Faces in the Fire, and Other Fancies

A wandering narrator looks back on the stark arrival in New Zealand in 1895, when the landscape was a rugged, empty horizon and every step felt like stepping into a world that knew no one. The early pages blend vivid travel impressions with quiet humor, sketching life in a remote manse and later in a Tasmanian home, while the voice gently measures the passage of twenty‑one years through everyday moments of work, worship, and friendship.

Interwoven with these memories are playful essays that compare the thrill of new experiences to the “bombshells” that keep life surprising. From a melancholy bear forced to perform to reflections on birth and invention, the author celebrates the endless novelty of ordinary days. The collection feels like a series of intimate letters to old companions and a warm invitation to new listeners, offering both nostalgic scenery and thoughtful musings on what makes each day feel fresh.