Wrestling with the Angel: A Life of Janet Frame

Wrestling with the Angel chronicles Janet Frame's life from her birth in 1924 New Zealand through her emergence as one of the country's most significant authors. The biography draws on Frame's personal papers, correspondence, and interviews with those who knew her. King traces Frame's journey from her working-class childhood through her struggles with mental health institutions and her eventual literary success. Her experiences in psychiatric hospitals, her travels abroad, and her development as a writer are documented with historical context and attention to detail. The book examines Frame's relationships with family, friends, and fellow writers, as well as her creative process and the real-life inspirations behind her work. Frame's interactions with publishers, critics, and the literary establishment of her era provide insight into both her career and the cultural landscape of mid-20th century New Zealand. This biography reveals the complex interplay between artistic genius, social pressures, and personal resilience that shaped both Frame's life and her literary output. The narrative challenges conventional assumptions about creativity, mental health, and the role of the artist in society.

Readers appreciate King's thorough research and access to Frame's personal papers and correspondence. Many note his balanced portrayal that dispels myths about Frame's mental health while examining her creative process. Several reviews mention the book provides context for Frame's own autobiography. Readers liked: - Clear chronological structure - Inclusion of previously unpublished letters - Exploration of Frame's relationship with her family - Details about her writing methods and inspiration Common criticisms: - Too much focus on day-to-day details vs. literary analysis - Dense academic tone in some sections - Limited discussion of Frame's later works Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (12 reviews) "King brings deep humanity to Frame's story" - Goodreads reviewer "Sometimes gets bogged down in minutiae" - Amazon reviewer "Definitive account of Frame's life but could use more critical analysis" - Library Journal review

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📚 Janet Frame initially trained to be a teacher but suffered a breakdown before completing her training - she was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and spent eight years in psychiatric hospitals. 🏆 Michael King spent over a decade researching Frame's life, with unprecedented access to her personal papers and correspondence, making this the only authorized biography of the acclaimed New Zealand author. ✍️ The biography's title comes from the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with an angel, reflecting Frame's lifelong struggle with creativity, identity, and mental health institutions. 🎯 Frame narrowly escaped a scheduled lobotomy in 1952 when her first book won a major literary prize, leading hospital authorities to cancel the procedure. 🌏 Despite her international success (including consideration for the Nobel Prize in Literature), Frame lived much of her life in relative seclusion, moving between New Zealand, England, and Spain while writing her groundbreaking novels and poetry.