Asher Emanuel is trained as both a lawyer and as a journalist, and this year has released a book that was a long time in the making, set in The Hutt Valley here in Aotearoa. He loves reading old nautical fiction and shared his favourite spot to spend a day off in his hometown of Pōneke, Wellington with us, Freyberg beach. On a chilly winter day he popped in to Book Hero, took a wander through the warehouse, and then sat down to answer our many questions and sign our many copies of his fantastic book.

For readers who haven’t already added it to their TBR pile, The Valley follows three men involved with the Hutt Valley justice system. Rikihana is a prolific shoplifter who keeps getting caught, Nathan is facing charges for burglary, and Lewis is their legal aid lawyer trying to do the best by them. Over two years we see the way they are drawn in and out out courtrooms, WINZ offices, rehab, boarding houses and hospital. We see the way the system is not just full of cracks for men like Nathan and Rikihana to fall into, but as Asher puts it "chasms". 

The Valley is a special book, it's a non-fiction novel, a story about real people but one that reads so easily as it's full of dialogue and action and moves quickly enough that I couldn't put it down. It's a book about people doing their best but facing innumerable challenges, and systems that are stretched far beyond their capacity. 

I (Lizzy) was incredibly stoked to be able to talk to Asher and show him around Book Hero. His book is hands down one of my favourite reads of the year, the one I hope everyone picks up to read especially seeing as it is an election year. As you can see above, my copy ended up tabbed and highlighted with passages that were not just excellently written but hit on something I haven't read about before, the plight of people stuck in systems who with a slight change in circumstances could be us. 

Asher shared a lot about his writing process, the fact that it took 8 years to create and publish this incredible piece of non-fiction journalism, and he hopes that reading the book will mean that people are thinking about those that are living and working within the justice system here in Aotearoa in a new way. Make sure to read his epilogue where Asher shares about the historical context and the process he went through, and the challenges he faced. It's an incredibly impressive piece of journalism.

It's an honour to get to choose books for the authors who come to visit us. For Asher who was about to go away to Tūrangi for some well-deserved rest, I ended up giving him the first in an incredible fantasy series by Robin Hobb, Assasin's Apprentice. Asher is currently busy making his way through another ginormous fiction series so I figured this could be the next one he dives in to once he is done! 

Thank you Asher for such a thoughtful book, one that uplifts those that are often forgotten about or cast over, one that pushes for change or at the very least for awareness and understanding. And a huge thank you for visiting us here at Book Hero and spending some time chatting with the team!

Signed copies of The Valley are available now at Book Hero, while stocks last, and I promise you it's a book you will not regret picking up.