New Zealand during that period of time and, as an ancient New Zealander myself, I recognised many of them instantly.
Tommy leaves school to work in the park plant nursery and grows into an intuitive man who is only really content when close to nature in his beloved park. Over the years he befriends a generous mix of flamboyant individuals who mostly have impressive artistic talents. He learns much from them (particularly from one mysterious wee fellow) and the development of knowledge and wisdom that sometimes comes with experience and advancing years is well portrayed.
And the ubiquitous White Gate plays its part with increasing regularity and clarity.
Yes, a good well researched book with great attention to detail and many examples of human nature at play in the small group of islands known locally as Aotearoa.Highly recommended

Other informal feedback includes:

• A delightful read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.  
• I have finished To the White Gate and really enjoyed it. It was as one reviewer said a refreshingly gentle read and I particularly enjoyed it as I could identify with most of the  storyline (except of course I have never sat cross legged  in a park with an elephant keeper.)  
• I really enjoyed it! It was sad, touching and lovely.

Nice to meet a keen reader

I was in the kitchen one Saturday morning last month, about to make a cup of tea, when I saw a man and a woman coming down the path. I didn't know them, I wasn't expecting anyone, and they looked suspiciously like they were selling something, probably a fringe or cult religion.

'What do you want?' I asked, somewhat impatiently I suppose, through the open window, not yet willing to go to the door.

'Are you Robert Bolton?' asked the man.

'Yes. What do you want?' A bit rude I suppose.

'Did you write the book My Marian Year?'

Now I was intrigued. I went to the  door and opened it.

It turns out this very nice man had read a copy of My Marian Year taken from the library in Whangarei, where he lives, and he liked it so much that he wanted to buy his own new copy.

'He absolutely loved that book,' said his wife. 'He really did.'

Of course he could have bought a copy online, or ordered a copy from any book shop, but he chose instead to track me down in Auckland all the way from Whangarei. Evidently it wasn't easy: we're in the phone book as 'Bob and Kath', and he didn't know the address, but eventually he found me in the electoral roll.

I signed his book and gave him a hefty discount for his trouble.

It was nice to meet such a keen reader.

My Marian Year is available online for $NZ22.00. 

Why don't all schools know this about music?

Last week Scots College’s director of music Andrew Stopps warned that a focus on maths and science — at schools and universities — is sapping talent from the humanities. He said that music was always put up against a second science subject and he had a hard time convincing parents that music wouldn't harm their kids' chances at university. 

Evidently he received support from professors at the country’s medical schools and law schools including Auckland University’s Professor John Fraser who said that some of the most successful and skilled doctors he knew had continued their musical interests. They all spoke passionately about how arts helped with the constant pressures of practising medicine.

‘To be able to tell your interviewers when applying for medical entry that you are a skilled musician does no harm at all,’ he said. 

He didn't go far enough 

In my opinion he should have gone further: being a musician — skilled or otherwise — should actually help you in your interview. Here’s why:

It is acknowledged by educationalists around the world that learning a musical instrument, and learning the musical theory that goes with it, dramatically enhances a student’s ability to learn in all subjects. No one knows  exactly why but the guess is that musical theory is unique enough to open new neural pathways in the brain while learning an instrument involves linking music on paper with physical coordination and dexterity: no other subject combines mind and body in the same way. 

The fact is learning music and an instrument (but not just listening to music) actually reshapes the brain.  

For example see this and this.  

Personal experience   

The only reason I’m writing about this now is that I have some personal experience. As well as being a  writer I am also a musician and a music lover. As a music lover I wrote a short book based on Modest Mussorgsky’s suite, Pictures at  an Exhibition (see For Viktor.)  
Writing For Viktor led to my meeting  and friendship with Maestro Ashkenazy
This little book came to the attention of the famous Russian pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy — incidentally a famous interpreter and arranger of Mussorgsky’s original music — who wrote a wonderful letter endorsing my book as a powerful educational tool.

His letter includes the following and quite remarkable paragraph (bold emphasis is mine):  

‘I know of numerous examples of how children react being exposed to well presented lessons based on this kind of music and the results are absolutely astounding; apart from the fact that as they grow up they almost never abandon their affection for the serious music, they perform much better in all other subjects of their curriculum than those children who were not exposed to the same musical appreciation program. I know first hand of these examples in many countries - from the U.K. to Russia - having been a part of such programs.

 

(You can read the whole letter on my website here.) 

Now why don't all schools know this about music? 

A trip to Ngaruawahia High School

Following such a special success at Tokoroa High School in May I was invited in August to talk to senior English students at Ngaruawahia High School about The Tapu Garden of Eden. It's always a privilege and a buzz to talk to real readers of my books and get first-hand feedback.  

Tokoroa teens love 'The Tapu Garden of Eden'

Last month (May 2009) I was invited by the English master at Tokoroa High School to talk to his students about The Tapu Garden of Eden which they had been studying. What a privilege it was to be able to see and hear how moved the students were by my story. They really loved it.

The local paper even printed a story about  the visit. Here's part of what it said under the headline NZ novelist visits Tokoroa High.

'New Zealand novelist Robert Bolton visited Tokoroa High School earlier this month.

Teacher Keinan Ngapo said the students had recently studied Mr Bolton's novel 'The Tapu Garden of Eden' and it touched on many aspects of culture and loss of identity and the effect that the land can have on a person.' 

The impact and motivation of Mr Bolton's speech and workshop illustrated to the students that literacy is crucial. Mr Ngapo said Mr Bolton provided a fantastic workshop and the students really gained great insight from his presentation. The students had earlier welcomed Mr Bolton with a powhiri, giving him a taste of Tokoroa.