“An entire generation of children must have grown up beneath his wisdom and the world was a better place for it," said Whitcoulls’ book manager Joan Mackenzie.
Popular clinical psychologist and author Nigel Latta has been posthumously recognised at the Aotearoa NZ Book Industry Awards on Saturday night.
The broadcaster’s last book, Lessons on Living, hit bookshelves just as he died from cancer in October last year.
The Special Achievement Award was accepted on Latta’s behalf by his wife, Dr Natalie Flynn, who said it was a bittersweet moment, but reminded her of how well-loved Latta was, and still is.
"I would give almost anything in the world to have him back here and for him to be receiving the award. But, y'know, that is not possible," she said.
"It just makes me remember how well-deserved the love was that Nigel had from people when he was alive, and I love that I know he must have felt that, and that the love continues."
The clinical psychologist said Latta was humble and she was proud to see his work - that had allowed him to combine two passions - recognised.
The broadcaster died after a battle with cancer. (Source: 1News)
"He really just loved writing and he loved helping people and he was so pleased he could put those two things together, it gave him so much joy."
Flynn said people still made the effort to tell her how they had benefited from Latta's books - which have given him huge reach.
"People just stop me on the street and tell me how Nigel helped them through those really tricky parenting years.
"Sometimes people from overseas will email and say, 'Look I couldn't find any good material where I was and I came across your books and they really helped me'."
Flynn said Latta often spoke of the team behind any accomplishment, and said he was grateful to his publisher and book-sellers who got his work into the hands of those who needed it.
Whitcoulls book manager Joan Mackenzie said Latta helped and supported parents with his books.
“Readers came back again and again, knowing that his expert guidance could make their lives a little easier, and it made us proud to be the go-between,” Mackenzie said.
The prize was among 15 presented on Saturday night to booksellers, publishers, authors and book trade stalwarts for their contributions to the industry over the past year.
Petone-based Schrödinger's Books owner-manager Mary Fawcett accepted the Bookshop of the Year Award for the second time.
Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s memoir, A Different Kind of Power, won bestselling New Zealand title, with more than 70,000 copies sold.
Other winners included former Ockham Book prize winner Catherine Chidgey’s The Book of Guilt for Booksellers’ Choice Adult Award and chef Al Brown’s Hooked: Learning to Fish for Booksellers Choice Children’s Award.
The two titles were decided in a vote by the booksellers of Aotearoa as the books they’ll always keep on the shelf and that are considered modern classics.
Broadcaster Mike McRoberts’ memoir Speaking My Language won the Audiobook of the Year Award.
Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand manager Renee Rowland said rising costs and changing reading habits made the last few years tough for the industry, but booksellers punched above their weight.
The awards were judged by RNZ broadcaster and memoirist Susie Ferguson, NZ Society of Authors director Jenny Nagle, Australian Booksellers Association president and co-owner of Matilda Bookshop Gavin Williams, and The Martinborough Books & Post owner-manager Brenda Channer.
Full list of winners
Nigel Latta – Special Achievement Award
Petone-based Schrödinger's Books - NielsenIQ Bookdata Bookshop of the Year
Allen & Unwin - NZ Publisher of the Year
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern - Nielsen BookData NZ Award for the bestselling New Zealand title
Penguin Random House NZ’s A Different Kind of Power’s launch campaign - Marketing & Publicity Strategy of the Year
Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand’s sales team - Sales Professional of the Year Award
The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey - Booksellers’ Choice Adult Award
Hooked: Learning to Fish by Al Brown - Booksellers Choice Children’s Award
Alison Shucksmith, publisher at Little Moa (Hachette, Aotearoa New Zealand) - Publishing Trailblazer of the Year Award
Anastasia George of online retailer The Grimoire - Titlepage Bookselling Trailblazer of the year
Speaking My Language by Mike McRoberts- Audiobook of the Year Award
Kevin Chapman - Publishers Association of NZ Lifetime Achievement Award
Carole Beu of The Women’s Bookshop in Ponsonby - Booksellers Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Awards
Wendy Tighe-Umbers who is former owner of Time Out in Mt Eden - Booksellers Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Awards
David Cameron who has owned Scorpio Books in Christchurch for half a century - Booksellers Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Awards
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