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The Forrests by Emily Perkins

At the age of seven Dorothy Forrest and her odd, disenfranchised family moves from New York City to the wide skies of Auckland. We follow her life and that of those she loves to the very end of her life - through the wilderness of a commune, to falling in love, to early marriage and motherhood, from the glorious anguish of parenting to the loss of everything worked for and the unexpected return of love.

Read by Fiona Samuel

Adapted by Anna Rogers

Produced for RNZ by Prue Langbein

  • The Forrests - Part 1

    11:00 AM.Seven-year-old Dorothy Forrest moves with her family - American father Frank, mother Lee and older siblings Michael and Evelyn - from New York City to Westmere, Auckland. Michael's new friend Daniel… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 2

    11:00 AM.Two debt collectors come to the Forrests house and Dorothy, now a student at training college, has to deal with them. Among the debts she discovers lots of unpaid driving fines for when she and Daniel… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 3

    11:00 AM.Evelyn, the oldest of the Forrest girls, goes to visit her father who is living in a house in the country. It's very cold and Frank isn't in great shape. Eve is envious of Dorothy and her life which… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 4

    11:00 AM.Dorothy is having a baby with Andrew and they get engaged. She tells Eve who wants to go to the scan,and meets with Daniel who asks why she got together with Andrew. Andrew's family and all the… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 5

    11:00 AM.Evelyn and Daniel are working in a ski resort in Canada. She's upset when Daniel is late back from a lesson with the 13 year old son of the family she's looking after. Daniel takes off. Back in New… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 6

    11:00 AM.Dorothy and Andrew go on holiday with thier children - Grace and new baby Amy. Evelyn and her husband Nathan join them with their daughter Lou. Dot saves Grace from drowning in the pool. Evelyn is… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 7

    11:00 AM.Dorothy and Andrew get the news that Eve is seriously injured in hospital. The parents fly from the U.S. with Ruth and they all keep vigil. Dot realises that Eve had an affair with Daniel. Eve returns… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 8

    11:00 AM.Dorothy, overweight and agoraphobic, invites a young mechanic, Sam, into her house. He walks with her to pick up the children from school. She's invited to a school reunion and Daniel is there. They… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 9

    11:00 AM.Dorothy goes to the BetterSelf Program to try and sort herself out. She contacts her brother Michael. Daniel comes over to her house while her husband Andrew is out. Dorothy meets Rena from the… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 10

    11:00 AM.Dorothy and Andrew's four children are growing up and the couple struggle with the changes in their lives. Ruth comes to stay and brings her friend Hank. The Forrest parents have left everything to… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 11

    11:00 AM.The Forrests watch an old home movie together. Daniel sends a letter telling Dorothy he's married. Dot tells Andrew they should get a divorce. She moves in with Grace, helping with her grandchildren… Read more Audio

  • The Forrests - Part 12

    11:00 AM.Dorothy tries ringing Daniel in Spain and gets his ex wife who tells him he's in New Zealand. She and Daniel meet in a park and she's introduced to his 14 year old son Oscar. Dot is in hospital… Read more Audio

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