Author(s): Sheridan Gundry

Gisborne | Secondhand

Secondhand.

A Splendid Isolation is a beautifully illustrated reference book chock-full of stories that detail the history of the Gisborne East Coast district from 1950 until 2012. The first major history of the region since J A Mackay's Historic Poverty Bay and the East Coast of 1949, A Splendid Isolation is framed by five sections titled Rugged, Isolated, Fertile, Connected and Spirited to reflect the essence of the region and its people. The book begins with the power of the land, and charts the many challenges that successive groups and governing bodies have tackled - from erosion, flooding and earthquakes to the development of the region's infrastructure.  A Splendid Isolation celebrates the fertility of the land and sea, the way kinship and long-term commitment have built economic and social success, and the way the people of the region have used leisure activities - from kapa haka and the arts to sports on water and land - to build a collective spirit. From Abel to Zwart, from A & P Shows to yachting, A Splendid Isolation features hundreds of people and more than 1,300 photographs over its 520 pages. Preface by Dame Anne Salmond

VG with so many beautiful historical photos. Minor spots, and part of the hinge is slightly loose.