A Land of Two Halves [Paperback]

Joe Bennett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2005

After 10 years in New Zealand, Joe Bennett asked himself what on earth he was doing there. Other than his dogs, what was it about these two small islands on the edge of the world that had kept him—an otherwise restless traveller—for really much longer than they seemed to deserve? Bennett thought he'd better pack his bag and find out. Hitching around both the intriguingly named North and South Islands, with an eye for oddity and a taste for conversation, Bennett began to remind himself of the reasons New Zealand is quietly seducing the rest of the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Shrewd entertainment.” -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Joe Bennett was born in Brighton and since leaving Cambridge University has taught English in a variety of countries including Canada, Spain and New Zealand. He lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Product Details

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074326357X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743263573
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.2 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #633,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Travel > Australia & South Pacific > New Zealand

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very odd journey..., August 2, 2005

By 

nicjaytee (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Land of Two Halves (Paperback)

This book certainly looks good... the idea of hitch-hiking as a way of exploring a country and its society is clever - you meet a lot of different people and get to see parts that are not always up there on the "must see" list of tourist destinations - and, on top of that, Joe Bennett is a skilled and entertaining writer. But despite such promising credentials, it really doesn't work in the way it should.

The problems start with the sequencing of his journey, which is very strange. The first half of the book finds him shooting off from his home in Christchurch to the increasingly bleak far south of the South Island, before heading up the island's equally remote West Coast. Hitch-hiking through these areas, which are notorious for their sparse habitation and bad weather, is a pretty daunting task and, not surprisingly, he gets fed-up with it two thirds of the way round and heads back home. Problem is that, by doing so, he misses out the whole of the north of the South Island which is not only stunningly pretty (with often glorious weather) but which is also one of the most interesting areas of the country. His journey round the North Island is at least more logical, taking in most of the "important" areas. But by now he's clearly getting very bored with hitching (so much so that he rents a car for large sections), a problem that's then compounded by his hitting some pretty appalling late Autumn weather, begging the obvious question of why choose to hitch at this time of year?

Next up, the people he chooses to meet are pretty strange. Not everyone picks up hitch-hikers and those who do are, as he finds, often slightly odd and usually want to talk a lot about their slightly odd lives. Off the road, he clearly likes a beer or two and, as a result, spends huge amounts of the journey chatting to bar-proppers in small pubs and hotels. Nothing wrong with either activity, but as an insight into New Zealand society it's a limited and far from representative cross-section of people.

Finally, Joe's either a pretty morose kind of guy or the boredom & banality of standing by endless roads for hours on end waiting for a lift, followed by a booze-up with some fairly lonely people in a small town pub gets to him. Whatever the reason, he spends increasing parts of the book reflecting on the less attractive aspects of New Zealand life while describing uninteresting parts of the country in bad weather. Not unexpectedly, by the end of it, his & your bottle are most definitely in "half empty" mode.

Which is all very unfair. I've visited New Zealand many times and lived in Christchurch. Sure, it's small country that's a long way from anywhere and its people are continually grappling with an inferiority complex that comes from being small and remote. But it's also stunningly beautiful with, at the right times of the year, quite excellent weather and a population that must rank amongst the most friendly and interesting anywhere. It's a superb holiday destination and, for the right type of person, a quite wonderful place to live. All aspects of New Zealand that our increasingly road-weary and often downright gloomy guide fails to capture and which, as a result, leads to a very unbalanced insight into both the country and its people.

Bad news then? Well not quite, because he can write and his stories are not only enjoyable and often quite funny, but his wet & windy journey becomes, in itself, an entertaining exercise in personal endurance. And, on the way, he experiences a side of New Zealand that most miss which, in turn, stimulates him to ruminate on a number of interesting and important social issues facing the country. Just don't get fooled into believing that it's really like this because, unless you too are mad enough to decide to hitch around the place at the wrong time of the year, it's most certainly not.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars NZ Beyond the Movie Image, November 15, 2005

By 

Michael H. Frederick (Gaithersburg, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Land of Two Halves (Paperback)

Having been to New Zealand twice my wife and I contemplated moving there. Residing in a country is, of course, much different from being on holiday there. This book gives readers a look at the "Land of Two Halves" beyond what's been portrayed in the movies.

Hitchhiking his way on two separate journeys (divided between the North and South Islands), Mr. Bennett is given a lift from some very colorful characters. Some hard-bitten and jaded, others silent, a few as chatty as magpies. Like Australia, the Kiwis can be a rough-hewn, industrious lot, facing hardship with fortitude and good cheer. Some of the isolated towns, pubs and hotels are downright eerie, reminiscent of places that time forgot. Decor and furniture often dates from the 1950s, '60s or '70s and accommodation can be a bit threadbare.

Where Bennett really shines, however, is in his descriptions of what it's like when he's kept waiting for hours by the road without a ride. He manages to colorfully illuminate how it feels to stand with one's thumb jutting over the asphalt, on an isolated road shoulder with nothing to do but watch a bird hopping in the grass or a horse posing stock-still in an adjacent pasture. It takes talent to make such a situation interesting but that's exactly what he does. The middle-aged author thrives in such settings, having little time for the larger cities like Wellington and Auckland. He gives them short shrift.

Anyone wanting a glowing travelogue will be disappointed. This isn't an episode of Rick Steves' Europe. It's a realistic account of what a lonely traveler experienced by taking a satchel, walking to the edge of town and putting his thumb out. He vividly illustrates how it feels to try and time storm fronts and strategize over the best approach to where you want to go versus where your next driver is headed. It's life on the road by the seat of your pants.

I quite enjoyed this tale, feeling that I gained a more well-rounded perspective on a country I greatly admire.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A witty report of a hitch-hiking tour around New Zealand, July 10, 2005

By 

Gerard Kroese (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Land of Two Halves (Paperback)

English-born Joe Bennett was a teacher when he went to New Zealand at the age of 29. He was supposed to stay for just a year, but sixteen years on he is still there. This book covers the author's hitch-hiking trip around New Zealand. "In the trip I am about to go on, I want to see the place as clearly as I can." However, the main purpose for the trip is to find out whether Joe should stay or go when his dog dies in the next few years. Before I start this book review, I must make readers aware that this book is nothing like a traditional tour or travel guide.

Just like the title suggests, this book consists of two halves. The first half of the book covers his travels on the South Island of New Zealand, while the second half covers the North Island. "The North Island is different from the South Island. It has a different history, a different geography and a different climate." These differences are very much covered as he describes his experiences while hitch-hiking around both the larger and smaller towns. Since he is somewhat of an outsider, he also covers the issue of the national identity - "The question of national identity is raised so often and so tediously that there are times when New Zealand's most prominent characteristic seems to be wondering whether it has any prominent characteristics." As people who have been to New Zealand will know is that the country is beautiful and full of contradictions. The author believes that there are plenty of distinctions about New Zealanders: "What about the vaunted practicality, the no-nonsense earthiness, the number-eight-wire ingenuity, the rugged independence, the compulsion to travel, the willingness to work hard?" Joe Bennett covers all these subjects fantastically and full of wit. Some of the language used might upset some readers, it covers the issues realistically. After weeks of travelling from Invergarcill and Bluff at the south point of the South Island to Cape Reinga at the north point of the North Island he also manages to find the answer to the main purpose of the book: "It will be good to have a young dog around again. And it may perk up my old dog in her years of decline."

Yes, I do like this book. The author discusses the hidden realities behind New Zealand. It discusses the most important details of the larger towns on the South and North Island of the beautiful New Zealand. I believe that this book does two things. First, it provides tourists with a good introduction into the 'real' New Zealand, which is not covered within the traditional travel guide. Second, it is an enjoyable read. I have just one issue with the book. I believe that the author has 'cheated' in the second half of the book when he decides to stop hitch-hiking and decides to hire a car. He also becomes somewhat less detailed in the last quarter of the book (homesick to his dog??). I still recommend this book to all (potential) visitors to New Zealand.