Stroppy Old Women compiled by Paul Little and Wendyl Nissen

52 Kiwi Women, Who’ve Been Around Long Enough To Know, Tell You What’s Wrong With The World

How can you not pick up a book with such a title? I couldn’t resist and wasn’t in any way disappointed. The disclaimer inside the front cover gives a clue “All the opinions and much of the punctuation in this book are entirely those of the contributors and not necessarily shared by the compilers or each other.”

My personal favourites include Lindsey Dawson’s: "It’s hard to surprise or shock us. Even if the world sees us as 'little old ladies', we are titans of experience"; and Tui Flower’s: "For many years my standard reply to the usual greeting of 'Hello, how are you?' has been, 'Old and grumpy'. Those who know me well are assured it is me and I am fit and well.”

Other highlights inculde Pieter Stewart lamenting the lack of manners and the misuse of language, Valerie Davies' quest for an intelligent, imaginative designer parent to reinvent the currently popular expensive designer anti-social baby chariot, and Elizabeth McRae 'seeing red': there is definitely something for everyone.

I believe that, like me, you will find yourself laughing out loud, shaking your head in bemusement, and/or pondering thoughtfully along with a myriad of other visceral reactions while reading this book.


Posted by RJB

Catalogue link: Stroppy Old Women