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Awards 2009 Travel Book of the Year
| The Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of the Year Award was judged by Karen Goa, an award-winning freelance travel writer and a previous finalist in the Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book Awards, and Owen Scott, an author, journalist and editor. ‘An Island Calling’, the film based on his book ‘Deep Beyond the Reef’, is a multiaward winner. The judges enjoyed reading the twelve diverse entries immensely and commented that the impressively high standard this year made for a tightly contested shortlist. The awards were presented at a gala dinner held at the Heritage Auckland Grand Tearoom on Tuesday 31 March 2009. The Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of the Year Award is presented for the best original book of creative travel writing about any country, including New Zealand, and is run by Travcom (NZ Travel Communicators), whose aim is to encourage and improve travel writing. |
Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of the Year Award - Winner Joe Bennett Well-known Lyttelton author and humorist JoeBennett scooped the grand prize at the seventh annual Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of the Year Award for Where Underpants Come From (Harper Collins). Bennett picked up $2,000 cash plus $500 in book vouchers from Whitcoulls. Where Underpants Come From From Checkout to Cotton Field - Travels Through the New China Author: Joe Bennett Published by Harper Collins Publishers New Zealand ISBN: 978-1-84737-001-3 http://www.harpercollins.co.nz Joe Bennett's highly original Where Underpants Come From - a quest to track a five-pack of undies from Chinese cotton fields to New Zealand's menswear shelves - was a unanimous winner," said chief judge Karen Goa. ;Under Bennett's deft pen this is a tightly written, hilarious and compelling story with unexpected emotional depth for a tale about underpants. With this book Joe Bennett, who was a previous runner-up for these awards, proves he’s at the top of his craft. |
| Dunedin Writer Neville Peat received the runner up prize of $500 of Whitcoulls vouchers for "High Country Lark - an Invitation to Paradise" (Longacre Press). High Country Lark An invitation to Paradise Author: Neville Peat Published by Longacre book publishers 2008 ISBN: 9781877460142 For more information see the website: www.longacre.co.nz The judges also commented that runner up, ‘High Country Lark: An Invitation to Paradise’ by Neville Peat, is a sweet, slow seduction by a writer of great talent and even greater humility. This complex, mature book reveals a New Zealand many of us might have forgotten, or never knew existed. |
| The judges made two highly commended recommendations this year - firstly to Hamish Beaton, for his book "Under the Osakan Sun" published by Awa Press The judges said "Hamish Beaton’s book is a deeply personal, quirky and slightly chaotic story of teaching English in Japan (while desperately seeking a girlfriend). Beaton's debut travel book is warmly observed and disarmingly – sometimes alarmingly – honest. Under The Osakan Sun A Funny, Intimate, Wonderful Account of Three Years in Japan Author: Hamish Beaton Published by Awa Press New Zealand 2008 ISBN: 9780958275026 For more information see the website: www.awapress.com |
| The judges also awarded a Highly Commended Certificate to Roads Less Travelled, Twenty Years of Exploration with New Zealand Geographic by NZ Geographic's ex-editor Kennedy Warne (Penguin NZ Ltd). The judges said ‘Roads Less Travelled’ gently captivates the reader from page one. Lucid and lyrical, the book reflects Kennedy Warne’s love and respect for New Zealand’s wild landscapes and creatures. Roads Less Travelled Twenty Years of Exploration with New Zealand Geographic Author: Kennedy Warne Published by Penguin Publishers New Zealand 2008 ISBN: 9780143009894 For more information see the website: www.penguin.co.nz |
Whitcoulls Travel Book of the Year Award - Readers' Choice Plus this year, for the first time, readerswere asked to vote on-line for their favourite book in the Readers' Choice Award - a completely separate award from the Whitcoulls Travcom Travel Book of Year Award. Under the Osakan Sun by Hamish Beaton was the people's favourite. Beaton took away $500 in Whitcoulls vouchers. A lucky randomly chosen voter wins $100 in Whitcoulls vouchers. |
The twelve books entered this year and published in 2008 include: |
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For further information about any articles or the writers on this website please contact Travcom Administrator Helen Davies on Ph: (09) 624 5707 Email: helen.davies@clear.net.nz |