Robbie Burton: a publisher committed to making a difference
by Sam Demas
(Note: this is part of the larger work New Zealand Huts: Notes towards a Country Study)
As we rambled in the world of books and ideas, Robbie popped out of his seat every few minutes to grab a book from the shelves lining his office. Few people can elaborate as many conversational threads by handing you a book they published on the topic! While huts, tramping and natural history were our particular focus, I was fascinated to learn about Potton & Burton’s remarkable range of New Zealand non-fiction, childrens books, investigative reporting (six extremely popular and controversial works by Nicky Hager), graphic novels, calendars, as well as seminal books about huts and tramping.
To me the key facts about Potton & Burton are: 1. it is New Zealand’s only remaining independent publisher and widely recognized for a strong ethos of quality publishing, 2. this consistent quality grows out of a heartfelt commitment to cultivate a strong book culture in New Zealand, 3. their publishing list reflects Robbie’s tastes, instincts and willingness to take risks, and 4. the key role Robbie played in publishing Shelter from the Storm and in other unlikely publishing successes. In a nutshell, the business is strong, publishing about 20 new titles a year, and they won the 2018 New Zealand’s “Publisher of the Year” award. See the excerpts below for more information on Potton & Burton. What intrigues me is how Robbie Burton, with no previous experience in publishing, came to be New Zealand’s premier publisher? Turns out tramping played a role.