Hunting & High Country
Philip Holden’s Classic New Zealand Tales
Hodder Moa - $49.99
Philip Holden’s proud legacy is preserved in this handsome, richly illustrated volume to be published 8 October, 2009.
In a country which has produced more than its fair share of
outdoorsmen, legendary hunter, writer and photographer Philip Holden sits atop the very highest perch. His writing and photographs explore the heart of back-country New Zealand. From 1977 to 2005 Philip produced 54 books, many of them New Zealand classics. Hunting & High Country brings together his most-loved writing and photographs, from his illustrious career as a chronicler of our beautiful country.
One quiet Friday evening back in 1975, (I think it was September but my memory is a little hazy so don’t
hold me to that), while working in Beattie & Forbes Bookshop in Napier, a fellow of about my age walked into the shop and we got into conversation about NZ hunting and fishing books, in those days mostly published by AH & AW Reed. After a bit we introduced ourselves. His name was Philip Holden (pic right, PH in 1971) and he was working as a deer culler in the back blocks of Hawkes Bay. He said he was writing a book about his experiences and wondered about how such a book might sell. We talked at length, I encouraged him, and for the next few three years, until I left Napier to join the fledgling Penguin Books NZ operation in Auckland, Philip and I spent many a Friday night “ chewing the fat.
Philip Holden’s Classic New Zealand Tales
Hodder Moa - $49.99
Philip Holden’s proud legacy is preserved in this handsome, richly illustrated volume to be published 8 October, 2009.
In a country which has produced more than its fair share of
outdoorsmen, legendary hunter, writer and photographer Philip Holden sits atop the very highest perch. His writing and photographs explore the heart of back-country New Zealand. From 1977 to 2005 Philip produced 54 books, many of them New Zealand classics. Hunting & High Country brings together his most-loved writing and photographs, from his illustrious career as a chronicler of our beautiful country.One quiet Friday evening back in 1975, (I think it was September but my memory is a little hazy so don’t
hold me to that), while working in Beattie & Forbes Bookshop in Napier, a fellow of about my age walked into the shop and we got into conversation about NZ hunting and fishing books, in those days mostly published by AH & AW Reed. After a bit we introduced ourselves. His name was Philip Holden (pic right, PH in 1971) and he was working as a deer culler in the back blocks of Hawkes Bay. He said he was writing a book about his experiences and wondered about how such a book might sell. We talked at length, I encouraged him, and for the next few three years, until I left Napier to join the fledgling Penguin Books NZ operation in Auckland, Philip and I spent many a Friday night “ chewing the fat. In 1977 his first book, Pack & Rifle, about which we had spoken so often, was published, (if memory serves me correctly by then Hodder & Stoughton publisher, the late Neil Robinson), and in the years that followed until his untimely death in 2005 he became NZ’s most prolific and significant writer on the hunting & high country life.
I am so delighted for my late old friend and his partner of 14 years that Hachette has published this large and most handsome publication comprising the best of his work from his many published titles several of which now enjoy iconic status.
About the author:
Philip Holden was born in Wales in 1938. He migrated to Australia with his parents at the age of 14. Later he worked in the outback where he experienced his first hunting adventures. When he was 23 years old he came to New Zealand to join the New Zealand Government Forest Service. He wrote his first book, Pack and Rifle ,after his experiences as a deer culler. The book was published in 1977 and immediately became a best-seller, the first of many. On his death in 2005, Philip had created 54 published volumes of work, making him one of New Zealand’s most prolific and successful writers on the outdoors.
Books by Philip Holden
New Zealand non-fiction
Pack and Rifle (1971)
Hunter by Profession (1973)
Backblocks (1974)
The Deer Hunters (1976)
Seasons of a Hunter (1977)
The Hunting Breed (1979)
On Target (1981)
The Wild Pig in New Zealand (1982)
The Golden Years of Hunting in New Zealand (1983)
The Golden Years of Fishing in New Zealand (1984)
New Zealand: Hunters’ Paradise (1985)
Holden on Hunting (1986)
The Deer Stalkers (1987)
A Guide to Hunting in New Zealand (1987)
The Hunting Experience (1988)
Hunt South (1989)
More Holden on Hunting (1990)
Wild Game (1990)
Fall Muster (1991)
On the Routeburn Track (1991)
In Search of the Wild Pig (1992)
Station Country I: Back-country Life in New Zealand (1993)
Always Another Hill (1994)
Wild Boar (1994)
Holden’s New Zealand Venison Cookbook (1995)
Station Country II: Returning to the New Zealand Back Country (1995)
Great Hunting Yarns (1996)
Station Country III: The Last Muster (1997)
The Way of the Hunter (1997)
A Backcountry Journey (1998)
New Zealand Hunter (1998)
The Milford Track Adventure (1999)
Walking the Routeburn Track (1999)
50 Great Farmstays in New Zealand (2000)
Walking the Abel Tasman Coast Track (2000)
Riding Country (2001)
Station Country Omnibus (2001)
Hard Men (2002)
Once a Hunter (2003)
Station Life (2004)
Australian non-fiction
Outdoors in Australia (1980)
Along the Dingo Fence (1991)
Crocodile (1993)
Wild Pig in Australia (1994)
Children’s non-fiction
Sheep Station (1997)
Young adult fiction
Fawn (1976)
Stag (1980)
White Patch (1981)
Razorback (1984)
Children’s fiction
Lucy’s Bear (1996)
Farm Bear (2003)
That is a pretty bloody impressive publishing list don’t you think?
Well done Philip, rest in peace old friend.
I am so delighted for my late old friend and his partner of 14 years that Hachette has published this large and most handsome publication comprising the best of his work from his many published titles several of which now enjoy iconic status.
About the author:Philip Holden was born in Wales in 1938. He migrated to Australia with his parents at the age of 14. Later he worked in the outback where he experienced his first hunting adventures. When he was 23 years old he came to New Zealand to join the New Zealand Government Forest Service. He wrote his first book, Pack and Rifle ,after his experiences as a deer culler. The book was published in 1977 and immediately became a best-seller, the first of many. On his death in 2005, Philip had created 54 published volumes of work, making him one of New Zealand’s most prolific and successful writers on the outdoors.
Books by Philip Holden
New Zealand non-fiction
Pack and Rifle (1971)
Hunter by Profession (1973)
Backblocks (1974)
The Deer Hunters (1976)
Seasons of a Hunter (1977)
The Hunting Breed (1979)
On Target (1981)
The Wild Pig in New Zealand (1982)
The Golden Years of Hunting in New Zealand (1983)
The Golden Years of Fishing in New Zealand (1984)
New Zealand: Hunters’ Paradise (1985)
Holden on Hunting (1986)
The Deer Stalkers (1987)
A Guide to Hunting in New Zealand (1987)
The Hunting Experience (1988)
Hunt South (1989)
More Holden on Hunting (1990)
Wild Game (1990)
Fall Muster (1991)
On the Routeburn Track (1991)
In Search of the Wild Pig (1992)
Station Country I: Back-country Life in New Zealand (1993)
Always Another Hill (1994)
Wild Boar (1994)
Holden’s New Zealand Venison Cookbook (1995)
Station Country II: Returning to the New Zealand Back Country (1995)
Great Hunting Yarns (1996)
Station Country III: The Last Muster (1997)
The Way of the Hunter (1997)
A Backcountry Journey (1998)
New Zealand Hunter (1998)
The Milford Track Adventure (1999)
Walking the Routeburn Track (1999)
50 Great Farmstays in New Zealand (2000)
Walking the Abel Tasman Coast Track (2000)
Riding Country (2001)
Station Country Omnibus (2001)
Hard Men (2002)
Once a Hunter (2003)
Station Life (2004)
Australian non-fiction
Outdoors in Australia (1980)
Along the Dingo Fence (1991)
Crocodile (1993)
Wild Pig in Australia (1994)
Children’s non-fiction
Sheep Station (1997)
Young adult fiction
Fawn (1976)
Stag (1980)
White Patch (1981)
Razorback (1984)
Children’s fiction
Lucy’s Bear (1996)
Farm Bear (2003)
That is a pretty bloody impressive publishing list don’t you think?
Well done Philip, rest in peace old friend.
2 comments:
Thanks, Graham – it’s a lovely piece.
I have a lot of affection for Philip’s books as learned about the outdoors reading them as a city kid.
He enriched our culture with his storytelling and more latterly with his beautiful photos.
Hello Graham,
A fine tribute to a prolific writer and passionate outdoors man. I've just finished reading "Hunter by Profession" a good read and he mentions my uncle, Jock Erceg in Chapter Seventeen. Louise.
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