Garth Cartwright

Garth is the author of three acclaimed non-fiction books:

Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians (Serpents Tail 2005)

More Miles Than Money: Journeys Through American Music (Serpents Tail 2009).

Sweet As: Journeys In A New Zealand Summer (Allen & Unwin 2011)

These books have received wide international praise with Professor Ian Hancock of the University of Texas's Romany Studies dept calling Princes Amongst Men "the best book so far written on the Gypsies" while Chris Strachwitz, founder of legendary American roots music label Arhoolie, said of More Miles Than Money "an exceptional book. Every gringo should read it."

Both of these books have separate, stand alone CD soundtrack albums released to accompany them by record labels in Berlin and London. Garth's third book is Sweet As: Journeys In A New Zealand Summer (Allen & Unwin 2011). This is Garth's most autobiographical book, chronicling as it does his return to New Zealand after twenty years living away. In Sweet As he looks at a nation once familiar yet distant and as he travels discusses the music, artists, films and writers he most values in that nation. Sweet As has been praised as "laugh out loud funny" and is proving a favourite amongst visitors to New Zealand who wish to get beyond the nation's surface.

Garth also writes regularly for Voyageur Books, contributing the biographical chapters to Miles Davis: The Complete Illustrated History and several biographies to Rockabilly: The Twang Heard 'Round The World.