One of New Zealand literature’s greatest misfires was David Ballantyne, author of the novels The Cunninghams and Sydney Bridge Upside Down.

Ballantyne was an alcoholic, and for this and other reasons, his output was severely curtailed. That’s a shame, because as C K Stead has commented,

To read again some of his best short stories, as I have recently done, is to be reminded of how effortlessly his prose moves, how well he manages narrative, what a sound sense of structure he had, and his easy grasp on the peculiar flavour of everyday New Zealand life and language.

Bryan Reid’s new book, After The Fireworks: A Life of David Ballantyne attempts to restore some of the gloss to Ballantyne’s tarnished reputation. It’s a worthy aim, and the material is excellent: Reid was a friend of Ballantyne’s, and many of his insights are memorable.

But for me, After The Fireworks didn't quite catch fire. The removal of all of Ballantyne's upper teeth, surely a traumatic experience (ask Martin Amis) is only mentioned in passing. And it's somewhat disconcerting to find Reid sticking to the 'third person' even when talking about himself:

Reid shook hands with a very tall, thin, pale-complexioned fellow with thick, straight, jet-black hair brushed back from a very high forehead.

Still, After The Fireworks is a necessary record of an unfortunate life, and for that we should be grateful. If you've read Dave Ballantyne's novels or have a particular interest in the history of post-war New Zealand literature, this book's for you.