It could be this reviewer is a bit sensitive to grumpiness himself, being of the age of some of, but not many, of those included in the book.
In alphabetical order, the entries with southern links include Roy Colbert, David Eggleton, Sam Neill, Ron Palenski, Martin Phillipps and of course no list of grumps is complete without Brian Turner and Grahame Sydney.
The book contains some remarkable admissions from some high-profile New Zealanders, including National Party list MP Tau Henare who suggests his time as an MP is coming to an end because people in high positions do not want him.
However, a health scare some years ago, has caused Mr Henare to work hard at the gym and he enjoys living close to his relatives, in a way that does not happen often any more.
The pick of the grumps, for this reader, was Buddy Mikaere, a writer, historian and environmental consultant.
A former director of the Waitangi Tribunal, Mr Mikaere expresses his grumpiness about how contrived and predictable Waitangi Day has become. Instead, it should be a celebration throughout the country with events designed to lift the hearts and spirits of New Zealanders.
Some passages in the book are long, others short. But all are very readable and contain gems of information that may make some of us mere males stop and draw a breath, however unlikely that seems.
- Dene Mackenzie is ODT business and political editor.
