News Blog

A mixture of arty treats to start off your New Year – three great artist biographies and four stunning graphic art books. Enjoy!

Alessandro Raho / Michael Bracewell & Nicholas Cullinan.
“Exploring the career of Alessandro Raho (b.1971) from the early 1990s to the present day, this monograph, the first of its kind on the artist, places Raho in the context of the period in which his career was established and has flourished… Exploring the major themes and subjects found in his work, alongside his artistic and philosophic influences, this groundbreaking publication will appeal to experts and artistic enthusiasts alike and will be an essential purchase for all those interested in contemporary art.” (Adapted from Amazon.com description)

Hockney : the biography. Volume 1, 1937-1975 / Christopher Simon Sykes.
“In this astounding first volume of his authorised biography Christopher Sykes explores the fascinating world of the most popular living artist in the world today. David Hockney’s career has spanned and epitomised the art movements of the last five decades; His story is one of precocious achievement at Bradford Art College, the Swinging 60s in London where he befriended many of the iconic cultural figures of the generation, to California and the cool of the swimming pool series of paintings, through the acclaimed set designs for countless operas around the world and major retrospective exhibitions.” (Syndetics summary)

Infinity net : the autobiography of Yayoi Kusama / Yayoi Kusama ; translated by Ralph McCarthy.
“In 1957, encouraged by Georgia O’Keeffe, artist Yayoi Kusama left Japan for New York City to become a star. By the time she returned to her home country in 1973, she had established herself as a leader of New York’s avant-garde movement, known for creating happenings and public orgies to protest the Vietnam War and for the polka dots that had become a trademark of her work. Her sculptures, videos, paintings, and installations are to this day included in major international exhibitions.” (Adapted from Amazon.com description)

Erratic : visual impact in current design / [edited by Robert Klanten, Floyd Schulze].
“Change is one of the few constants in the world. In recent years, more and more images are being created that not only capture a moment in time, but also point to a change that can and will take place directly thereafter. Erratic is a collection of current, often playful work by designers, photographers, and artists who are exploring the reciprocal effects between stability and instability, symmetry and asymmetry, and pressure and counter-pressure.” (Adapted from Amazon.com description)

Fingerprint no. 2 : the evolution of handmade elements in graphic design / by Chen Design Associates ; with an introduction by Joshua C. Chen ; foreword by Debbie Millman ; commentary by Colin Berry and visual essays from Stefan Bucher … [et al.].
For many designers, creating things by hand is a reaction to too much computer-based design. Since the first Fingerprint was published, ideas that were once on the fringe have begun to thrive in the mainstream. From typography and illustration to book-making and film titles, elements of handcraft have soaked into everyday life. Fingerprint No. 2 reflects the evolution of those ideas. In this second volume, you’ll still find plenty of projects created entirely without the aid of computer technology. But you’ll also discover how designers are beining to incporate the two aesthetics—handmade and digital—in order to best communicate their message. A third, hybrid aesthetic is emerging, one that marries the technologies of the past and future into a vibrant, exciting present (adapted from amazon.com description)

Juxtapoz illustration 2 / [edited by Saelee Oh ; writer, Evan Pricco].
The tenth book in the series revisits the magnetic attraction of the figurative line. Once again an exciting roster of contributors ranging from commercial illustrators to outsider artists put forth a retina-searing collection (Syndetics summary)

Vectorism : vector graphics today / [edited and produced by Viction:workshop].
Showcases over 480 vector works composed by over 50 graphic artists from all around the world (Syndetics summary)

New Zealanders are the first in the world to mark this day with a service at Makara cemetery followed by a function at parliament. Six million Jews perished amongst them many children. Never forget.

It is a day I  remember observing in my native country the Netherlands. At the start of WWII 144000 Jews lived in the Netherlands and only 32.000 survived. my mother was only a child during the war years but she often spoke about the horrors of seeing neighbours being deported or wondering what happened to some of her school friends.

If you have not visited the Wellington Holocaust Education & Research Centre, I encourage you to do so. For more information, visit the Holocaust Education & Research Centre’s website.

Some books which may be of interest:

Terezín : voices from the Holocaust / Ruth Thomson.
“Through inmates’ own voices–from secret diary entries and artwork to excerpts from memoirs and recordings narrated after the war–”Terezin” explores the lives of Jewish people in one of the most infamous of the Nazi transit camps.” (Syndetics)

The diary of a young girl / Anne Frank ; edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler ; translated by Susan Massotty.
“Anne Frank was 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding in a secret room in Amsterdam in order to escape the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. For two years they hid and Anne wrote her diary, providing us with a moving account of a Jewish life in hiding.” (Library Catalogue)

The violinist : Clare Galambos Winter, Holocaust survivor / Sarah Gaitanos.
“Klara Galambos was a twenty-year-old violin student in Budapest in March 1944. Arrested and thrown into jail in the first days after the German occupation, she later managed to get home to Szombathely, was in the ghetto there and transported with the Jews of Szombathely to Auschwitz Birkenau. After five weeks she and her aunt were among the thousand Hungarian women selected for slave labour at Allendorf. They returned to Hungary after the war, and in 1948 they both left Hungary for New Zealand, where Clare joined the fledgling national orchestra. As a long-serving member of the NZSO, she made a significant contribution to the musical life of this country, and is now retired in Wellington. The Violinist draws on memoir, interviews and historical research to tell a compelling story.” (Global Books)

Night / Elie Wiesel ; translated from the French by Marion Wiesel ; [with a new preface by the author ; foreword by François Mauriac].
“Wiesel’s account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps, including a new preface is which he reflects on the enduring importance of Night and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man’s capacity for inhumanity to man.” (Syndetics summary)

Economics viewed through nature-tinted glasses, the biggest and most impactful volcanic eruptions and the ever present climate change are all discussed in this latest batch of books on the environment.

Making our place : exploring land-use tensions in Aotearoa New Zealand / co-edited by Jacinta Ruru, Janet Stephenson, Mick Abbott.
“Fascination with the interplay of people and place inspired the editors to bring together New Zealanders from differing backgrounds and disciplines to explore some of the stories and sites of conflict and change to be found amongst our sacred, historic, rural, urban and coastal landscapes. All engage with the underlying question: are there better ways to reconcile the tensions inherent in our struggles with the land and each other? Issues fundamental to identity are placed at centre stage: indigenous rights and restitution, development and conservation, claiming and naming.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Eruptions that shook the world / Clive Oppenheimer.
“A spellbinding exploration of the history’s greatest volcanic events and their impacts on the history of humankind.” “Fire & brimstone: how volcanoes work ‘Some volcanos are in a state of incessant eruption; some, on the contrary, remain for centuries in a condition of total outward inertness, and return again to the same state of apparent extinction after a single vivid eruption of short duration; while others exhibit an infinite variety of phases intermediate between the extreme of vivacity and sluggishness.’” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The wealth of nature : economics as if survival mattered / John Michael Greer.
“John Michael Greer has re-thought economics, starting from its fundamental premises, giving it a basis in ecological reality rather than political fiction… The result is perhaps the most important and readable book on economics since Small Is Beautiful. Richard Heinberg, author of The End of Growth. Building on the Foundations of E.F. Schumacher’s revolutionary “economics as if people mattered,” The Wealth of Nature examines the true cost of confusing money with wealth.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Our dying planet : an ecologist’s view of the crisis we face / Peter F. Sale.
“Marine ecologist Sale (asst. director, Coastal Program, United Nations Univ.; Coral Reef Fishes: Dynamics and Diversity in a Complex Ecosystem) pulls no punches as he addresses the impact of overfishing, deforestation, and the emission of greenhouse gases on the environment in general and on coral reefs in particular – the first ecosystem poised to become extinct according to his projections. He draws us into his life’s work by sharing personal reflections, explaining key concepts – many of which are familiar but are perhaps not thoroughly understood by nonscientists – placing critical issues in historical context, and suggesting courses of action, such as sustainable management. – Robin K. Dillow” – (adapted from Library Journal summary)

Upside / Bradley R.E. Wright.
“It’s easy to get discouraged or feel paralyzed by what you hear about the terrible state of the world. But what if the media and other prophets of doom have misled us? Could the world actually be getting better? The answers… and the facts behind them… may surprise you: Extreme poverty has been cut in half since the 1980s, in developing countries. Life expectancy has doubled around the world over the last 100 years. Literacy rates have soared from 25% to over 80% over the same period. Sociologist Brad Wright uses the best available data to uncover the truth about the world’s most important issues, including poverty, sickness, education, morality, and the environment. While admitting there is still work to be done, he shines a light on why so many things are improving and why no one is talking about it.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Biological diversity : exploiters and exploited / Paul Hatcher and Nick Battey.
“Offering a fresh approach to biology, the authors (both of the U. of Reading, UK) invite study of the living world in a manner that fundamentally integrates human interactions. The presentation focuses on 18 groups of organisms, arranged in sections on exploiters and exploited (although the authors suggest this division is somewhat arbitrary and some could logically be put in either group). They study both plants and animals, using particular cases as a means of investigating diversity and inter-relationships…” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Growth misconduct? : avoiding sprawl and improving urban intensification in New Zealand / edited by Karen Witten, Wokje Abrahamse & Keriata Stuart.
“New Zealand’s population is expected to grow by one million people in the next 20 years. The arrival of ‘peak oil’ and accumulating evidence of climate change force us to reconsider the way we grow our cities. This book provides insights into the multifaceted practice of urban intensification. It highlights both the promise and the limitations of planning models such as smart growth and new urbanism in New Zealand cities. Growth Misconduct? is intended to further our knowledge, spark debate and help us think critically about ways to create livable, beautiful, environmentally sustainable and prosperous cities…” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

The atlas of climate change : mapping the world’s greatest challenge / Kirstin Dow and Thomas E. Downing.” Since the first edition of this highly acclaimed Atlas was published in 2006 (it won the ‘Planeta Environment Book of the Year’), climate change has climbed even further up the global agenda.
This new edition features:- The outcomes of the negotiations at the UNFCC conference in Copenhagen- The latest developments in climate change research and data on its impacts around the world- New coverage of the role played by the world’s oceans- Estimates of the economic impact of climate change- Updated maps and graphics wherever data is available.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The atlas of birds : diversity, behavior, and conservation / Mike Unwin.
From the publisher. The Atlas of Birds captures the breathtaking diversity of birds, and illuminates their conservation status around the world. Full-color maps show where birds are found, both by country and terrain, and reveal how an astounding variety of behavioral adaptations — from flight and feeding to nest building and song — have enabled them to thrive in virtually every habitat on Earth…” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Global energy transformation : four necessary steps to make clean energy the next success story / Mats Larsson.
“Over the next few years, political and financial power will move in the direction of individuals, companies and nations that are able to use energy in a more efficient way. This book describes this challenge and presents a way forward by which we may achieve the goal of increased energy efficiency in the different areas that need to change.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The shortlist for the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize has recently been announced. This award was established in 2007 and is presented annually to the best novel written either in English or translated, by an Asian author. The winner receives USD 30,000 and the translator, if there is one, USD 5,000.This year the judging panel selected twelve novels from ninety nominations for the long list and that was reduced to seven for the shortlist. The prize will be awarded to the winner on 15 March 2012. Previous winners include in 2009, Su Tong for The Boat to Redemption and in 2007, Jiang Rong for Wolf Totem.
We are highlighting five novels from the shortlist; all are great reads, with themes, style and structure as diverse as the nationalities of their authors.

The wandering falcon / Jamil Ahmad.
“A progression of stories featuring a character who is the protagonist of the novel but not of any of the stories. In the first, a young couple staggers into a military outpost on Pakistan’s western border, requesting refuge and receiving food and shelter for as long as you want to stay. Soon, a son is born; five years later, the couple’s tribesmen arrive. He shoots her dead; they stone him to death, and the boy is abandoned. His growth from small child to young man ready to take a wife strings the subsequent stories together. Intertribal pecking orders and protocols repeatedly lead to murderous violence, and the protagonist is left behind more than once again.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)
Jamil Ahmad was born in 1933 in Jalandhar. He was an official in the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul during the Soviet invasion in 1979. He now lives in Islamabad, Pakistan.

River of smoke / Amitav Ghosh.
“This is the second volume in the Ibis trilogy. The Ibis, loaded to its gunwales with a cargo of indentured servants, is in the grip of a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal; among the dozens flailing for survival are Neel, the pampered raja who has been convicted of embezzlement; Paulette, the French orphan masquerading as a deck hand; and Deeti, the widowed poppy grower fleeing her homeland with her love, Kalua. The storm also threatens the clipper ship Anahita, groaning with the largest consignment of opium ever to leave India for Canton. And the Redruth, a nursery ship, carries “Fitcher’ Penrose, a horticulturist determined to track down the priceless treasures of China that are hidden in plain sight: plants that have the power to heal, or beautify, or intoxicate. All will converge in Canton’s Fanqui-Town, or Foreign Enclave: a tumultuous world unto itself where civilizations clash and sometime fuse. It is a powder keg awaiting a spark to ignite the Opium Wars.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)
Amitav Ghosh was born in 1956 in Calcutta. He studied at Delhi and Oxford universities. His first novel, The Circle of Reason was published in 1986.

Please look after mom : a novel / Kyung-sook Shin ; translated from the Korean by Chi-Young Kim.
“Please Look After Mom” is the stunning, deeply moving story of a family’s search for their mother, and of the desires, heartaches, and secrets they discover she harbored within. Told through the piercing voices and urgent perspectives of a daughter, son, husband, and mother, it is at once an authentic picture of contemporary life in Korea and a universal story of family love.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)
Shin Kyung-Sook was born in South Korea in 1963. She worked in an electronics plant while attending night school. Her first novella was published in 1985 after graduating from the Seoul Institute of the Arts, as a creative writing major.

Dream of Ding village / Lianke Yan.
“Told through the eyes of a young boy who is killed by his family’s neighbours, this novel tells the tragic and shocking story of the selling of blood for much needed money in China’s Henan province The villagers were then infected with the AIDS virus as they were injected with plasma to prevent anaemia. Whole villages were wiped out in this way, with no responsibility taken or reparation made and nothing done to care for those left behind.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)
Yan Lianke was born in 1958 in Henan province, China, where the blood-contamination scandal occurred. He graduated from Henan University in 1985, and in 1991, he graduated from the People’s Liberation Army Art Institute with a degree in Literature. He is a prolific writer and has received many literary awards. He lives in Beijing.

The lake / by Banana Yoshimoto ; translated by Michael Emmerich.
“A young woman moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to overcome her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. But she spends her time staring out of the window only to realise that there is a young man across the street staring out of his window too. They eventually embark on a hesitant romance, until she learns that he is the victim of a childhood trauma. Visiting two of his friends who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake, she begins to piece together clues that reveal that his troubled past includes a bizarre religious cult.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)
Banana Yoshimoto is the pen name of Mahoko Yoshimoto. She was born in 1964 in Tokyo. She graduated from Hihon University’s Art College where she majored in literature. She has published 12 novels, the first published in 1986, with 8 being translated into English.

Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns was born on the 25th of January 1759, and the 25th of January every year is now celebrated as Robert Burns Day. Traditionally marked with a Burns supper, enthusiastic Burns Clubs all over the world will be celebrating tonight with a good measure of whisky.

The son of a tenant farmer in Ayrshire and a pre-Romantic poet, Robert Burns is a cultural icon in Scotland and the Scottish Diaspora around the world for his poetry and songs in both English and the Scots language (not Gaelic). An interesting New Zealand connection, is that his nephew – Thomas Burns – immigrated to New Zealand and was a prominent religious leader in the early settlement of Otago. There are many memorials to Robert Burns all over the world, and if you’ve visited Dunedin you will have seen the statue of Robert Burns in the Octagon that commemorates him there.

In lieu of celebrating with the more traditional haggis and whisky, we thought we’d collect together some books and web links to commemorate the Ploughman Poet. Enjoy!

Robert Burns / selected by Donald A. Low.
“Let other poets raise a fracas ‘Bout vines, an’ wines, an’ drucken Bacchus, An’ crabbit names an’ stories wrack us, An’ grate our lug: In glass or jug.–from “Scotch Drink”. Robert Burns, the son of a tenant farmer in Ayshire, Scotland, endured great hardship before emerging as a poet and songwriter in his native dialect, as well as in English. This “Bard of Scotland” caught the spirit of his country, as these 23 verses and songs so vividly show. Though his works frequently focused on two of his greatest pleasures–women and Scotch–he also found inspiration in local subjects. His “Tam O’Shanter” is one of the finest examples of narrative verse ever written: it vividly evokes the Scottish landscape and weather, the native inns and native folk, all while telling a compelling, almost supernatural story of the drunken Tam. From “The Twa Dogs” to “Death and Doctor Hornbook,” this colorful collection is a pure delight.” (Syndetics summary)

The bard : Robert Burns, a biography / Robert Crawford.
“Biographies of Burns are as plentiful as hangovers after Burns Suppers, and some of them are equally unrewarding. But this one is genuinely useful. Evenhanded and earnest, it isn’t the raciest version of Burns’s high-octane career: Those who want a simplified story can look elsewhere. But The Bard, while approachable and concise, sets a new standard for scholarly readings of Burns’s life. This biography is enlightening and entertaining, a good read in a gray month.” (Amazon.co.uk)

Dirt & deity : a life of Robert Burns / Ian McIntyre.
“July 21, 1996, is the 200th anniversary of the death of Scotland’s great national poet, Robert Burns, which is reason enough to bring McIntyre’s exhaustively documented–indeed, for all practical purposes, documentary–biography, first published in England last year, to America. But besides marking the occasion, the book has strong virtues to commend it, too. McIntyre strives mightily to tell the facts about Burns; to that end, he constructs a fabric made up of excerpts from letters, recollections of those who knew Burns, occasional public records, and the testimony of Burns’ poems. He stitches these materials together with clear, precise prose, concisely sketching Burns’ historical and cultural milieu as he proceeds; and he refrains from speculating about cloudy details in Burns’ life or interpreting Burns’ works. He doesn’t coddle old legends or foster new ones but reinforces the familiar image of Burns as a sparkling conversationalist, something of a rake (as were several friends), and, unfortunately for his longevity (he died at 37), rather a boozer–and, supremely, what Jews call a mensch, for a’ that.” (Booklist)

Rhymer Rab : an anthology of poems and prose / Robert Burns ; edited by Alan Bold.
“The poems and songs of Robert Burns are known throughout the world, yet many people are unaware of the wealth of writing of all kinds which he left at his death in 1796. This is a collection of verse and prose which gives insights into Burns’s complex and contradictory character. It includes some of his most revealing letters, ranging from formal appeals to potential patrons, to bawdy accounts of sexual conquests; from the elevated passion of the “Clarinda” letters to the touching domesticity of notes to his wife and family; and from fiery political satire to poignant pleas sent in the final days of his life. Here also are extracts from commonplace books, passages from travel journals and other significant pieces, including the complete text of the Autobiographical Letter, Burns’s only extended account of his meteoric rise to fame.” (Amazon.co.uk)

From our databases:

• Burns, Robert (1759-1796). Accessed via Gale Biography In Context.

Website Links:

• Index of Robert Burns’ Poems with English translations (Via the World Burns Club)
• BBC audio archive of 716 works by Robert Burns (created to mark the 250th anniversary of his birth in 2009)

Nau mai, haere mai.

Please join with us in celebrating Te Rā o Waitangi : Waitangi Day celebrations in a day of bicultural fun for the whole whānau.

Where & when : Monday 6 February, at the Wharewaka, 10:30am-2.00 pm.

Following the pōwhiri at 10:30am, Wellington City Libraries is pleased to host Apirana Taylor who will present two storytimes at 10:40 and 11:30 am.

In between the storytimes we will be providing an opportunity for children and parents to
- make badges using our badge machine
- create waka/watercraft from natural materials.

Come also to see our range of books on the Treaty, and enter your name for a random prize draw of books.

From Gypsies to the Proms, Mozart, to Whitacre. The new classical music coming into our library collection is certainly full of favourites, but also full of music slightly less well known in the classical repertoire. This month’s Recent picks is a collection of brilliant, but less appreciated performers and composers, as well as some ideas we may not be familiar with.

Books

World music is where we found it / essays by and for Allan Thomas ; edited by Wendy Pond and Paul Wolffram.
“In this volume, Allan’s distinctive voice and sensibility are sustained through another generation of ethnomusicological studies by students and colleagues who have jumped over the boundary fence to find music in its social context at stock sales, agricultural shows, dance festivals, brass band competitions, Irish pubs, and in communities wherever they have travelled.” – (adapted from fishpond.co.nz)

Mozart and the Nazis : how the Third Reich abused a cultural icon / Erik Levi.
“Despite the apparent incompatibility between Mozart’s humanitarian and cosmopolitan outlook and Nazi ideology, the Third Reich tenaciously promoted the great composer’s music to further the goals of the fascist regime. In this revelatory book, Erik Levi draws on period articles, diaries, speeches, and other archival materials to provide a new understanding of how the Nazis shamelessly manipulated Mozart for their own political advantage.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

CDs

12 études in all the minor keys [sound recording] / Marc-André Hamelin.
“Hamelin plays Hamelin: a glimpse into the fabulously bizarre musical mind of one of the greatest piano virtuosos of today. Marc-André‚ Hamelin’s twelve Études, written over a period of nearly twenty-five years, have already achieved cult status by reputation as pianistic challenges beyond the reach of most human fingers.” – (adapted from amazon.com description)

Rapsodia [sound recording].
“The exciting young Moldovan violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaya, who earlier this year won a BBC Music Magazine Award for her recording of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, is here joined by a small group of musicians including her mother, also a violinist, and father, a renowned cimbalom player, in a selection of pieces that reflect Eastern European folk and Gypsy traditions. Amongst the composers represented are Enescu, Ligeti, Kurtág and Ravel.” – (adapted from amazon.co.uk description)

The whale ; Celtic requiem.
“The Whale, [Tavener's] avant-garde oratorio, and Celtic Requiem, written for soprano, orchestra and children’s choir, were his first ever full-length releases, and remain extraordinary examples of British contemporary classical music.” – (adapted from amazon.com description)

Light and gold [sound recording] / Eric Whitacre.
“Light and Gold, The Most Beautiful Music on Earth…. The first in a stunning collection of Eric Whitacre’s choral works conducted for the first time by Eric himself and performed by The Eric Whitacre Singers, Laudibus and friends.” – (adapted from amazom.com description)

DVDs

The symphony of sorrowful songs [videorecording] / [music by] Górecki.
“Henryk Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3 reached sixth position in the U.K. pop album charts when it was first released in 1992, as well as becoming the nation’s top classical album. This film features a complete performance of the Symphony No. 3 as well as a rare interview with the composer. It was originally commissioned by Melvyn Bragg for The South Bank show in 1993.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The last night of the proms [videorecording] : live from the Royal Albert Hall.
“Celebrate a great British tradition and embrace the spirit of this magical evening. Tradition met high jinks in 2010 as Jiří Bělohlávek conducted his second Last Night, while the spirit of Henry Wood presided, as always, over the grand finale of the BBC Proms. Renée Fleming lends her lustrous soprano to music by Strauss, Dvořák and Smetana.” - (adapted from amazon.co.uk description)

Mages, post-apocalyptia, space slaves, armies of aliens and bows and arrows. Escape into the fantastic with these new additions to our catalogue!

Perfect people / Peter James.
“When a young couple join a fertility programme run by a clinic in America they little suspect that the happy day that follows is the last day of mankind’s evolutionary supremacy. Mankind is facing its greatest challenge: obsolescence.” – (adapted from Syndetics Summary)

Citadel / John Ringo.
“The second novel in the new military science fiction series by a “New York Times”-bestselling author. Once the Earth has been freed, how can the former conquerors be kept from returning to reclaim the planet–or even destroy it?” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The hot gate / John Ringo.
“The fight to free the Earth from alien domination began in “Live Free or Die,” and continued in “Citadel.” Now Tyler Vernon and his troops aboard the gigantic battle station “Troy” face a desperate battle with the forces of galactic tyranny.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The High King of Montival : a novel of the change / S.M. Stirling.
“In this post-apocalyptic series chronicling a modern world without technology, Rudi Mackenzie returns to Montival in the Pacific Northwest, where he will face the legions of the Prophet. To achieve victory, he must assemble a coalition of those who had been his enemies a few months before and forge them into an army that will rescue his homeland.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Legacy of kings / Celia Friedman.
“The young peasant woman Kamala has proven strong and determined enough to claim the most powerful Magister sorcery for herself-but now the Magisters hunt her for killing one of their own. Her only hope of survival lies in the northern Protectorates, where spells are warped by a curse called the Wrath that even the Magisters fear.” – (adapted from Syndetics Summary)

Scholar / L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
“The scholar Quaeryt, friend of young King Bhayar, ruler of Telaryn, accepts a royal mission to journey to the land of Tilbor, conquered by Bhayar’s father ten years earlier, to assess the possibility of reducing the occupation forces. Concealing the fact that he is also an imager, a mage who can create mental images and endow them with material being, Quaeryt weathers pirates and a shipwreck on his journey to Tilbor. Once there, he faces more subtle political dangers as his suspicions grow concerning a conspiracy that could throw Telaryn into chaos. Set in the time before the events of the first book of the “Imager Portfolio” (Imager; Imager’s Challenge; Imager’s Intrigue), Modesitt’s latest addition to his fantasy saga focuses on the complex character of its hero, an unlikely combination of serious scholar and, when need be, ruthless opponent. The author excels in creating worlds that are believable down to the last detail and characters whose vitality expresses itself in actions that have resounding consequences. VERDICT Fans of the author’s “Recluce” novels and the works of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, and Raymond E. Feist should enjoy the elaborate world-building and believable characterizations.” – (adapted from Library Journal review)

The sacred band / David Anthony Durham.
“In a conclusion to the trilogy that includes The Other Lands, Queen Corinn masters spells found in the ancient Book of Elenet, while her younger brother embarks on a perilous mission to the Other Lands and her sister travels north to confront an invasion by the fearsome Auldek.” – (adapted from Syndetics Summary)

Ashes of a black frost / Chris Evans.
“Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in this all-new epic adventure from acclaimed author Evans. Packed with wit, high adventure, and political intrigue, “Ashes of a Black Frost” will hook readers on this bold and exciting series.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Vengeance / Ian Irvine.
“In Cython’s underground slave camps, only the timid and obedient survive but Tali is neither of these. In Cython, having magic means the death penalty, and Tali’s gift is swelling out of her control.Though no slave has ever escaped, Tali must, for she has sworn to bring her mother’s killers to justice.” – (adapted from Syndetics Summary)

The kingdom of gods / N.K. Jemisin.
“Finally freed from their enslavement by the ruling Arameri, the gods and godlings of the world still find themselves influenced by the shifting loyalties, loves, and hates of mortals. When Sieh, the god of childhood, gives his friendship to two Arameri children, Shahar and her brother Dekarta, his godhood slips from him and changes the course of the world forever. Jemisin’s brilliant conclusion to her award-winning trilogy (after The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms; The Broken Kingdom) explores the human desire for the divine as well as the gods’ need for the mortals who worship them. VERDICT Masterly storytelling and compelling characters make this a standout selection for fantasy lovers.” – (adapted from Library Journal review)

Colourful and entertaining new picture books with some really great stories which will have your kids laughing.

 Poo bum / Stephanie Blake ; [translated by Linda Burgess].
“Once there was a rabbit who could only answer “poo bum” whenever he was spoken to. One day the rabbit meets a hungry wolf. Will the little rabbit be his usual rude self, or will he learn his lesson once and for all? This is a hilarious new picture book by Gecko Press, sure to have your little ones giggling.” - (Staff member)

Otto the book bear / Katie Cleminson.
“Have you ever met a Book Bear, a bear who lives in a book? Prepare to fall in love with Otto, the Book Bear who needs to find a new home. Otto is a Book Bear and nothing makes him happier than when people read his book. But he also has a very special secret – when no one is looking he can come to life and explore the house. But one day something terrible happens: Otto’s book is left behind when the family moves away, and now there is no one to read Otto! Otto must set off on his biggest adventure yet – to find a new home. But where is the best place for a Book Bear to live?” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

Picasso’s trousers / Nicholas Allan.
“Whenever Picasso does something different, people say, “No! No! No! Picasso!” But Picasso doesn’t listen. Instead, he says . . . “Yes!”. He paints all-blue pictures, all-pink pictures, plus pictures from the front and side all at the same time! He makes art out of bike bits and he can draw pictures in less than 60 seconds! Soon he becomes the greatest painter in the world. But he still wants to be different…” – (adapted from Amazon.com description)

Mind your gramma 
An amusing take on grammar which I thought could be fun for a junior class visit.
“A child wonders at the odd things her grandmother says … Gramma asks me about my day, and I say, “Me and my friend played soccer.” She says, “My friend and I played soccer.” I say, “At your age?” Kids and adults alike will laugh aloud at this series of hilarious mis-construal’s between a child and her grandmother as Gramma corrects the child’s grammar.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

Max’s castle / Kate Banks ; pictures by Boris Kulikov.
“When Max finds a pile of forgotten toys under the bed, his brothers Benjamin and Karl wonder what’s so special about some old blocks. So Max shows them. With some clever twists of both blocks and imagination, he constructs not only a castle but an entire adventure, complete with pirates and knights, a dark dungeon and a dragon…” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The game of finger worms / Hervé Tullet.
“Draw two eyes and a mouth on your finger and put your finger in the book’s hole to see all of the places the finger worm goes. A curiously fun interactive board book.” – (Staff member)

People / Blexbolex ; [translated by Claudia Bedrick].
“As with its predecessor, the book’s brilliance lies in the intriguing ways in which the images mimic, challenge, and inform one another. For example, a “homeless person” sleeping in a box appears opposite a “camper”; a “contortionist” and a “plumber” exert themselves equally; and a pink “nudist” is paired with an “invisible man” in a business suit. Readers will form new associations and make new discoveries upon each revisiting.” – (adapted from Publishers Weekly description)

This week’s choices are both due in early 2012 (February and March respectively) and are written by young, female American writers.  Snow Child is the debut novel of Alaskan Eowyn Ivey whilst Arcadia is Lauren Groff’s third publication – we have her other books here and here.  Both these books have been well received and glowingly reviewed!

Snow child : a novel.
“Here’s a modern retelling of the Russian fairy tale about a girl, made from snow by a childless couple, who comes to life. Or perhaps not modern-the setting is 1920s Alaska-but that only proves the timelessness of the tale and of this lovely book. Unable to start a family, middle-aged Jack and Mabel have come to the wilderness to start over, leaving behind an easier life back east. Anxious that they won’t outlast one wretched winter, they distract themselves by building a snow girl and wrap her in a scarf. The snow girl and the scarf are gone the next morning, but Jack spies a real child in the woods. Soon Jack and Mabel have developed a tentative relationship with the free-spirited Faina, as she finally admits to being called. Is she indeed a “snow fairy,” a “wilderness pixie” magicked out of the cold? Or a wild child who knows better than anyone how to survive in the rugged north? Even as Faina embodies a natural order that cannot be tamed, the neighborly George and Esther show Jack and Mabel (and the rest of us) how important community is for survival. VERDICT A fluid, absorbing, beautifully executed debut novel; highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 9/21/11.]-Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.” (Library Journal)

Arcadia.
“Groff’s dark, lyrical examination of life on a commune follows Bit, aka Little Bit, aka Ridley Sorrel Stone, born in the late ’60s in a spot that will become Arcadia, a utopian community his parents help to form. Despite their idealistic goals, the family’s attempts at sustainability bring hunger, cold, illness, and injury. Bit’s vibrant mother retreats into herself each winter; caring for the community literally breaks his father’s back. The small, sensitive child whose purposeful lack of speech is sometimes mistaken for slowness finds comfort in Grimms’ fairy tales and is lost in the outside world once Arcadia’s increasingly entitled spiritual leader falls from grace and the community crumbles. Split between utopia and its aftermath, the book’s second half tracks the ways in which Bit, now an adult (he’s 50 when this all ends, in 2018), has been shaped by Arcadia; a career in photography was the perfect choice for a man who “watches life from a good distance.” Bit’s painful experiences as a husband, father, and son grow more harrowing as humanity becomes increasingly imperiled. The effective juxtaposition of past and future and Groff’s (Delicate Edible Birds) beautiful prose make this an unforgettable read. Agent: William Morris Endeavor. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)