Lynley Hood
Description
Hood was born in 1942 in Hamilton, New Zealand. She has an MSc in Physiology, and LittD from University of Otago. She currently lives in Dunedin. Hood worked in medical research until 1979, after which she worked as a freelance writer.] She has published a number of biographies and non-fiction works. She has also been published in New Zealand Books, the Otago Daily Times, the New Zealand Listener, New Zealand Author, and North & South.
Books
A City Possessed
A City Possessed is the harrowing account of one of New Zealand’s most high-profile criminal cases – a story of child sexual abuse allegations, gender politics and the law. In detailing the events of the 1990s that led up to and surrounded the allegations made against several staff of the Christchurch Civic Crèche, author Lynley Hood shows how and why such a case could happen. A City Possessed won the Montana Medal for Non-Fiction at the 2002 Montana New Zealand Book Awards. Her penetrating analysis of the social and legal processes by which the conviction of Peter Ellis was obtained, and repeatedly upheld, raises major issues for our justice system and the way we see ourselves. Peter Ellis served seven years of a 10-year jail sentence for abusing seven children at the Christchurch Civic Crèche. He has always maintained his innocence, and has gained widespread support for what many see as a miscarriage of justice. Includes bibliographical references (p. 617-657) and index.
Sylvia
Who is Sylvia?
"For four years Lynley Hood was obsessed, or possibly possessed, by Sylvia Ashton-Warner. This ... diary is a record of Hood's experiences and reflections as she pieced together the multi-dimensional puzzle of Sylvia Ashton-Warner's life for her award winning biography, Sylvia! Hood reveals the fascination and complexities of the biographer's search; the highs of extraordinary discoveries, the lows of confusion and doubt, the frustrations and intrigue of the New Zealand literary scene and the author's own development as a solitary full-time writer "--Back cover.