“I just wanted to congratulate you on your magnificent book. You should feel very pleased and proud with what you have achieved. It is a superb production, with text and illustrations beautifully married together. Quentin has done a fine job in the layout, and I like the many sub-headings. That makes it easy to navigate, and an ideal book for dipping into. With bibliography, notes and index, it is a very respectable book academically as well.”

— Geoff Rice

“I must apologise for not getting in touch when the book arrived. I am very impressed with it – a superb production. I have skimmed through the entire book and have now settled down to have a good read and am half way through. I may possibly buy a further copy from you to send to England and will decide later this month. You really must be congratulated, but I do feel that the quality should have justified a higher price – my hat off to all concerned.”

— Dave MacKinven (a Porter descendant)

“The South Island high country gets another volume of its pioneering history in JOHN AND CHARLES ENYS: CASTLE HILL RUNHOLDERS 1864–1891 (Wily Books, $49.99) by Jenny Abrahamson. The book is one of the mind and heart – Abrahamson has a deep personal affection for this area of inland Canterbury.

“She now turns to the lives and times of two adventurous and energetic young Cornishmen who arrived in the 1860s to farm sheep among the peaks and epic limestone outcrops of what came to be known as Castle Hill.

“Charles (1840–91) and John (1837–1912) live on in a flow of vivid letters, enhanced by John's fascination with the natural history and Charles's accomplished watercolours. Despite the demands of establishing a sheep station, the Enys brothers found time to explore the rugged country while contributing to Canterbury's development. Abrahamson provides a vivid celebration of two remarkable Victorians who deserve to be better known.”

— Christopher Moore