After Taranaki writer Jim Tucker retired from column writing earlier this year he figured he would never venture into opinion writing again.
But wife Lin had a better idea – why not gather about 40 of his 237 columns into a book and sell it to raise money for Hospice Taranaki.
The book, Random Thoughts: Jim Tucker revisits favourite columns, was launched this month and Tucker will hold a book signing at the Stratford hospice shop from 9am to midday on Thursday, October 28.
The 104-page book costs $40, with more than half that going to Hospice Taranaki. It has more than 85 coloured images and all the chosen columns have been followed up by Tucker to see what, if anything, eventuated.
New Plymouth district councillor Stacey Hitchcock, who bought a copy at the launch, said her reading so far indicated it was "a really great collection of writing and a brilliant piece of history for Taranaki".
The book's printing costs were fully met by a donation from the Dr George Mason Charitable Trust.