Whaling days round N.Z.

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 23

Whaling days round N.Z.

Sealers and Whalers in New Zealand Waters. By Don Grady. Reed Methuen, 1986. 307 pp. Illustrations. $39.95. (Reviewed by Tom Weston)

Don Grady is already known for his earlier books on whaling in the Cook Strait area. In this volume he opens up to a wider panorama, examining not only whaling, but sealing as well. And this time, also, he is more abmitious in a geographical sense, covering that area from north beyond the Kermadecs to as far south as Campbell Island.

Grady’s research has been substantial, but this is not an academic work. He presents his material in a highly visual magazine format with masses of photographs, illustrations, and bold graphics. The text, comparatively brief, is tailored to match. This is a popular work, designed for ease of access. Some of the early photographs, in particular, are quite stunning. There is one, for example, of Tory Channel’s Te Awaiti in the 1890 s. Two whale boats show in the foreground, their crews held in a self-conscious pose. Behind them is the

beach and the settlement itself, tufted hills climbing rapidly in the rear. The amazement comes in the clarity, the photograph’s sense of immediacy, and the picture does indeed tell a thousand words.

There are many stories in these pages, but only too briefly told. It is clear there would be room for a more thorough-going history along the same lines. Don Grady’s easy prose style would seem ideally suited. This, though, is not to deflect attention away from a book which has different ambitions. Its aim is to attract a wide .audience. This is a significant part of New Zealand’s history and we should get to know about it.