Meeting Lorna Bingham
On the tail end of Riddiford Street lies Another Chapter Bookshop. It’s a warm, cosy space, full of the flavouring scent of freshly printed books. A stark contrast from the Hospital construction and main thoroughfare that surrounds it. In the corner of the bookshop is a nook complete with a seating bay, and multiple bright couloured stools where I sat down with Lorna Bingham, a New Zealander of Northern Irish Ancestry, Diabetes Nurse Practitioner and Owner of Another Chapter.
Are you an avid reader? I wouldn't call myself an avid reader... which is quite interesting I guess. For many years I worked at the hospital full time, I completed my Masters and I had two boys. I didn't have any time to read until the last few years, just before I opened the store. In saying that, I've always had my nose in a good book.
Why Newtown? I love the diversity, the colourful characters and all of the nice eateries.
What appealed about owning an independent bookshop? I took a work trip to Denmark once from London, it was February and it was really freezing, a bitter bitter cold spell and Copenhagen was cold and dark. All the houses had lots of candles and lamps and fires, I loved that wintry cosy atmosphere. I enjoyed the book shops in these countries and always came out with something after foraging around and searching for that good book.
As we looked outside sipping on tea, Riddiford Street looked grey and damp and the sparkly lights that hung on the bookshop windows echoed Lorna’s words of warmth and welcoming. She spoke gently of the burnout she experienced nursing and how she felt somewhat siloed after working as a health professional continuously since 1991. It was clear to Lorna that Newtown needed a bookstore for the Hospital staff, patients, visitors and locals.
Have you read A Mistake by Carl Shuker? I imagine that book would resonate with you because it's set in the Wellington Regional Hospital and you have been working there for years. A Mistake actually came out just when I opened the book shop. And I read it and I found it somewhat brutal but I think that was also where I was at the time. I think in some aspects the central character had nothing left over and she was a product of survival mode. Working in surgical is cut and dried, fairly different to the medical area I work in. People have their operation and are discharged, there's not such a long term relationship, it’s quite a different approach and the book captures that different side of health care well.
What are you reading this week? This new book by contemporary Irish author Caoilin Hughes, called The Orchid and The Wasp. I've just finished Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton and Milkman by Anna Burns.
What’s the most daunting thing about owning a bookstore? The amount of effort it takes to make the small business side work to be honest. I'm really lucky because my husband Tony works in IT and he has set up a lot of the business side. If it wasn’t for him I’m not sure I could have got organized to pay the bills in time and I wouldn’t have lasted this long. I tend to think of the creative aspect of the shop and finding those books you want to keep but there is a lot of maintenance too.
What is your favourite winter pastime? The cup of tea is very important if you're Irish! I relax by cooking but since I’ve owned the shop that has been spread around the family a bit more. Also, I love curling up with a book in front of the fire.
Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? I’m a slow reader and I don’t think there is anything wrong with being a slow reader! It can be hard keeping up with the book club books, the new releases and I keep having to read fast so I can keep on top of it.
Your favourite book by a New Zealand author? This would have to be Mop Head by Selina Tusitala Marsh. I saw her speak at Verb last year and I think this book is just so inspiring! After I saw her talk I ordered several copies for the bookshop. Mop Head is about being different and I love the bit about being inspired by Sam Hunt and how he turned up at school with the dog and the beer bottle in his hand. Then Selina met the Queen (I have to admit I’m a little bit of a royalist). It’s just a really cool book and also she did all of the illustrations on her iPad!
What have you done for the community while opening the store? There’s a young woman who comes here twice a week and we read together. She wants to improve her English (even though it’s very good!). I’m hopeless at languages but when she said she was from Afghanistan I thought why don’t we read, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Debrah Rodriguez together. So I’ve been learning a few words of Dari and I have learned about her culture and we improve our vocabulary together, it's really lovely.
We have a book club here at Another Chapter with a core group of about 12 who come along. We host it in store and move the table back, take the books off the stools, sit round in a group and have a cup of tea and a biscuit. Sometimes I read the book and think hmmm I didn’t really enjoy that but after discussing it Instead of giving it a 3/10 I give it a 7 or an 8. Others connections can develop your interest in books and that's important.
The three things I wanted the shop to be, were inspiring, connecting and sharing and I think I have succeeded with my vision. People who come into bookshops are lovely and keen to share about any good books they have discovered.
Lorna now works two days at the hospital and the rest at Another Chapter. She wants to thank the group of people (Stella, Alison, Kevin and Carol,) who currently volunteer to help her keep the bookshop alive. While Lorna patiently waits for books to come via ship from Australia she hopes to continue building a sense of community with Another Chapter...one cup of tea and customer at a time.
