Dunedin-born Neville Peat is the author of more than 40 books, spanning themes of geography, history, biography and the natural world. His books comprehensively depict the nature of Aotearoa New Zealand and its marine realm, from Tokelau to Antarctica.

His largest project, completed with the assistance of the Michael King Writers’ Fellowship 2007, is The Tasman – Biography of an Ocean (Penguin, 2010). His biographies include Seabird Genius, about legendary seabird researcher Dr Lance Richdale, and Hurricane Tim, the story of helicopter pioneer Sir Tim Wallis. Five titles by Neville have been shortlisted for national book awards.

His newest title, a memoir Home is an Island (Nov 2022), describes how his environmental and nature writing has developed over the years.