Ruth Shaw runs two wee bookshops in remote Manapouri in the far south of New Zealand.  In her memoir, she weaves together remarkable sailing adventures, a yearning to be independent, characters who she meets on the sea and in her book shops, and the books you’ll want to read that she collects and sells.  Never a dull moment in Ruth Shaw’s full life.

‘Compelling. Shaw tells her own story free of oversentimentality or self-pity; she’s straightforward, frequently humorous, but, understandably, sometimes guarded and reluctant to overshare. Her resilience, optimism and willingness to always help others is to be admired; her remarkable story is to be read and reflected upon as it adds another vital perspective to a New Zealand life.’ Dionne Christian, Sunday Star Times – –

‘Utterly charming and filled with equal measures of heartbreak and humour, Ruth Shaw’s memoir will have you booking the first flight to New Zealand to share a cup of tea at her Wee Bookshops. Shaw has been a cook, a nurse, sailor and world traveller, and endured
immeasurable loss. But with Lance, the love of her life, Shaw has found her place bookselling in Fiordland.’ Booksellers’ Choice Australia

‘Shaw can write about these peaks and troughs [of her life] without a skerrick of maudlin introspection or mawkishness. Battered and emotionally bruised, she marches on. In a word, dauntless, and it’s exactly this quality that makes this memoir so readable.’ Chris Moore, NZ Listener

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