Gordon McLauchlan is a well-known journalist, author and social commentator. He is a seasoned media commentator not afraid to speak his mind. His previous books include: The Line that Dares - A History of the Union Steam Ship Company (1987); A History of New Zealand Humour (1988); The Story of New Zealand Beer (1995); A Life's Sentences - A Memoir (2004); Great Tales From New Zealand History (2005, reprinted in 2008); A Short Short History of New Zealand (2005, reprinted 2007); The Life and Times of Auckland (2008); The Saltwater Highway: The Story of Ports and Shipping in New Zealand (2012); The Passionless People (2012); and A Short History of New Zealand (2014). He was also editor-in-chief of The New Zealand Encyclopaedia (Bateman, 1984, revised 1987, 1991, 1995) for ten years.