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Light Keeping
238 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2023
24 people want to read
About the author
Adrienne Jansen
30 books10 followersJansen, Adrienne (1947 - ) writes fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children, and poetry. For many years she taught ESOL and was involved in refugee resettlement and immigration issues, and this long interest in cross-cultural experience is reflected in her writing.
Her first books were small practical publications designed to meet particular needs. Having a Baby in New Zealand (1985) was published in Samoan, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Khmer as well as English. She co-authored a second book with a practical focus, Neighbourhood Groups (1986).
Borany's Story (1991) is an account of the life of Borany Kanal, a Cambodian immigrant and co-author of the book. It was originally a series for radio broadcast by Radio New Zealand in 1989. It is a simply-written and moving first person account of a woman’s escape from the Khmer Rouge, and eventual resettling in New Zealand. The book was shortlisted for the New Zealand Library Association Non Fiction Award, and is widely used in schools.
Ten immigrant women tell their stories to Adrienne Jansen in I have in my arms both ways (1990). The title comes from one of the women, immigrant Valeti Finau: 'I have in my arms both ways. I can see my Tokelau way, it's good. I can see the palagi way, it's good. I don’t want to put one down and lift the other up... I can carry them both.' The book is one of the few accounts of immigrant women's experiences in New Zealand.
Her first novel, Spirit Writing was published in 1999. It is the story of a young woman who is drawn into what is for her a foreign world of Lao refugees and political activism, and discovers the costs of misunderstandings and misplaced idealism. '[C]aptivating, powerful and beautifully written,' writes Michael Larsen in The Evening Post, while Beryl Fletcher writes ‘it’s great to read a New Zealand novel that explores the fraught relationships that can occur between refugees and locals’ (Waikato Times).
Jansen’s second novel, Floating the Fish on Bamboo (2001), described by Sue McRae in the Evening Post as ‘a page-turner with real class, falling squarely between the arthouse and the blockbuster’, is also a story set in a multicultural community.
Both Spirit Writing and Floating the Fish on Bamboo (2001) were adapted for broadcast on Radio New Zealand. Jansen has also had short stories broadcast on Radio New Zealand, including ‘War’, highly commended in the Commonwealth Short Story competition in 2002.
Adrienne Jansen was one of four poets in the collection How Things Are (1996), where her work appeared with that of Meg Campbell, Harry Ricketts, and J.C. Sturm. Her first solo collection of poetry is a stone seat and a shadow tree (2001). She has had poems in a number of publications and in several anthologies.
In 2009, Jansen teamed up with photographer Ans Westra in The Crescent Moon: The Asian Face of Islam in New Zealand, a publication for the Asia New Zealand Foundation, intended to present a more accurate ‘snapshot’ of this largest group of Muslims in New Zealand, and to correct some stereotypes and media misrepresentation. The Crescent Moon is also a photographic exhibition touring New Zealand.
In 1993 Adrienne Jansen founded the Whitireia Polytechnic Creative Writing Programme, and was its coordinator until 1999. She now teaches fiction and editing on the programme, and has written several of its online courses. She is part of the writing team at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum, and does some freelance work. She lives in Titahi Bay, Porirua.
Her first books were small practical publications designed to meet particular needs. Having a Baby in New Zealand (1985) was published in Samoan, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Khmer as well as English. She co-authored a second book with a practical focus, Neighbourhood Groups (1986).
Borany's Story (1991) is an account of the life of Borany Kanal, a Cambodian immigrant and co-author of the book. It was originally a series for radio broadcast by Radio New Zealand in 1989. It is a simply-written and moving first person account of a woman’s escape from the Khmer Rouge, and eventual resettling in New Zealand. The book was shortlisted for the New Zealand Library Association Non Fiction Award, and is widely used in schools.
Ten immigrant women tell their stories to Adrienne Jansen in I have in my arms both ways (1990). The title comes from one of the women, immigrant Valeti Finau: 'I have in my arms both ways. I can see my Tokelau way, it's good. I can see the palagi way, it's good. I don’t want to put one down and lift the other up... I can carry them both.' The book is one of the few accounts of immigrant women's experiences in New Zealand.
Her first novel, Spirit Writing was published in 1999. It is the story of a young woman who is drawn into what is for her a foreign world of Lao refugees and political activism, and discovers the costs of misunderstandings and misplaced idealism. '[C]aptivating, powerful and beautifully written,' writes Michael Larsen in The Evening Post, while Beryl Fletcher writes ‘it’s great to read a New Zealand novel that explores the fraught relationships that can occur between refugees and locals’ (Waikato Times).
Jansen’s second novel, Floating the Fish on Bamboo (2001), described by Sue McRae in the Evening Post as ‘a page-turner with real class, falling squarely between the arthouse and the blockbuster’, is also a story set in a multicultural community.
Both Spirit Writing and Floating the Fish on Bamboo (2001) were adapted for broadcast on Radio New Zealand. Jansen has also had short stories broadcast on Radio New Zealand, including ‘War’, highly commended in the Commonwealth Short Story competition in 2002.
Adrienne Jansen was one of four poets in the collection How Things Are (1996), where her work appeared with that of Meg Campbell, Harry Ricketts, and J.C. Sturm. Her first solo collection of poetry is a stone seat and a shadow tree (2001). She has had poems in a number of publications and in several anthologies.
In 2009, Jansen teamed up with photographer Ans Westra in The Crescent Moon: The Asian Face of Islam in New Zealand, a publication for the Asia New Zealand Foundation, intended to present a more accurate ‘snapshot’ of this largest group of Muslims in New Zealand, and to correct some stereotypes and media misrepresentation. The Crescent Moon is also a photographic exhibition touring New Zealand.
In 1993 Adrienne Jansen founded the Whitireia Polytechnic Creative Writing Programme, and was its coordinator until 1999. She now teaches fiction and editing on the programme, and has written several of its online courses. She is part of the writing team at Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum, and does some freelance work. She lives in Titahi Bay, Porirua.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 25, 2024
This is a beautifully crafted story of orphaned children.
Jess and Robert come to live with their grandparents in a lighthouse. I loved the measured sense of grief which was palpable on the page. The grandparents holding everything together for their grandchildren, struggling to give them hope and comfort - and time - while they too are struggling with their own silent, stifled grief.
The theme of how much the past shapes us is everywhere, and the clever use of the structure which moves backwards and forwards through time helps us to see the impact of past events.
I particularly liked the way that the story kept secrets from us - not rushing to tell us the whole back story. For example, it is page 109 before we learn that the children’s mother, Hana, was of Arabic origin - also an outsider, just as the kids are when they move to their new school.
Sometimes the sadness was hard to take - such as Bill’s final scene - but this made the book very real. Yes, it is at heart a sad story, but often life is full of those.
Jess and Robert come to live with their grandparents in a lighthouse. I loved the measured sense of grief which was palpable on the page. The grandparents holding everything together for their grandchildren, struggling to give them hope and comfort - and time - while they too are struggling with their own silent, stifled grief.
The theme of how much the past shapes us is everywhere, and the clever use of the structure which moves backwards and forwards through time helps us to see the impact of past events.
I particularly liked the way that the story kept secrets from us - not rushing to tell us the whole back story. For example, it is page 109 before we learn that the children’s mother, Hana, was of Arabic origin - also an outsider, just as the kids are when they move to their new school.
Sometimes the sadness was hard to take - such as Bill’s final scene - but this made the book very real. Yes, it is at heart a sad story, but often life is full of those.
April 7, 2024
I really wanted to like it, it was okay
November 30, 2023
Lovely writing, great story. I can’t ever go past a lighthouse book and picked this up on a recent visit to Wellington pleased to see it was by a local author.
May 18, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this novel about 2 young children who are orphaned and go to live with their grandparents who are light housekeepers in New Zealand. The story is told in 2 time frames. 1977 when Robert and Jess arrive at the lighthouse and 2019 in their future lives. It is poignantly written and I read every word in order not to miss the nuances. Grandparents Bill and Annie are fighting the system to keep lighthouses manual but still find time to give the children the emotional support they need. There are a number of important peripheral characters and the chapters covering their later lives are important and revelatory. This is a 4 1/2 star read for me.
December 14, 2023
Bought while on holiday in New Zealand this was a wonderful tale of blustery lighthouse life in the 70s paired with modern-day challenges. Jess and Robert are orphaned when their parents die in a car accident and move to live with their Grandparents Bill and Annie, the Lighthouse Keepers. All 4 characters are struggling in their own way yet help each other through small gestures - wobbly carrots, model building and maritime history. With a strong sense of place and the wild coastal landscape it was the perfect read for a windy summer break.
November 25, 2023
Light Keeping is an understated novel of quiet power. Set against the ruthless cost-cutting that led to the replacement of lighthouse keepers with automation, it follows a family of lighthouse keepers as they navigate both personal tragedy and institutional indifference, with the latest generation trying to escape the long shadow of the past.
Adrienne Jansen does a great job of intertwining the personal upheavals of her protagonists' lives with the vagaries of coastline, sea and weather. The boundary between land and sea on which the lonely lighthouse stands is blurred by both disaster and hope, as Jess and Robert struggle to keep the light in view.
Adrienne Jansen does a great job of intertwining the personal upheavals of her protagonists' lives with the vagaries of coastline, sea and weather. The boundary between land and sea on which the lonely lighthouse stands is blurred by both disaster and hope, as Jess and Robert struggle to keep the light in view.
September 14, 2025
Well im a prolific reader....because I have time on my hands and I try and always get the library to buy more books by New Zealand authors.
This book was amazing....thoroughly enjoyed it. Great story. It really grabbed me.
This book was amazing....thoroughly enjoyed it. Great story. It really grabbed me.
January 14, 2024
This book had you immersed in the location..the lighthouse..the ocean..the dofferent moods of it all. I particularly loved the chapters set in the 70's..Good kiwi writer
June 9, 2025
Enjoyed this read, grandparents raising grand children, and their lives living near a manned lighthouse. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews