Westies

Up Front Out There

Bob Harvey

Photographs by Antoine Gasperini

Once a Westie, always a Westie . . . there’s something special about people who have ever lived in West Auckland. It’s as if they have been imbued with a spirit of freedom and independence by the west’s awesome landscape, its commanding hills, rain forest and wild beaches. From Te Atatu to Titirangi, from Piha to Helensville, the west is full of extraordinary characters: pioneers, grafters, artists and visionaries. This book celebrates the lives of many of these wonderful people.

Enthusiasm, creativity, tolerance and a ‘can do’ attitude mark out the true Westie. In this book, Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey profiles 60 prominent and not so prominent Westies from all walks of life. Among those chosen for inclusion are rugby legend Michael Jones, fashion designer Karen Walker, potter Len Castle, Judge Mick Brown, singer Jan Hellriegel, the pioneering Bethells family, writer Sandra Coney, the Lawson quins and Maori leader Pita Sharples. Some surprising inclusions are singer John Rowles, Sir Edmund Hillary, naturists Les and Laurel Olsen and the exotic Mistress Sabrina, as well as some great Westie icons: the black T-shirt, the Holden V8 and Lion Rock. In his introduction, Bob Harvey explains what it means to be a Westie and why the area produces so many extraordinary characters. The text is supported by a large number of original photographs by the talented Titirangi photographer, Antoine Gasperini.

Reviews

‘Harvey’s passion and flowing writing style is matched by the fine photography of another Westie, Antoine Gasperini who so delightfully and accurately portrays the personalities of ‘Our Westies’. The Bay News

‘Profiles the colourful characters of Auckland’s west, bred from pioneering stock – grafters, artists, and visionaries. It’s also about Westie icons, like the black T-shirt, Lion Rock and the Holden V-8. Who better to write about Westies than a quintessential Westie.’
New Zealand Herald

SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 200 x 248 mm
Format: Paperback with flaps
Extent: 192 pages
120 photographs
Weight: 800 gms
First published: October 2004
ISBN: 978-0-908988-38-9

You might also be interested in ...

Hear Our Voices, We Entreat

The extraordinary story of New Zealand’s national anthems
‘God Defend New Zealand’ is our national anthem but seems to have a remarkable capacity to create ‘strife and war’ rather than ‘bonds of love’. So why is this controversial song our national anthem? The story is a curious one.

AU $29.95
RRP (includes GST)

Growing Tall Poppies

Excellence in Top New Zealanders
Tall poppies. We love them, we hate them, we admire them, we envy them: people who excel in their chosen field. But do we encourage people to be winners in New Zealand? Do we support talent and reward success? And are we encouraging our children to participate or to win?