The Bookseller at the End of the World: A tragic yet whimsical memoir

Ruth Shaw runs two "wee bookshops" in the remote town of Manapouri, tucked away in the far south of New Zealand. Her 2022 memoir, 'The Bookseller at the End of the World,' is as much about her life as it is about the books she sells.  

The 320-page journey isn't an easy read—not because of the compelling writing but because of the series of truths that Shaw lays bare. More than once, I had to put the book down, take a moment to breathe, and wonder why life can be so unkind. But Shaw has a way of pulling you back in, urging you to see her story through to the end.  

The book's structure is one of its most interesting features. Instead of dividing her past and present into separate sections, Shaw alternates between them. 

While one chapter takes you into her early life, the next places you in her cosy bookshops. Even the text font transforms across these timelines, a small but thoughtful detail that enriches the overall reading experience.

Shaw was forced to give up the child she conceived as a result of sexual assault. As she tried to leave behind the darkest chapter of her life, new challenges awaited her. Determined to move forward, she continued sailing and met an Australian man named Peter, whom she married at sea. 

The couple soon relocated to Brisbane, Australia, where Shaw became pregnant. Tragically, just before the birth of their son, Peter was killed in a car accident. Heartbreak struck again when their baby, only 13 hours old, passed away due to rhesus disease. 

Each time I finished a chapter about Shaw's early life, I couldn't help but panic, thinking, "Oh my God, how did she survive that?" But then, I'd read a heartwarming story about her bookshop, and my heart would settle, reassured that she found her way to a better place.

She adopts pets along the way, including a baby bird which she nurses back to health, aptly named Katherine Mansfield (Katie for short). Katie becomes a notable presence in the shop. Ruth's stories from King's Cross in the 1980s are truly eye-opening, and there's never a dull moment in her life. 

Her open manner enables her to connect with sex workers, earning their respect without passing judgment on their lives. Even she is taken aback when a staunch regular surprises her with a heartfelt hug.

Shaw's memoir is a powerful reminder that no matter how terrible life gets, resilience allows you to fight through the darkness until you can find something to hold onto—a life you can live with contentment.  

The worst imaginable things that could happen to a person, to a woman, have happened to Shaw. Her response wasn't to remain still but to keep moving. That didn't mean she didn't feel the weight of her experiences—she felt them so deeply that staying in one place became impossible. 

Through her journey across lands and seas, taking whatever jobs were available, she pushed forward. Romantic partners came and went, but eventually, she found her way back home.  

"Internally, I was in a very dark place, with busy days that led to lonely nights and sleep full of recurring dreams,"— this line from the memoir stood out to me so deeply that I highlighted it in my copy. At the time I was reading it, it resonated with my own struggles.  

Shaw's immense courage and unwavering strength to keep moving forward, no matter what life throws at her, became a source of inspiration for me. 

During one of the darkest phases of Shaw's life, she found herself in a place no one goes willingly, surrounded by others in the same sinking boat. "Exercise time! Look alive!" she recalls being told.  

"This was so jarring, as most of us wanted to be dead; looking alive was not in our life plan." It's a morbid yet perfectly worded sentiment, encapsulating the moments when even the strongest feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all, longing for an end to their pain.

What makes Shaw's memoir so impactful is how unapologetically raw and true it is. She doesn't filter her thoughts or polish her experiences to make them more palatable. 

That honesty is why so many readers connect with her story. It's through unfiltered truths that we feel truly seen, and Shaw's courage in sharing hers reminds us that we're not alone in our struggles.

I don't always agree when people say, "Oh, this book is a must-read," but Ruth Shaw's story is one we all need to know and learn from. She is the living embodiment of the phrase, "There is light at the end of the tunnel."  

Her memoir will make you laugh, cry, and—most importantly—leave you feeling hopeful by the time you reach the final page.