Australian author Steve Toltz’s first novel, A fraction of the whole, has been selected for the 2008 Man booker Prize shortlist. This massive 700 page narrative, covers most genres, from adventure and suspense, to romance and mystery. Although covering a good part of the globe is wonderfully Australian. It has also been nominated for the Guardian First Book Award.

The five other shortlisted novels for the Man Booker Prize show a great diversity of author nationality, subject and location. All provide great entertaining reading and it will interesting to see who the judges decide will win this pretigious award, when it is announced on 14th October.

Wellington City Libraries in association with Allen & Unwin, Unity Books and the New Zealand Book Council present “An Evening with Emily Perkins”, bestselling author of A Novel About My Wife.  Emily Perkins will be in conversation with Fergus Barrowman, with questions invited from the audience following the discussion.

When: Thursday 24 July, 6pm
Where: The Cinema, City Gallery, Civic Square, Wellington

Tickets are $10, and available at the Information Desk, Wellington Central Library, 65 Victoria Street.
Ticket sales are in person only, no reserves. Payments accepted: cash, cheque or eftpos.

Our last author event sold out quickly so don’t delay!

Our science fiction recent picks for May showcase all manner of martians, mages, and magical creatures. Jim Butcher is back, with his latest Harry Dresden story, and Mercedes Lackey features as well. Also included this month: much in the way of fantastical worlds, political plots and rebellion, and a struggling detective agency in a New York that is home to vampires and trolls as well as humans.