The Boy from Gorge River: from New Zealand’s Remotest Family to the World Beyond

The number-one bestseller

The story of how an extraordinary childhood shaped an extraordinary life

On the West Coast of the South Island, past deep fiords and snow-capped mountains, Chris Long grew up two days’ hike from the nearest road. He was born into the country’s most isolated family, his parents committed to freedom from capitalist society and connection to the natural world.

In this inspiring memoir, Chris describes a childhood with nature on his doorstep - helping his father catch crayfish and his mother grow vegetables, playing with toys crafted from driftwood and jade, and learning to live in the wild - until, in his teenage years, he began to wonder: could he survive in the wider world?

By the son of the authors of A Life on Gorge River and A Wife on Gorge River, The Boy from Gorge River is an enthralling account of chasing adventure while forever staying true to where you come from.