Saturday, September 25, 2010

Graeme Hunt: Farewell to a fine author


We are very sad to share the news that Graeme Hunt, an outstanding author with whom we had a close working relationship, died suddenly at his home in Auckland on Wednesday. Graeme, who had just turned 58, had recently undergone minor heart surgery but had subsequently been feeling healthy and positive.

Graeme was an outstanding historian and journalist, a writer with rare insight into business, a publisher in his own right, a tireless supporter of New Zealand books, a generous soul and a friend to many.

He published his first books under his own imprint, Waddington Press, before I commissioned his best-selling The Rich List: Wealth and Enterprise in New Zealand, published by Reed in 2000. Subsequently he published four other works with us at Reed and one with Penguin.

Last year Waddington and Oratia Media jointly published First to Care, the 125-year history of St John in New Zealand, which received excellent reviews and has sold strongly. At the time of his death we were working on first proofs of a major agricultural history he edited, and planning further projects. He was prolific and meticulous as a writer, producing 15 books in all, while being active as a reviewer and mentor to other writers.

Graeme was always politically engaged, and was standing as an independent in the October local body elections in the Albany ward. But he never let his own views cloud his respect for healthy, democratic debate.

Our sympathies go to his wife Saluma, his first wife Jennifer, his children Robert and Ellen, and his family members.

I will be promoting Graeme’s work at the Frankfurt Book Fair in ten days’ time, and Libro International will follow up on the commitment I’d earlier made to Graeme to keep as much as possible of his work in print.

Peter Dowling







Friday, September 10, 2010

Frankfurt Book Fair 2010


Creative New Zealand has posted our profile as one of the four publishers it is supporting to exhibit at the Frankfurt Book Fair next month.

Follow this link for more information.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Te Ara: Māori Pathways of Leadership



Coming this month is our newest publication Te Ara: Māori Pathways of Leadership, a full-colour paperback that documents the trajectory of Māori leadership from first settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand through to the challenges and opportunities of the present day.

This 32-page book is concisely written by Paul Tapsell, professor of Māori studies at the University of Otago, with Dr Merata Kawharu, director of the James Henare Māori Research Centre of the University of Auckland, and features beautiful photos by Krzysztof Pfeiffer, photographer at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and author of over 20 books.

After a general introduction to Māori history, Te Ara focuses on the stories of iwi in five regions – Hokianga, Peowhairangi (Bay of Islands) Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Waiariki (Rotorua-Taupo) and Murihiku (Otago-Southland).

Te Ara accompanies an exhibition that will open in Olsztyn, Poland, on 22 September, before touring in Poland and then elsewhere to Europe. The present edition contains text in three languages – Māori, English and Polish – definitely a first!

Te Ara: Māori Pathways of Leadership - ISBN 978-1-877514-12-8 - retails at $19.99


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