Audiobook, Author Tour and Books in Schools: The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City

The Borrin Foundation is supporting Bridget Williams Books to extend the reach of Asher Emanuel’s The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City through an audiobook, author events, online talks and a Books in Schools programme.

About the project

Published by Bridget Williams Books in May 2026, The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City follows three Hutt Valley men through courtrooms, prison, hospital, rehabilitation and welfare services. Drawing on more than two years of field research and told largely through verbatim dialogue, the book explores the realities of New Zealand’s criminal justice system through the voices of those who experience it.

The Borrin Foundation’s support will help bring the book to wider audiences through several initiatives. These include an audiobook, voiced by a professional actor, making the book accessible through digital platforms and subscribing public, tertiary and school libraries. Support will also contribute to an author tour and BWB Talks, creating opportunities for audiences to engage with the book and its themes through events and online discussions. The Wellington launch, held in May 2026 with Asher Emanuel in conversation with Yasmin Olsen and journalist Rebecca Macfie, is available to watch free on YouTube.

The grant will also support Bridget Williams Books’ Books in Schools programme, extending the book’s reach into educational settings and creating further opportunities for young people to engage with questions about crime and punishment in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Together, these initiatives will help bring the book’s research and perspectives to a broader audience, supporting public discussion about the criminal justice system and making its stories accessible across different communities.

 

Grant amount

$76,000 in 2026

About Bridget Williams Books

Bridget Williams Books (BWB) is an independent publisher based in Wellington, established by Bridget Williams in 1990. BWB publishes books about Aotearoa New Zealand’s history and contemporary issues, including the short-form BWB Texts series, and takes them to the widest possible readership. Its BWB Talks programme brings authors into conversation with audiences around the country, and BWB Talks Online has had more than half a million views across platforms. BWB Collections makes its books available digitally through subscribing libraries nationwide. More information is at www.bwb.co.nz

Contact

Tom Rennie, Publisher and Manager, Bridget Williams Books

info@bwb.co.nz | www.bwb.co.nz