A Glimpse into the Long-Running Booksellers/RNZ Book Review Programme
For decades, Booksellers Aotearoa has worked with Radio New Zealand to bring book reviews to readers across the motu via the programme known once upon a time as “Speaking Volumes.” I reached out to booksellers and reviewers to get a glimpse into the Booksellers/RNZ programme.
Louise Ward, co-owner of Wardini Books in Napier and Havelock North, came to on-air reviewing in about 2019. I asked her how she reviews books in the tiny, 3- to 5-minute slots provided. Then I realised that she would be a pro at this, as she has even shorter blocks of time available to her when making a sale in the bookshop. Louise says, “A good review, I think, deals with the plot mechanics quickly, with no spoilers, and then moves on to the how of the writing – is it lyrical, functional, plot or character driven? And then what does the reviewer like or dislike about the book.”
Actor and writer Elisabeth Easther of Auckland has been reviewing books on the radio and elsewhere since the 90s. “Kim Hill used to terrify me in a good way,” remembers Elisabeth, “and being on air with her reminded me of high school debating. I’d have to defend my opinion and when we agreed it was joyous and when we differed, I enjoyed the challenge of standing up for my opinion.”
Ralph McAllister, teacher, writer and theatre critic from Paekākāriki, has been reviewing on RNZ for going on 40 years and reminds us of the magic that is live radio. “I love the spontaneity of going into a studio … and I enjoy that desire to make people listen to you,” says Ralph, “even if it’s only for five, ten minutes at the most.” Ralph estimates he’s reviewed between 200 and 250 books on RNZ.
Quentin Johnson, an Australian ex-documentary film editor now living in Wellington, started reviewing in 2004 with Owen Sheers’s The Dust Diaries. Quentin reckons he’s reviewed “well over 100 books,” and like many long-time readers, Quentin has “loved books ever since [he] first picked one up.”
What happens when a reviewer doesn’t like a book? Well, diplomacy reigns. “I only try to choose books I think I’ll like as I do not want to give bad reviews, or if I do not like a book, I’ll be gentle in my criticism,” says Elisabeth.
Carole Beu, MNZM and owner of The Women’s Bookshop in Auckland, always chooses the novel she’s going to review. “I need to like it and think it’s worth recommending to radio listeners,” she says. “I don’t see any point in reviewing a book that I didn’t enjoy and am critical of.”
Importantly, the radio reviews help sell books. In spring 2024, Carole reviewed Elizabeth Strout’s Tell Me Everything. Carole told me she was given an even shorter block for this review due to sharing airtime with a big news item. “I … did a quick rave about the book and said it was going immediately on my select list of the best books I had ever read,” recalls Carole. “Three copies had sold before I even drove back to the shop and I understand that lots of booksellers got requests for ‘Carole’s best book’!”
The programme contributes to an ongoing conversation around books, reading, writing and literacy in New Zealand. “The value of the programme,” says Louise, “is that there’s a book discussed every single day on our national radio. I know there’s been bit of discourse about this recently but the fact that listeners know there’s a daily review, and that it often features NZ authors, makes it a reliable feature of our landscape.”
That landscape, however, like much to do with books, is always changing. Ralph reminds us that “there is less attention, less time, devoted to books in particular, the arts in general. And that’s sad.”
The next time you catch the book review with Kathryn Ryan on Nine to Noon at 10.35am, just think of the thousands of reviews that have come before it, pitching New Zealand books and authors (and international titles, too!) to ears across Aotearoa.
Thanks for reading (and listening!),
Sarah
The suitably loud Speaking Volumes logo above is from c. 2006.