NZDavid Cameron, owner of Scorpio Books and winner of the Booksellers Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Award 2026, discusses his personal reading experiences and preferences. He recalls attempting to write a book as a child but abandoned the effort after realizing he had plagiarized a sci-fi novel. Cameron admires A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine for its imaginative storytelling and political depth. He argues against the idea of a universal 'must-read' book, emphasizing the importance of literary diversity. Cameron mentions wanting to be buried with the book he was reading at the time of death, citing William Boyd’s Any Human Heart as a meaningful choice due to its sweeping narrative spanning multiple decades and historical events. He also recalls reading The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat at age 11 as his first adult book.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a bookshop owner's personal reflections on literature, with minimal political content. While it references a political figure (David Cameron), the framing is entirely about his personal reading habits and opinions on books, not politics. No political positions or controversies
