After five immersive weeks into my new job, I’ve had a chance to meet many wonderful champions of the local literary scene. From publishers to writers to media figures - all have shared their passion for books in general, and for New Zealand writing in particular.

It’s been an exceptional year for the local book industry, with the publication of works by a cluster of prominent New Zealand authors – with more on the horizon. I’m looking forward to welcoming some of those familiar and much-loved names onto the stage at the Festival next May.

Meanwhile, at a beach near you, I will be wiping the sand off the pages of several recently published books from here and abroad. Included in my summer reading line-up are a couple of novels:

Bonnie Garmus’ proto-feminist literary sensation, Lessons in Chemistry is a timely reminder of the debt owed to those women who stood up to misogyny (insidious as well as overt) at the dawn of the 1960s. Garmus balances serious themes with a rollicking, laugh-out-loud prose style that hooks you from page one. Waterstones Author of the Year - Barnes & Noble Book of the Year - Dymocks Book of the Year.

In Treacle Walker written by Alan Garner, a lonely, reclusive child who plays with his marbles, reads comics and collects birds’ eggs - forms a strange friendship with an old rag and bone man called Treacle Walker. Taking the reader on a mythical wander through time, the book has been described as ‘playful, moving and wholly remarkable’ (The Guardian) and ‘a small miracle’ (New Statesman). At 87-years-old, Garner is the oldest author ever to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize (2022).

Further ahead, I’m looking forward to the release of Robin Morrison’s The South Island of New Zealand From The Road – which was an overnight literary success when it first published in 1981. After going out of print, it famously became one of the most sought-after titles online and in second-hand bookshops around the country, with original copies selling for hundreds of dollars. As a young publicist, I was privileged to work with Robin and can’t wait to read through the pages of this hard-won reissue when it is launched in March.

Whatever is on your bedside pile - happy reading everyone and have a relaxing summer break.

Kathleen Drumm

Chief Executive