Writers honour courageous women in wartime

Tessa Nicholson is keen to dig into tales of wartime bravery, whether retold from first-hand experience or by placing readers there. She will speak with bestselling writers who have told tales of courageous women during World War II at this July’s Marlborough Book Festival which runs from July 18-20.

Tessa has interviewed many of New Zealand’s best-known authors since the festival began in 2014. She has a background in radio, daily news, and magazine journalism.

For the 2025 Festival, Tessa will interview Jude Dobson, co-author of The Last Secret Agent, the true story of Pippa Latour — the last surviving covert agent who served in Nazi-occupied France - and Olivia Spooner, whose historical novels centre on fictional women facing real wartime events with courage and resilience.

Tessa is keen to ask how Olivia uncovers the real-life events shaping her stories while also intrigued by the Tuis — New Zealand women who served overseas — featured in her book The Songbirds of Florence.

“I thought I knew a lot about World War II,” Tessa says, “but I hadn’t heard about the events in The Girl from London — that children were escorted from England to Australia and New Zealand, or that the Rangatira ship was torpedoed and people taken captive.”

Tessa says Pippa Latour’s life story deserves wider recognition and was pleased Jude Dobson had formed a close bond with Latour before her death in 2023, aged 102.

Known for her television work, including 5.30 with Jude, Dobson has researched, produced, and directed historical content since 2018.

“It’s an incredible tale of bravery that should be remembered, and it’s wonderful Jude was chosen to tell it.”

Festival chair Sonia O’Regan says a special feature of the Marlborough Book Festival is its many local interviewers —  who will be familiar faces to many in the audience.

“It’s great to showcase local talent alongside the guest writers,” she says. “There are so many talented people in this community.”

Tickets are on sale now online at Eventfinda and over the counter at the ASB Theatre Marlborough.