Gerri Kimber researches her forthcoming Katherine Mansfield biography

​As this year’s recipient of the Friends of the Turnbull Library Research Fellowship, Dr Geri Kimber, Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Northampton is spending time in New Zealand completing research on her forthcoming Katherine Mansfield biography, Katherine Mansfield: The Early Years.

The research grant is awarded annually to a researcher who plans to make significant use of the Turnbull Library’s collections of rare and unpublished manuscripts. Gerri is using the grant to explore the collection’s world-renowned archives on New Zealand’s most celebrated author, Katherine Mansfield.

During her time in New Zealand, Gerri has also been invited to be a guest speaker at public talks on Mansfield at various locations. On 4 August at the National Library of New Zealand she discussed Katherine Mansfield’s spiritual development, and on 5 August at the Wellington City Gallery she talked about her recent discovery in Chicago of almost 30 unknown poems by Mansfield. Her next talk takes place at the Paramount on 18 August and will be centred on Mansfield and Poland.

Gerri commented: “It’s winter here in New Zealand, but the damp, wet weather has not prevented me from making the most of this wonderful opportunity to research at New Zealand’s National Library and to present details of my research to the literary community in Wellington.”

Listen to Gerri on New Zealand National Radio discussing Katherine Mansfield unknown poems.