Mad or Bad Mad or Bad The Life and Exploits of Amy Bock (1859–1943) The Life and Exploits of Amy Bock (1859–1943) Jenny Coleman Jenny Coleman

Amy Bock’s life has been the inspiration for plays, books, a television documentary, Amy Bock’s life has been the inspiration for plays, books, a television documentary, a photographic exhibition, a musical composition and now a series of events a photographic exhibition, a musical composition and now a series of events surrounding the re-enactment of her wedding as Percy Redwood at Kaka Point 100 surrounding the re-enactment of her wedding as Percy Redwood at Kaka Point 100 years ago. years ago.

Mad or Bad? is the first full-length biography of ’s most notorious Mad or Bad? is the first full-length biography of New Zealand’s most notorious female criminal con artist. Born in female criminal con artist. Born in , , Amy had a convict Hobart, Tasmania, Amy had a convict heritage on both sides of the family. heritage on both sides of the family. While she gained notoriety in 1909 While she gained notoriety in 1909 for her impersonation of a man and for her impersonation of a man and marriage with an unsuspecting woman, marriage with an unsuspecting woman, her whole life had been one of fraud and her whole life had been one of fraud and misrepresentation. After teaching for six misrepresentation. After teaching for six years in Victorian schools until she was years in Victorian schools until she was asked to resign, she migrated to New asked to resign, she migrated to New Zealand in 1884. Assuming a variety Zealand in 1884. Assuming a variety of persona and remaining conveniently of persona and remaining conveniently itinerant, she pursued a consistent course itinerant, she pursued a consistent course of petty crime for the next twenty-five of petty crime for the next twenty-five years. In presenting her colourful and years. In presenting her colourful and chequered life, this biography leaves chequered life, this biography leaves the reader to judge whether she was the reader to judge whether she was essentially mad or bad. essentially mad or bad.

Author Author Jenny Coleman is currently Programme Coordinator for the Women’s Studies Jenny Coleman is currently Programme Coordinator for the Women’s Studies Programme at Massey University and Coordinating Editor for the Women’s Studies Programme at Massey University and Coordinating Editor for the Women’s Studies Journal. Her research interests are in nineteenth-century women’s history, feminist Journal. Her research interests are in nineteenth-century women’s history, feminist biography and media representations of feminism. biography and media representations of feminism.

ISBN 978 1 877372 71 1 $45.00 approx ISBN 978 1 877372 71 1 $45.00 approx Mad or Bad Mad or Bad The Life and Exploits of Amy Bock (1859–1943) The Life and Exploits of Amy Bock (1859–1943) Jenny Coleman Jenny Coleman

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