Details

Shortlisted for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, This Compulsion In Us is the first nonfiction collection from acclaimed writer Tina Makereti — an intimate, lyrical, and deeply thoughtful exploration of identity, memory, creativity, and belonging.

Writing from within her many intersecting lives as a wahine Maori, teacher, traveller, daughter, and parent, Makereti reflects on whakapapa, home, loss, art, and transformation. Guided by tohu and the presence of tupuna, she moves between personal memoir and critical essay, exploring subjects such as reconnecting with whanau, motherhood, breast cancer treatment, colonialism, and the healing power of storytelling.

Rich with insight, emotional honesty, and intellectual depth, the collection examines how writing can become an act of resistance, reclamation, and survival. Makereti’s essays move through Te Kore, Te Po, and Te Ao Marama — worlds of darkness, becoming, and light — creating a work that is at once deeply personal and universally resonant.

Widely celebrated for her fiction and short stories, Tina Makereti brings her distinctive voice and storytelling brilliance to this unforgettable collection of essays and reflections.

Key Features:
• Shortlisted for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards
• First nonfiction collection by award-winning author Tina Makereti
• Blends memoir, cultural reflection, and literary essay
• Explores whakapapa, identity, art, healing, and decolonisation
• Powerful, lyrical writing grounded in Maori perspectives and storytelling traditions

Product Details:
• Author: Tina Makereti
• Format: Soft Cover
• ISBN: 9781776562299

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