Austin Mitchell – författare

A witty, satirical description of life in 1960s New Zealand, and Kiwi culture, by Austin Vernon Mitchell MP, who was an extremely popular TV figure in New Zealand.Yorkshireman Austin Mitchell emigrated to New Zealand and taught history and politics at Otago and Canterbury universities before becoming well known as a television broadcaster. In 1972, after his return to the UK, he published this best-selling commentary on New Zealand. It takes the form of advice to a prospective English immigrant to New Zealand and was celebrated for its warm wit and insight into New Zealand and its people.

A follow up to Mitchell’s first book, THE HALF-GALLON QUARTER-ACRE PAVLOVA PARADISE, this witty, satirical description of life in 1980s New Zealand charts changes in Kiwi culture.In this book the very funny Austin Mitchell revisits the country he first dissected in the bestselling "The Half-gallon Quarter-acre Pavlova Paradise" years ago. Irreverent and hilarious but also sharp and penetrating, "Pavlova Paradise Revisited" is a fascinating report on how much New Zealand has changed – and how much it hasn't.

An omnibus containing Austin Mitchell’s classic books THE HALF-GALLON QUARTER-ACRE PAVLOVA PARADISE and PAVLOVA PARADISE REVISITED, available for the first time in ebook.Austin Mitchell’s witty, seminal books, observing New Zealand, its people and politics with a fond eye, are now available together, on ebook, for the first time.

These are the highly controversial memoirs of Austin Mitchell, local TV star of the 1970s and MP for Great Grimsby.

Austin was the poster boy for Calendar TV at a time when local television had a much greater impact than national TV and its stars were the celebrities of the day. Austin charts his career path and reveals how he fell into his role at Yorkshire Television and went on to become its most popular presenter. He reveals the truth behind some of the most popular moments in TV history, including the infamous spat between Brian Cough and Don Revie. Austin also reveals the massive difference between the politically correct obsessed journalistic world of today and that of the 1970s.

After his television career, Austin went on to serve as MP for Great Grimsby taking over the seat in 1977. He is still MP today, but has announced that he will not stand at the next general election.

Calendar Boy will be a highly entertaining read for anyone who remembers the glory days of Calendar and wants to learn about the truth behind working life at a hugely popular TV prgramme that many tried to imitate but never bettered.