More Stories from New Zealand’s Back Country
By Tony Orman
Down a Country Road II returns to New Zealand’s challenging and beautiful back country and the colourful personalities who have made these isolated regions their home.
Tony Orman says “I wrote this second book due the incredible success of Volume 1, as well as my admiration and respect for our forefathers’ individual way of life. Otherwise their remarkable lives and ways get covered by the dusts of time and vanish.”
Down a Country Road II features stories of resilience and survival as these hardened Kiwis wrestle a living from the land despite extreme conditions. These tales of the explorers and trailblazers encapsulate a way of life that has nearly disappeared.
Tony captures the unique voices of these pioneers who embrace a tough way of life with a wry sense of humour and no 8-wire sensibility that is as entertaining as it is inspiring.
Often the characters are eccentric and literally made the mountains their home like Bert Barra and Joe Gibbs in the Tararua Ranges.
There is also the colourful missionary-explorer William Colenso who crossed the Ruahine Ranges in the 1840s, the ex-deer culler who turned into a gold fossicker or the legend of the Lost Tribe of Fiordland.
This book should appeal strongly to hunting and fishing enthusiasts with tales of legendary deer hunter Lloyd Vient who shot some magnificent red deer trophies in the Dart Valley, Alain Jorion’s “Grand Slam” of Hunting and the environmental crusader and NZDA president John B Henderson.
There’s tragedy and triumphs, humour and fortitude and battles against the elements and harsh conditions all within the pages of Down a Country Road II.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Orman has worked as an editor and journalist for many years and is also a keen recreational fisherman and hunter. He has been a committed regional and national outdoors and environmental advocate for more than 50 years. He has written more than 20 books. The first book in this series, Down a Country Road, Stories from New Zealand’s Heartland, was also published by New Holland and sold out in just six weeks.