The Mermaid Chronicles
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Check link for latest rating. ( 8 ratings, 1 reviews)The Mermaid Chronicles
The Mermaid Chronicles
This journey takes readers from the colourful boardwalks of Coney Island to the iconic statue in Copenhagen, and all the way to the vibrant culture of Wellington, New Zealand. Along the way, Megan examines the cultural impact of the 1984 romantic comedy Splash, meets with professional mermaids, and explores the semiotics behind the mythological creatures that have fascinated humanity for centuries. Her quest is not only physical but also intellectual and emotional, as she delves into her personal history, uncovering deeper truths about herself and society's perceptions of women.
Through her adventures and introspection, Megan Dunn grapples with profound questions about identity, fertility, and the stories we tell ourselves. She loses the conventional narrative of her life but finds a powerful, authentic voice. This unexpectedly whimsical and deeply moving tale is a candid exploration of sex and death, mothers and daughters, the nature of women's work, and the myths that shape us all.
The Mermaid Chronicles is a shimmeringly intellectual and devastatingly deadpan narrative, delivering a tragicomic meditation that is as rich in humour as it is in insight. Megan Dunn's wit and honesty shine throughout, making this a truly off-the-hook tale that is as compelling as it is thought-provoking.
Critical acclaim for Megan Dunn and The Mermaid Chronicles highlights the memoir's poignant and witty nature:
"Her voice is so strong. It's wonderful." - Lorde
"A treasure of a memoir... funny, frank and moving." - Kim Hill
"Observes the importance of fantasy with keen wit and an open heart." - Pip Adam, author of The New Animals
"A fabulously witty adventure, written in deeply moving prose." - Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan or, The Whale
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781776950867
Publisher: Penguin Group (NZ)
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 13 August 2024
Country: New Zealand
Imprint: Penguin Books (NZ)
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 136.0mm
Height: 209.0mm
Weight: 356g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Megan Dunn is the author of two irreverent works of non-fiction Tinderbox (Galley Beggar Press, 2017) and her memoir in essays Things I Learned at Art School (Penguin Random House New Zealand, 2021.) Megan is as an art critic and essayist in New Zealand. She has published columns, reviews, personal essays and features for a wide range of media including the Guardian Australia, The New Zealand Listener, Metro, Newsroom and Art News New Zealand. She was once the visual arts correspondent on Radio New Zealand's Saturday morning show, with broadcaster Kim Hill. So there. Megan graduated with a master's in creative writing from the University of East Anglia. In 2006, she won an Escalator award from the New Writing Partnership (now the National Centre for Writing.) In 2022 she was the annual Writer in Residence at the International Institute of Modern Letters, based at Victoria University of Wellington, Te Herenga Waka. During this residency she worked on the first draft of her mer-moir and also curated an art exhibition The Mermaid Chronicles, based on her journeys to meet the world's leading professional mermaids. You can watch a short clip of Megan speaking about mermaids on TVNZ. Megan has chaired literary events with national and international authors including Rachel Kushner, Olivia Laing and Noelle McCarthy. Megan lives and works in Wellington. She is also interested in crocodiles.
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