Wild Islands: Gordon EII
—David G. Collingwood
Among the scatter of islands in the Hauraki Gulf, more than 100 of them, Gordon Ell has selected the wilder ones, the ones that grab the imagination for their history, their naturalness, and their ruggedness, and has produced an eminently readable book. The colour photography and the excellent black and white photos combine to give vision to the scenes conjured by the text. That New Zealand has these islands rivalling the remote islands of Oceania, right here on Northland’s and Auckland’s doorstep, gives the cry ‘‘See New Zealand first’’ real truth.
‘*Hope you enjoy the story’’, said Gordon Ell when sending me the review copy. That I certainly did. One marvels at the story, for such is the skill of the author to weld natural history, archaeology, early mining ventures, pioneer settlements, vistas of landscape and seascape, geology, and people into an impelling narrative. In all this is a book of great beauty, brimming with all the things one would wish to know of these islands. It is surprising and delightful.
Bush Press, $17.85.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/FORBI19830501.2.19.1
Bibliographic details
Forest and Bird, Volume 14, Issue 6, 1 May 1983, Page 24
Word Count
181Wild Islands: Gordon EII Forest and Bird, Volume 14, Issue 6, 1 May 1983, Page 24
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