Stunning sequel to The Bookseller at the End of the World, this picks up Ruth Shaw's story with more charming, heartbreaking, funny, daring and heartwarming tales from a woman who has lived a brave and fascinating life.
The Bookseller at the End of the World described the first part of Ruth Shaw's tumultuous life, touching readers in powerful ways. For some it was an entertaining read, for others it provided the guiding light they needed, helping them find courage, and strength to survive trauma.
Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World starts with Ruth having found the love of her life, Lance. It tells of their sailing adventures together: yacht racing, sailing across the Tasman, to the Sub Antarctic Islands and building up an eco-tourism business on their boat in Dusky Sound.
After getting married when Ruth was 65 (her fourth marriage) they travelled the world, set up their wee bookshops and became conservation activists, No 'retiring' for them! Life has never been simple or easy for Ruth and she recounts how she has continued to struggle to face her fears and anxieties. Despite that, her book is chock full of the many extraordinary people and situations she has encountered, many of these stories laugh-out loud funny.
And as with the first book, tales from the bookshops are interwoven into Ruth's life story, along with many book recommendations.
Written in Ruth's characteristic style, this traverses the highs and lows of a life lived to the full, creating another deeply satisfying read.
Industry Reviews
Praise for The Bookseller at the End of the World
'Shaw's writing is pragmatic and restrained; her voice is so strong and assured that when grief appears you gasp at its intrusion and your heart stops a second.' Alexa Dretzke, Readings Hawthorn
'Amazing!' Jack Tame, Newstalk ZB
'A fascinating, funny and moving story.' Nicky Pellegrino, New Zealand Woman's Weekly
'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
'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
'Compelling. Shaw tells her own story free of over-sentimentality or self-pity; she's straightforward, frequently humorous... Her resilience, optimism and willingness to help others is to be admired; her remarkable story is to be read and reflected upon as it adds another vital perspective to a NZ life.' Dionne Christian, Sunday Star-Times
