Five quick questions with Ruth Shaw
1 Running bookshops is not a big moneyspinner in the best of times, and yours is remote. How have you fared during the pandemic?
My bookshops are only open for seven months of the year as Manapouri, with a permanent population of 222, basically shuts down over winter. As I am retired, I am extremely lucky to have the absolute luxury of not needing to make an income. I pay no electricity or rent as I have a solar panel and the three bookshops are on our land. My only overhead is insurance. Lance, my versatile husband, works for free not only as a handyman but he looks after customers in the shops when I am needed elsewhere.
I thought my income would drop considerably with the lack of overseas tourists, but New Zealanders have mostly filled the gap. My wee business is stress-free, with flexible opening hours and amazing support from the Fiordland community.
2 Your memoir is about your life, and your life with books. What are three of your all-time favourite books and why?
I have so many favourite books that it is hard for me to select just three. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, published in 2019, has been added to my favourites list over the last year as the more I read it, the more I love it. You fall in love with each character: the lonely wee boy, the mole who lives for cake, the fox who has been hurt by life, and the enormous gentle horse. When I worked with youth, I frequently gave them a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but now I would give them Mackesy’s book as it is about friendship, courage, life and love.
The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Love of Words, by Simon Winchester, is a true story about how the Oxford English Dictionary was compiled by many researchers and philologists. One of the most prolific early contributors was William Chester Minor, a retired US Army surgeon who, for 38 years, was imprisoned for murder in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, near the village of Crowthorne. When I reach for my dictionary I often think of Minor and his brilliant mind.
Thomas Hardy — how to choose just one of his books, let alone one of his poems. When a customer wants to be introduced to the classics, I generally give them a copy of Tess of the d’urbervilles. Hardy challenges the strict Victorian code on sexual morals, a very brave stand to take back in the 1890s. Maybe I was drawn to this book because of Tess being raped, her life changed in a very dramatic way, especially when she became pregnant. This is an extremely sad book, beautifully written with tenderness.
3 Why do you think bookshops attract such fascinating characters?
People who read and love books are generally very interesting. They analyse, ask questions and many have great stories of their own to tell. Because my three Wee Bookshops are located in such a remote town, and are painted in multiple bright colours, people who don’t even read books are drawn to the door. Non-readers are often a little embarrassed as they are not going to buy a book, but their curiosity brings them into the world of books. My husband stops at every wharf to look at boats; I stop at every bookshop. Once in the door, you are in a different world.
4 You have started over many times. Where does your resilience come from?
My father made me stand up for myself from a young age. Honesty was important. No matter what the situation he was always up for a challenge, carrying us along with him for the ride (often a rough ride, especially for my mother).
My mother taught me to listen, to question, to believe in myself, and to dream.
In her severe but understanding way, my grandmother taught me life skills through playing cards. She was tough, straighttalking, and harsh with me. It was as though she knew my life would be full of challenges, and it was up to her to give me the skills to survive.
5 You say that at 75 you are still a rebel at heart. In what ways does this shine through and does it still get you in trouble?
Yes, I frequently get into trouble, many times without trying. I do not hesitate to stand up for what I believe in. I am not scared of authority. Fighting for the environment means you have to have your facts right and be well prepared for the difficult (and sometimes even stupid) questions. I always put my name to anything I write as I am confident that my research is thorough. If I believe something is wrong, I will dedicate my time and energy to challenge it.