Pete Majendie is an artist and comedian, and the memoir of his childhood is both humorous and touching, a nostalgic read that captures family life in the 1950s and 1960s.
Pete grew up in New Brighton, and he captures the era well, with plenty of time to play with his mates, to run a little wild and to use his imagination. These were carefree, special times. Pete also shares the heartbreak of his brother’s death, his mother’s grief and his father’s increasing deafness with compassion and insight.
Pete is now best known as an installation artist, and his work has been exhibited in New Zealand and around the world. Perhaps his best-known work is his 185 Empty White Chairs installation, which honours the people who died in the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. It is engaging to read about his growing interest in art in this memoir.
A Deaf in the Family is an engaging book with many laugh-out-loud moments amidst the sadness. While being a memoir of Pete’s childhood, it also captures the era well for other people growing up around the same time. It’s very readable, written with a light touch, while still exploring more serious themes.
Iain McKenzie
Quentin Wilson Publishing