Come Back to Mona Vale

Explore the captivating narrative of 'Come Back to Mona Vale', a memoir by Alexander McKinnon that intricately weaves personal history with the broader social tapestry of early 20th-century Christchurch. This compelling paperback, measuring 148 x 210 mm and consisting of 288 pages, delves into the concealed truths of a prominent business family, revealing the secrets that lie beneath their affluent exterior. Readers will be drawn into a narrative that unfolds much like a detective story, as McKinnon contemplates the complexities of class, wealth, and the familial bonds that can both unite and divide. With keen observational insight, the author reflects on a life shaped by privilege, shaping a portrayal of a family history filled with unspoken truths and societal contrasts. The contrast of splendid public history against gritty private realities not only enriches the tale but also serves as an insightful commentary on the nature of heritage and the past's haunting presence. Through his elegant prose, McKinnon evokes a sense of Gothic intrigue, making 'Come Back to Mona Vale' not just a memoir but a significant work that invites readers to consider their own narratives and the hidden histories they embody. This gripping exploration of identity, obsession, and legacy is a must-read for history aficionados and those intrigued by the complexities of family dynamics and societal expectations.

Author: Alexander McKinnon Publisher: Otago University Press
Bind: paperback
Dimensions: 148 x 210 mm
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 03-09-2021

Come Back to Mona Vale is a beautifully written, compelling narrative/memoir that sets about unravelling the mysteries and anomalies behind the public history of a wealthy Christchurch business family in the first half of the 20th century. The author-as narrator gradually becomes aware that his family heritage isn’t necessarily the norm, nor what he expected. That family members can’t bear to speak to each other about the most private and family-influenced events, facts and atmospheres. That he grew up shielded from aspects of contemporary reality by money and class. The story unfolds like a crime or detective tale, and also delves into the history of the Canterbury colony, contrasting Christchurch’s public values, aspirations and beauty with its murkier private behaviour. And yet the story is told with a graceful touch and an eye for the vivid, comic and telling detail. Alexander McKinnon’s explorations of his family’s past is the record of a beautiful and grand (yet gradually crumbling) manor interwoven with social history - with a sense of the Gothic, of obsession, and of a tight-knit circle where secrets wreak a terrible climax leading to a form of inter-generational haunting.