"Ravaged Beauty" wins prestigious Sherrard Award

Last week I learned that my first book, Ravaged Beauty: An environmental history of the Manawatu, has won the major award (sole winner) of the J.M. Sherrard Award in New Zealand Regional and Local History.

This is a biennial award inaugurated by W. J. Gardener in 1972 to commemorate the life and work of the late John Sherrard. The award is the only national award for local and regional history in New Zealand.

The 2016 judging was made by a panel comprised of some of New Zealand's leading academic historians: Adjunct Professor Geoffrey Rice (University of Canterbury), Associate Professor Caroline Daley (University of Auckland) and Associate Professor Jim McAloon (Victoria University of Wellington).

Needless to say, it is wonderful to get this kind of recognition from a panel of this caliber, and I am decidedly chuffed!