Ruth Shaw runs two tiny bookshops in the remote village of Manapouri in Fiordland, in the deep south of New Zealand. She has led a truly remarkable life of adventure and I was captured by her story from the opening page. Every chapter brings a new revelation - at times heart-breaking, at other moments so outrageous I sat there stunned.
Interspersed with delightful anecdotes from her times as a bookseller, this is a real treat and a fascinating examination on the cultural history of New Zealand. A brilliant read.
— Olivia