News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Great Britain and Scotland are highlighted in our history recent picks for October: Sean Connery discusses Scottish identity, the theft of the Stone of Destiny is retold, the building of the Antonine Wall (Rome’s Scottish frontier) is described, and the influence of the Magna Carta over British institutions is unveiled. The United States is in the spotlight too with a portrait of post-9/11 America, and Africa is also covered with the crisis in Darfur and a history of Saudi Arabia. And finally, if you are a pessimistic generalist, The Pessimist’s guide to History might be just the book for you in this month’s History Recent Picks!

Short of inspiration for a new project? Check out our selection of new crafts books this month! In our selection this month… Learn how you can personalise your home with needle and thread – whether it be by stitching curtains or putting together quilts; or if you are more manual, discover how to decorate your home with stunning ceramics. If you prefer to make things for yourself and your friends, find new inspiration with our selection of knitting, beading and jewelry-making books. And if you’re more of a computer whiz, learn how you can put your memories together with digital scrapbooks – all in this month’s Crafts Recent Picks.

Don’t be afraid of who you are this month, with the help of Style statement : live by your own design, a book that will allow you to develop and affirm your own self. Other items celebrate introspection and a silent dialogue with a donkey in the south of France, and the fact that there is a life after 50, and a good one! If you know which brain type you are , you can direct your life accordingly with Organizing for your brain type, and Sex, lies and handwriting can help you learn the darkest and hidden secrets of anyone, without having to understand their handwriting, thanks to graphology. To find out more about this month’s selection, visit our Personal Development Recent Picks.

‘Global warming’ is on everyone’s minds lately and affects both ourselves and our environment. So now is the best time to make the most of the living wonders of our world with our Science selection this month. You’ll find items that deal with beautiful butterflies, wild animals on the verge of extinction, and the fascinating sights of the natural world. New Zealand science is revealed, from its modest origins to its most recent breakthroughs. The make-up of the Earth is detailed, and Darwin’s gift to science reviewed. And if you’d like to learn more about Under a Green Sky: Global Warming, the Mass Extinctions of the Past, and What They Can Tell Us About Our Future, check out this month’s Science Recent Picks.

The Private Patient is the title of the new Adam Dalgiesh murder mystery from the queen of contemporary crime writting P. D. James. Rhoda Gradwyn, an investigative journalist of notorious repute, was so pleased to be having a long-standing, disfiguring facial scar removed by the brilliant surgeon, Mr Chandler-Powell, at his private clinic in Dorset. She thought it would be the beginning of a new life, never thinking it would be the end of her life. Adam Dalgiesh is called to investigate, and a second death causes him even more complications.

For more new murder mysteries check out Mysteries Recent Picks on My Library

It’s all about cakes and New Zealand cooking in our cooking selection this month. Learn how to make inventive, decorative and even vegan cupcakes, and become an expert at baking all manner of things! Discover how to cook gluten-free, prepare appealing lunch boxes for your hungry children, and become an expert at enjoying Scotch whisky and French gastronomy. The books we’ve chosen for you this month have a strong focus on Kiwi food. Inside, you’ll find tips on making preserves from well-known NZ chef Chris Fortune, New Zealand adaptations of traditional Indian cooking, wild pork recipes and New Zealand recipes in general. If this sounds mouth-watering to you, check out this month’s Cooking Recent Picks!

Our Collection Development Team bring you a wide selection of books to choose from this month in our Buyer’s Choice Recent Picks. In this month’s selection – travel through time and space and discover the masterpieces of the world’s best architecture, learn to decorate your house with French flair, and discover the history of the colour black. Included this month are several items about New Zealand, its cricket and cooking. Other selections focus on making one’s business ‘green’, fighting cancer, the mythology of ghosts, and the legendary film director Martin Scorcese. You can find out more about these books in this month’s Buyer’s Choice, and especially about The art of romance, which features the covers of romance novels from the beginning of the twentieth century up to now.