Graham Reid was born in Scotland and educated in New Zealand. He is a graduate of Auckland University with a catch-all degree of papers in Chinese Philosophy, Italian, Art History, English and American literature, and the sciences.
In the early 80s he founded and edited his own magazine ("Passages ... a magazine of jazz and elsewhere"), has frequently presented radio programmes, and was for five years the New Zealand correspondent for America's Billboard magazine.
As a freelancer he had feature articles and short stories published in Metro, and wrote on the arts for the Listener. Most notably he was a senior journalist at the New Zealand Herald for 17 years from the late 80s.
Because of his wide personal interests and his ability to file stories on everything from international politics to the arts and pop culture (as well as writing restaurant, film, book and music reviews) Graham was described by the Herald's editor-in-chief as a "true renaissance man".
Graham has also written on architecture and design, has designed book and album covers, and worked extensively in presenting radio programmes.
In 2003 he won the prestigious Media Peace Award for his articles on the volatile politics of the Solomon Islands where he spent two weeks. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia and the United States.
In 2005 Graham wrote a book of travel stories published by Random House, Postcards from Elsewhere which won the Whitcoulls Travel Book of the Year award in 2006.
In addition to freelance writing, lecturing in journalism and music, and speaking engagements, he also contributes to the highly regarded and award-winning website www.publicaddress.net as well as a number of other international travel websites.
His current writing appeared in The Listener, the Herald, Art News, Idealog, Life and Leisure, Weekend magazine, the Herald on Sunday, Real Groove and elsewhere.
In mid 2009 Graham published a second travel book, The Idiot Boy Who Flew, through Public Address Books.
Graham is an experienced public speaker and lecturer, available to talk on the media, travel and the arts.
JOURNALISM AND WRITING AWARDS
1995
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (all round creative endeavour, newspaper)
1997
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (all round excellence in arts writing, newspaper)
1998
Asia 2000 Media Travel Award (for travel in Japan)
1999
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (best arts feature, newspaper)
2000
Finalist, New Zealand Travel Writer of the Year (best article about the travel industry)
2001
Asia 2000 Media Travel Award (for travel in Taiwan)
2002
Winner, Qantas Media Awards (best tourism and travel story, newspaper)
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (best govt, diplomacy and foreign affairs story, newspaper)
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (best arts story, newspaper)
2003
Premier Award, Media Peace Awards (print medium)
Winner, Qantas Media Awards (best arts column, newspaper)
Finalist, Qantas Media Awards (best arts feature, newspaper)
Winner, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (newspaper)
Finalist, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (newspaper)
2004
Winner, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (newspaper)
Finalist, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (magazine)
Runner-Up Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (travel writer of the year)
2005
Finalist, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (best article about a journey)
2006
Winner, Whitcoulls TravCom travel book of the year (Postcards From Elsewhere)
2008
Recipient of international journalist's grant by Seoul Metropolitan Government for travel to Korea.
2009
Winner, Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards (newspaper)
