The story of how the meteorological service was established on Campbell Island, the most remote Subantarctic island and now a World Heritage site, is known to very few. George Poppleton’s book takes you right there. In 1955 George was selected by the Civil Aviation Authority to lead a small group of men to construct a weather station on Campbell Island. Contracted for a year at a time, they learned to live together, work together, and have fun together on a difficult, yet very beautiful island. Some, like George, found life on the island - with all its isolation and harshness - extended them and returned to serve further years in the Subantarctic. The equipment provided for them often fell well short of their needs, having been selected, like the men, without any environmental testing. George’s narrative conveys the feel and smell of the place as he relates their day-to-day lives. His discovery and descriptions of the island’s flora and fauna are a delight. Photography was a favourite pastime and many of George’s colour images are included in the book. The quality is remarkable for the period. Above all it’s a good read, he has a way with a yarn and there are numerous incidents to make you laugh, or commiserate with their frustration, throughout the book.
ISBN 0-473-07023-5
250 pages, 12 in colour, and 40 with black & white
photographs & drawings. 170x240mm. $39.95 + p&p
Somehow, this determined, manipulative and very ill man managed to convince me I’d promised to publish his book. I know I hadn’t, and I certainly didn’t want to; I wasn’t even sure I had the skills, let alone the money. After too short a time of having it freehold, I re-mortgaged the house and with the help of my friend Wendy Harland as proof reader and co-editor and a patient printer in Greytown, I published a book — George Poppleton’s revealing tale about life on subantarctic Campbell Island in the mid-1950s. It looked good with all George’s images, and I had 500 copies to sell.
I created coloured flyers, printed them on my trustee Epson inkjet, and posted them all over the country to George’s colleagues and other subantarctic aficionados. My friend Morice provided a list of marketing avenues to pursue. These had me transporting George (low flying he called it) from the Hutt into Radio New Zealand House for an interview and appearing on local TV; as-well-as sending off copies to newspapers and magazines for review.
George’s chronic emphysema and heart disease held at bay long enough for him to delight in the book launch I organised at the Wellington City and Sea Museum. But for me, the best time and most fun was the presentation I gave at the National Library.
The original project between me and George was an oral history. Looking to hone my skills I accepted the challenge — it took three years of Saturday mornings (when George was well enough). For the presentation I married his wheezing, gravelly voice with pictures and text and then practised and practised. On the day everything co-operated. The projector and computer aligned, the sound system worked, I was informative, witty and bright, the applause was just great and I sold 20 books.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_Island,_New_Zealand
When I moved house recently I discovered about 50 books. Most are still pristine with about 10 damaged. All are for sale - please contact: jenifa@paradise.net.nz
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