A boomer who was there and watched as the world kept on turning with Aotearoa New Zealand tagging along, and concluding that history keeps repeating itself, for humans anyhow.
From a young fella to an octogenarian. A rocky road with many twists and turns, made enjoyable along the way by a bundle of laughs and wonderful people, and the occasional challenge by some bastard or other.
Mulitple life experiences, shared with honesty, humour and empathy, but with no hesitation of calling out those who deserve it and taking opportunity to settle the odd score. Well, the pen is mightier than the sword according to Edward Bulwer-Lytton, so might as well put it to some use.
What struck me most is how The Silver Lining moves beyond memoir and becomes a social document of Aotearoa New Zealand over the last eight decades. It captures the rhythms of ordinary life with warmth and humour, while also exploring identity, belonging, and cultural change with honesty. That balance between the intimate and the universal is very rare. A key strength I noted was the humour as truth-telling and the wry observations that bring levity to even serious reflections, which makes the story accessible and deeply human. Further, the lens on Te Reo Māori, biculturalism, and social shifts adds depth that distinguishes this from a purely personal memoir. Weaving songs into the narrative is a beautiful touch, it grounds the reader in a specific time and place while evoking memory and emotion.
Australian roots. Bryant war days. Hometown in the fifties. School days. Call of the surf. Becoming an accountant. Off to UK. Rumpus & Rogernomics. Witness for the prosecution. Going global. The Tamihere story. Behinds the scenes. Hero's I have met. Bastards I have met. Three score and ten, plus.
The Silver Lining of the Long White Cloud is made up of 52 chapters, covering 435 pages, with 129 pictures and 97 songs for the reader to ponder.