At the Edge of Memory: A Family Story

by Michael King

A man turns up in New Zealand in the early years of the twentieth century as if out of nowhere. He admits to no past, only to a present and a future; and he reinvents himself as a Catholic businessman. But the pressure of keeping a secret, of having to live with a repressed truth, eventually becomes too great. He disintegrates, emotionally and physically, leaving his family sparse clues to his origins and identity. Michael King investigates a mystery that had engaged his extended family for over half a century. The answers he finds are astonishing and link that Irish-Catholic family back to Australia, the United States, England, and ultimately to south-east Poland.
As King notes, most stories are based on one of only two plots: somebody goes on a journey, or a stranger comes to town. This one had its beginnings in both scenarios, a man setting out on a quest and the arrival of a stranger. It has the additional merit of being true...

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Michael King was one of New Zealand's leading historians and biographers. In 2006 he was named one of 100 most important New Zealanders that have ever lived. He published more than 34 books in his lifetime. His last, The Penguin History of New Zealand, has sold more than 200,000 copies and is widely considered to be the definitive history of New Zealand. His work in literary biography - most notably Wrestling With the Angel, on the life of Janet Frame - also received great critical acclaim. He made many level-headed contributions to race-relations debates and is sorely missed by his country.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. As usual with Michael King well written and researched, a little too relevant to his family history to be generally interesting. Was gripping nonetheless.
Shows how ridiculous racism and religion can be, and how it drives people to do things that are repressive even to themselves and can span generations. Gross.