Author(s): Alison Parr

Politics & Current Affairs

What remains when a city vanishes? Remembering Christchurch captures the human heritage that survives the devastation of the Canterbury earthquakes. In evocative interviews, older citizens share their precious memories, bringing Christchurch back to life - from familiar streets, shops and churches to pubs, tearooms and dance halls; from movie theatres and pie carts in the Square to milkshakes at the Dainty Inn on High Street. There are tales of cherished homes in red-zoned suburbs such as Dallington, and of earlier trips through the tunnel to the port of Lyttelton. Woven through these stories, a social history of Christchurch emerges, exposing shifting attitudes to class, race, religion, sex and the place of women. Vivid and revealing, these rich memories create a lasting legacy for a much-loved city.