Bodkins’ Books

06/11/2023

We are very excited to have been invited to the invitation-only official opening of Monte Christo Winery this weekend, before it opens to the public on 30 November.

Here’s a bit of history of the new development…..

The oldest winery in the South Island is being rebuilt and will be open to visitors in November. The historical building was constructed 151 years ago by t...

01/08/2023

It was a great day today, having a personal tour of Monte Christo. The restoration of the winery, the new cottages and the passion of the team involved were just awesome to see. So looking forward to the opening in November.

17/06/2023

Still thinking about purchasing ‘An Account of Monte Christo’?
Have a look at this…

The oldest winery in the South Island is being rebuilt and will be open to visitors in November. The historical building was constructed 151 years ago by t...

16/06/2023

Accolades for An Account of Monte Christo….

“The author really does have a wonderful knack of bringing the rich history - places, people and events - alive. His unique voice and personality as narrator also comes through really well and, for me, added to the story's depth and meaningfulness. I felt really immersed in this account, especially having read about Eleanor's story.” Sue C

https://www.amazon.com/Account-Monte-Christo-Historic-Vineyard-ebook/dp/B0C7H8H7N7/ref=sr_1_12?crid=FC6O86TE2IHE&keywords=bodkin&qid=1686351770&s=digital-text&sprefix=Bodkin%2Cdigital-text%2C335&sr=1-12&fbclid=IwAR13QFE54KanPWaAdqMC9-TnAbkvHpp3EaBW4XE__wjBQGr32rdS4-aN_1k_aem_th_ATq6umba63GAdVzOb_xNmD305FFDZuRExhr0KTRMr6Whmv6vZWBWxAd3AOhax0qEqqY

09/06/2023

Available now! Just click on the link to get your copy….

A personal account of historic Monte Christo, from its establishment in 1864 through the 20th century, with a particular focus on the years of Bodkin family ownership, from 1889 to 1959. The book describes the acquisition and use of the land, from wine growing to orchard, dairy farm and popular l...

31/05/2023

Coming soon!

This book was the main source of information for Ann’s book ‘Eleanor’. It gives a full factual account of the people and activities of Monte Christo, Central Otago’s pioneering vineyard, orchard and gardens, from the 1860s to the 1940s. Written from a personal perspective by A. W. (Bill) Bodkin it is well worth a read, especially if you have read ‘Eleanor’. And if you haven’t, it may inspire you to read it.

09/03/2023

The Alexandra museum has sold out of copies of Eleanor, so hey, what better excuse for a few days in beautiful Central Otago than to bring them a few
more books 😊

21/02/2023

Remembering this day 12 years ago….

We were used to aftershocks in the Christchurch CBD after the large September 2010 quake. But nothing had prepared the city for the destruction and loss of life at 12:51pm, Tuesday February 22nd. I was the last person to be rescued, having been trapped under tens of feet of concrete for more than...

04/10/2022

More accolades for “Eleanor “.

I travelled with Eleanor on the ship to New Zealand, imagining how crowded the women were, and the rolling and lurching as a the sea became rougher, and then her travels through New Zealand as she travelled to meet her future husband. How ill she must’ve felt when pregnant, but I think what struck me most of all, as I read on, was of how accepting of what her life was going to be, she was. How hard she worked, all through her life, as did her family and what a lot of changes she must have seen, both travelling and housing to name but a couple.
- Lyn, UK.

Imagine travelling to the other side of the world on a sailing ship at the tender age of sixteen. In 1870 Eleanor Black left her family in Ireland and everything she’d ever known to marry a stranger in New Zealand. This is the story of her journey to Christchurch, on to the goldfields of O...

02/06/2022

Looking for a good weekend read? Remember ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’? Here’s what happens 100 years later…

Victoria's Hanging Rock has been a popular site for locals and tourists for many years. Joan Lindsay's 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', later made into a movie, added to the area's popularity and intrigue. There are many who believe that the story is true, or at least that there could be some truth to i...

01/06/2022

We were used to aftershocks in the Christchurch CBD after the large September 2010 quake. But nothing had prepared the city for the destruction and loss of life at 12:51pm, Tuesday February 22nd.

I was the last person to be rescued, having been trapped under tens of feet of concrete for more than a day. This is my story, and that of my husband Graham, who for almost a day, thought I was dead.

We were used to aftershocks in the Christchurch CBD after the large September 2010 quake. But nothing had prepared the city for the destruction and loss of life at 12:51pm, Tuesday February 22nd. I was the last person to be rescued, having been trapped under tens of feet of concrete for more than...

25/05/2022

Accolades for Eleanor…. You can purchase it here….

https://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Ann-Bodkin/dp/B09M2LPL1J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1653516314&sr=8-2

24/05/2022

This is our latest publication. A great read if you like a bit of mystery.

Victoria's Hanging Rock has been a popular site for locals and tourists for many years. Joan Lindsay's 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', later made into a movie, added to the area's popularity and intrigue. There are many who believe that the story is true, or at least that there could be some truth to it.

Is it merely coincidence that exactly 100 years after the event described so vividly by Lindsay, another young Victorian woman, named Miranda, taken for a picnic at the Rock by her parents, feels a strange connection to the Rock? What happens when she returns a few years later to explore further?

Free shipping on millions of items. Get the best of Shopping and Entertainment with Prime. Enjoy low prices and great deals on the largest selection of everyday essentials and other products, including fashion, home, beauty, electronics, Alexa Devices, sporting goods, toys, automotive, pets, baby, b...

24/05/2022

The Bodkin family books cover historic events in New Zealand and Australia. Some are fiction, some are fact, and some a mixture of both.

Click on the website link to read more.

24/05/2022