News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Wondering who this band is? Then take a look at the April CD reviews on our Popular Music page.  There you can also find the soundtrack to Inspector Morse “The mix is magical”, plus Lily Allen, Nels Cline, Ani Difranco, Bon Iver and more…

This month’s personal development books focuses on relationships and gives advice on how to find your perfect match.

Why do you fall in love with the right person or the wrong person? This is the question that author Helen Fisher asks in her book Why him? Why her? : Finding real love by understanding your personality type. She has studied 40,000 men and women and has found there are four distinct types influenced by different chemicals in the brain. Identifying your correct type may lead you to Mr or Mrs Right or explain why your relationship is not working.

First comes marriage : modern relationship advice from the ancient wisdom of arranged marriages is a book discussing whether traditional marriages are relevant in modern society. Reva Seth has talked with 300 women in arranged marriages and feels that there is advice that can assist today’s women looking for a long term relationship. She has seven “secrets”. Two are “your man doesn’t have to be your best friend” and “it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t dance”. Read more to find out about the other five.

Internet dating is a modern phenomenon but what are the pitfalls. Eighty-eight dates – the perilous joys of internet dating is written by Rachel Goodchild to help potential daters avoid on-line dating disasters. These stories cover the good, the bad and the even worse!

Read more about these titles, plus other new books on transforming your life, optimism, co-dependency and fearless living via the latest Personal Development Recent Picks.

Have you always been fascinated by the twists and turns of Discworld, the imaginary dimension Terry Pratchett has been diverting us with for the last twenty-five years? if so, you will enjoy reading The folklore of discworld, a book that discloses the secrets of the saga and unveils the mysteries of this unique fantasy world. The world of literature is dense to say the least and if you feel lost and need guidance, look no further than 501 great writers. This book will present you with the most talented writers of all time and the most fascinating works that exist. Are you a fan of comedic science-fiction? Then, do not miss The Science of The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy: you will get to know more about the background of the book. And if you want to learn about Susan Sontag’s journals and notebooks, how to write non-fiction, and how to get published, check out this month’s Literature Recent Picks.

This month’s new health books cover a wide range of issues looking at clinical, psychological and scientific aspects.

One in nine New Zealand women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and author Alison Renfrew has written Cover your breasts to share her experiences with them. Advice and guidance is given about the initial diagnosis, the treatment process as well as covering psychological and financial aspects. She also focuses on life after cancer and assessing what is important.

I’m still here : a breakthrough approach to understanding someone living with Alzheimer’s by John Zeisel looks at physical symptoms and disease progression as well as the relationships between the Alzheimer’s sufferer and their carers. Practical advice about the physical layout of the home is also covered.

Joanna Moncrieff’s book The myth of the chemical cure : a critique of psychiatric treatment disputes what is generally seen as accepted medical prescribing. Her premise is that pyschiatric drugs create “abnormal brain states” rather than correcting chemical imbalances and this is harmful for those using this medication.

Read more about these titles, plus other new books on in-vitro fertilisation, bed-wetting, adrenal fatigue and Asperger’s syndrome via the latest Health Recent Picks.

Author J. G. Ballard has died aged 78 after a long illness. He was born in Shanghai, China and spent three years during World War II with his family in a Japanese Internment camp. He returned to Britain and began to study medicine at King’s College Cambridge. Here he began his writing and in 1952 abandoned his medical studies and went to the University of London to read English Literature. After a year he was asked to leave. He  had trouble getting his work published, and tried various jobs, even joining the RAF in 1953, but staying only a year. His first science fiction short story was published in New Worlds magazine in 1956, the editor who would publish all J. G. Ballard’s early stories. His first novel The Wind from Nowhere was published in 1962, later the same year he published The Drowned World, which was a major success. 20 other novels and 22 collections of short stories were to follow, some of the novels causing much controversy. Crash, published in 1973 and adapted to film in 1996 and the Atrocity Exhibition published in 1969 and adapted to film in 2001, being just two of the controversial works. Empire of the Sun, published in 1984 and adapted to film by Steven Spielberg in 1987, is an autobiographical novel of his war years in China. His last work was his autobiography The Miracles of Life , which was published to much acclaim in 2008.

There are all sorts of clichés about the French, but what actually made them who they are? Read Children of the revolution: the French, 1799-1914 and discover how events from the fall of the Monarchy to World War I shaped this nation and its people. Our history selection offers other interesting items you can borrow. Get to know about the fall Ruin of the Roman Empire, Victorian slums, and how a small fleet put a definitive end to the slave-trade. Is more recent history your thing ? You can learn more about the Italian front during WWI, and you can read about Holocaust survivors’ stories or the peace process in Northern Ireland. And if you are interested in Europe and the Middle-East from 570 to 1215, the influence of the Bush dynasty, and a review of the twentieth century, check out this month History Recent Picks.

 This month, our selection will please you if you can’t imagine life without design. Best brochure design.10 presents you with innovative ideas concerning the design of brochures. Ultimate illustrations! compiles the work of today’s most talented illustrators. Stereographics: graphics in new dimensions and Tangible: high touch visuals show how 3D designs are becoming increasingly popular, with illustrations and examples for the reader to draw inspiration from. Packaging sustainability deals with the tips and tricks of producing functional and beautifully designed packages. Small environments offers design and architectural solutions to making the most of lack of space. And if you want to know more about Color & layout: from asparagus white to burnt olive, check out this month’s Graphic Arts Recent Picks.

Are you a fiction fan? Our Contemporary Fiction Recent Picks and our Mysteries Fiction Recent Picks for this month have just been released! So don’t wait, check them out!

There is a new selection of DVDs for our Wellington City Libraries customers to choose from. Young@Heart tells the story of senior singers taking on modern hits. RocknRolla delves into the sombre London underground. Then she found me is the debut of director Helen Hunt. Burn after reading is a new mid-life crisis comedy by the Cohen brothers. The ’mockumentary’ Chalk illustrates all too well the lives and struggles of four teachers. How to lose friends and alienate people showcases Simon Pegg’s talent for comedy yet again. I could never be your woman is a bitter-sweet romantic comedy about aging in Hollywood. The latest James Bond opus: Quantum of Solace is out, as well as the delirious action-comedy Pineapple Express. This month, you can also borrow The Counterfeiters and 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days, a movie that won la Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2007. And if you are interested in the Iraq war and the fate of American soldiers, check out this month’s DVD Recent Picks.

This month, Wellington City Libraries provide you with the ideal selection to make the most of your home and garden. Small spaces and Small and chic are two books that will help you stretch the boundaries of your living space and make your tiny home a smart one too! You can embellish your home with upholstery projects, tips and tricks and follow the advice of interior designers to make your house beautiful. If you are more of an outside person, you can learn how to grow vegetables efficiently and cheaply and if you are into native plants, we have a book just for you! Finally if you want to make your house a green home, check out this month’s Gardening and DIY Recent Picks.