Sir Alfred Hamish Reed - CBE

1 Nov

The firm of A H & A W Reed has long since been absorbed by a larger competitor, but for many years, it was a major player in New Zealand book publishing.

Born in England, A H Reed came to New Zealand with his parents in 1887, worked as a gumdigger in his teens and was later a typewriter salesman (1897) and a bookseller in Dunedin (1907).

His firm ventured into publishing in 1932, specialising in books covering New Zealand, Maori and aboriginal lore, children's tales, education and provincial histories.

Reed began his own writing career in 1935, producing an extensive range of books, many covering his travels as New Zealand's outstanding recreational walker.