13 June 2014
A book by Rotorua author Jim Rotherham about his Gallipoli war veteran father is the first to feature in a "Local Books" section at Atlantis Books.
Jim, who has published several books previously, has produced "a history book entitled Hori Kaiporka. The book tells the story of his father, George Richard Rotherham (1889-1975), who was a long-time resident of Rotorua and a Gallipoli veteran.
Born in 1889 and raised under Spartan conditions, George Rotherham was a tough little man who lived through many hard experiences, including the Gallipoli campaign, where he was wounded after six weeks of fighting, and, a few years after the war, he also suffered a near-fatal accident.
Despite his lack of formal education he became a farmer, churchman, community leader and unpaid social worker. George was also a great storyteller and humorist. Nearly forty years after his death, his stories and stories of his life are still recounted by Jim Rotherham, the youngest of George's ten children.
"Local Books" is a new initiative by Atlantis Books in Eruera Street and Rotorua-based BMS Books, a local firm helping authors with their writing, editing and publishing. Under the scheme, local writers have their included in a locally produced books section of the bookshop, with a special feature stand at the front of the store.
For more information, contact Atlantis Books and BMS.