"For 16 years I owned and operated 45 South and Below Bookshop here in Manapouri. Then I tried to ‘retire!’  I closed my bookshop and for about 6 years yearned to open another one. You cannot take books out of a book lovers life, and I found very quickly that I couldn’t take a bookshop out of my life. Hence - I now have three very tiny bookshops on a small block of land right beside our home. The Perils of Running a Bookshop sits extremely well with me as I am fighting to keep my promise, ‘no more bookshops!’ I am now 76, not yet retired, with a wonderful husband who thankfully also loves books. He is trying extremely hard to be perfect the art of retirement, but he has me and my three bookshops!" -- Ruth Shaw