The Stewart Islanders. By Olga Sansom

Hardcover, faded spine, light blue hard covers with gilt spine titles Publisher: Reed, NZ, 249 pages including, appendix, bibliography and index, 44 b/w illustrations, mainly photos and some art and including portraits, map frontis and map end papers. Light blue hard covers with gilt spine titles

The author of "The Stewart Islanders" grew up on the island which had been home to her forebears, who were pioneer settlers there. The island is at the southern end the two main NZ islands, it is rugged, lies in wind swept and stomy seas and is the location of NZ's most southern community. Just as the island is rugged, the same can be applied to its residents, around who Olga Sansom had built her story, while also covering its natural history and all aspects of its settlement, ancient history, the development of its economies and its administration. Because of her close association with the island and its residents the author was able to weave many personalities, incidents -- tragic and otherwise --, the whaling days and the problems associated with living on an isolated territory separated from the mainland's facilities and services by the notorious Foveaux Strait, into her history. This is a compelling story of an island with a unique history. At the time of publication the author was again living on Stewart Island and gained many first hand recollections to add to her own knowledge and research.

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