Description
Maui and Me: A Search for a Fisherman’s El Dorado by Temple Sutherland is a 1963 New Zealand travel and angling memoir. Inspired by the Māori legend of Maui pulling the North Island from the sea with a magic fish-hook, Sutherland and his wife, “Sam,” embark on a 13,000-mile, 10-month nomadic expedition across New Zealand. Their mission is to find out if the “Angler’s El Dorado” famously written about by American author Zane Grey still exists.
The Myth and The Mission
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- Connects the journey to the Māori demigod Maui, framing his mythical fishing feat as the ultimate inspiration for exploring New Zealand’s waters.
- Sets out specifically to test the legacy of Zane Grey, tracking down the legendary big-game and fly-fishing paradise described decades earlier.
The Road and The Waters
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- Traverses the entire length of the country over two summers, driving from the far tip of northern Northland down to southern Southland.
- Explores an incredibly diverse range of angling, pursuing everything from black marlin in the deep sea to trout at Lake Taupo and the Rotorua lakes, right down to whitebaiting in coastal rivers.
People and Places
- Focuses on the philosophy that catching fish is only half the fun; the other half is the stunning, remote landscapes the sport brings you to.
- Fills the travelogue with rich local history, backstage anecdotes, and eccentric characters met while camping across the country.
Hardcover. First-Edition. 234 Pages. A marvelous reading copy with modest foxing.
