Richard Shaw (Pākehā; French) grew up in Fiji, the UK and New Plymouth, and has lived in Palmerston North for a long, long time. He is Professor of Politics at Massey University, where he teaches courses in New Zealand politics and researches the ins and outs of cabinet government, electoral systems and party politics. The Forgotten Coast is the first book he has written which does not include terms such as ministerial adviser, core executive and collective cabinet responsibility, and is arguably the more engaging for that.