Acclaimed Scottish booktown author to speak at Featherston Booktown.
18 July, 2018
Shaun Bythell Internationally acclaimed Scottish second hand and rare bookseller and celebrated author of The Diary of a Bookseller, will be the guest at a Featherston Booktown author’s event on Monday, August 27.
Shaun owns The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Booktown. He is one of the topline national and international authors who will feature in this year’s WORD Christchurchfrom 29 August — 2 September at The Piano.
His book was described by a reviewer in the Irish Times as “one of the funniest and most honest books you’ll read this year. It’s a real treat for book nerds, with stories of obnoxious customers, occasional discoveries of rare literary gems and the extermination of a Kindle by shooting, and proudly mounting it as a trophy in the shop.”
Shaun will be speaking in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin as well as Christchurch during his tour.
Getting him to come to Historic Featherston Booktown was something of a fluke, according to Lincoln Gould, owner of Messines Bookshop in Featherston and Founding Kaumātua of Featherston Booktown.
“We went cap in hand to Rachael King the Director of WORD Christchurch, and asked if it might be possible for Shaun to come to our small town, about the size of Wigtown.
“Rachael’s reply was ‘yes, as long as you can organise a day’s trout fishing for him’. That proved to be easy with a couple of keen local fishermen volunteering to take Shaun out. But it will be August and the rivers might be somewhat cloudy so we have a Plan B,” said Gould
The Featherston event will be held at The Loft on Tarureka Estate, Donald St, at 7 pm with $20 tickets available on Event Finder, and at Featherston’s own bookshops.
Aside from recounting tales from his diary, Shaun will also be able to discuss the experiences of Wigtown as a Booktown in a discussion with Sue Ryan of Mr Feather’s Den as well as sign copies of his book.
Ends……..
For further information call: Lincoln Gould 021 753 920
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.1% Human-centred experience and communication
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15.1% Critical thinking
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30% Resilience and adaptability
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2.9% Other - I will share below!
Calling South Wairarapa Artists!
Wairarapa Art Trail is inviting local artists to be part of our 2026 Art Trail, happening 26–27 September 2026.
If you have a studio or art space and would like to open your doors to the public during the trail, we’d love to hear from you!
📧 Please email your expression of interest to: wairarapaarttrail@gmail.com
Let’s showcase the creativity of South Wairarapa together — feel free to share this post with fellow artists!
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