Civic Launch of 'Landings' - 12/06/2008

‘Landings’ is a story of the lives and fortunes of settlers on the Whanganui River at the turn of the 20th century. There will be a civic launch of the book in the Council Chamber on Friday, June 13, to acknowledge its importance to the Wanganui community.

Mayor Michael Laws has described “this novel as the literary equivalent of the movie ‘River Queen’ which was also set on the Whanganui River,”

The council’s cultural affairs manager Sally Patrick says that the book will provide Wanganui with an enduring and outstanding opportunity to promote the Wanganui district and region both throughout New Zealand and internationally. Jenny’s hugely successful previous historic novels - ‘The Denniston Rose’ and ‘Heart of Coal’ – which are set on the South Island’s West Coast, have made a significant contribution to increasing tourism in that region.

‘Landings’, published in April by Random House, was reprinted within a week of its national launch and has already topped the best seller list.

“We are delighted that Jenny Pattrick and her family are joining us in Wanganui for the civic launch and that we will have the opportunity to hear how she developed the novel,” Sally Patrick said.

“In addition, Jenny’s husband, Laughton, has composed a riverboat song and the family will be performing the song at the launch.”

Invited guests include members of the Pattrick family, Random House, the publisher’s local book-sellers, representatives of Wanganui’s history and heritage organisations, river groups, Iwi and schools.