Unreel

Unreel by Diana Wichtel is a vividly evocative and brilliantly funny memoir tracing the highs and lows of a life intertwined with the golden age of television. From her earliest days, Diana Wichtel’s life was influenced by the glimmer of the small screen, captivating her with its stories and characters. Born to a Polish Holocaust survivor father and an overtaxed Kiwi tradwife, Wichtel grew up in a household where television served as a constant backdrop and a silent witness to family dramas and cultural shifts.

Her formative years were spent immersed in a rich tapestry of television shows, shaping her view of the world from an early age. However, in the 1960s, her life took a dramatic turn as her fractured family left Canada for New Zealand. The move was marked by a sense of loss, having just missed the Beatles and leaving behind her father, an absence that left a profound impact on her life and worldview.

In this new land, Diana watched the rebirth of television from the other side of the globe. Fast forward twenty years, she finds herself in the bustling offices of the Listener, where her insightful reviews and critiques established her as the nation’s foremost television critic. Loved by some, loathed by others, and evidenced by the seething capital letters of her hate mail, Diana became a celebrated yet controversial figure in literary circles.

Unreel does more than recount Diane’s professional journey; it delves deep into the intimate aspects of her personal life. It’s a tale of growing up, coping with early marriage and divorce, rediscovering love, and navigating the complex relationships between parents and children. The memoir captures the profound influence of television – the box we all gathered around – in shaping societal norms and family dynamics.

This deeply moving and sharply funny memoir captures the essence of a life unspooling alongside beloved television moments, offering readers a poignant, wise, and candid look at the intersections between real life and the stories that flickered on their screens. Diana Wichtel's storytelling is suffused with nostalgia and humour, rendering Unreel a captivating read for anyone who has ever sought solace and connection through the magic of television.