News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

It’s a big year for sports with the Olympics, T20 World Cup and Euros in the coming months. But until they roll around, why not settle in with one of these?

100 essential things you didn’t know you didn’t know about sport / John D. Barrow
“100 Essential Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know About Sport sheds light on the mysteries of running, jumping, swimming and points scoring across the whole sporting spectrum. Whether you are a competitor striving to go faster or higher, or an armchair enthusiast wanting to understand more, this is a fascinating read with one hundred short pieces that range across a wide number of sports.” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

The perfect punter : a year of losing everything and trying to win it all back / Dave Farrar
“Like millions of other sports-mad gamblers around the world, Dave Farrar loved taking on the bookies. But when the girl that he loved walked out on him without explaining why, it all went wrong and he embarked on an ill-disciplined six-month losing streak that made him decide that he was done with punting forever. As he started to get over the fact that the girl wasn’t coming back, he resolved not to give up without a fight. But this time, he was going to do it properly, making sure that he did enough research to take on the bookmakers and win.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

Knuckle / James Quinn McDonagh
“Irish travellers live in a closed community. What we think we know about them is based on hearsay, rumour and stereotype. But not any more. Knuckle is the true story of James Quinn McDonagh — clan head and champion bare-knuckle fighter. It’s a journey from his grandfather’s horse-drawn caravan at the side of the road to the country lanes of Ireland where he stood, fists bloodied and bandaged, fighting a clan war that he never asked for. Two men, two neutral referees, a country lane. No gloves, no biting, no rests. The last man standing wins, takes home the money, and more importantly, the bragging rights. Caught in a brutal cycle of violence that has left men dead, houses burned and lives destroyed, James tells a story that opens up a hidden world — revealing why history repeats itself, and why he can never go home!” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

The bodyboard travel guide : where to score the world’s best bodyboarding waves / [Owen Pye with Rob Barber and Mike Searle ; foreword by Mitch Rawlins].
“The modern polyurethane bodyboard was only invented as recently as 1971, yet there are now estimated to be several million frothing bodyboarders around the world. This book examines the history and development of the sport, hails its greatest. stars, and showcases the craziest bodyboard waves around the globe.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Rugby skills, tactics and rules / Tony Williams.
“Today, the sport of rugby is played in more than 80 countries of the world, and the United States contains more than 1000 rugby clubs. Until recently, however, few books on the sport were published here, but this is one of a number of rugby books scheduled for publication this year, including Rugby (HarperCollins) and Think Rugby (A. & C. Black). Hunter, currently coach of New Zealand’s Auckland Blues, and Williams, who has written 13 books on rugby, make lavish use of color photographs to illustrate the basic positions, general and specialized skills, tactics, and rules of the game. These photographs and the occasional diagrams greatly enhance the clearly written text. A 32-page section contains an abbreviated, plain-language list of basic rugby rules. This work is aimed at the beginning rugby player and is appropriate for readers age ten and above. Recommended for most sports collections, junior high and above.” – (adapted from Library Journal summary)

The fitness book / [principal writer, Kelly Thompson]
“Find a fitness workout that works for you with the home fitness bible. Whether you want to fit into your skinny jeans, brave a swimming costume in six weeks or squeeze in some exercise during your lunch break, The Fitness Book will help you find a workout that fits perfectly into your busy lifestyle.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

This month check out a delectable extravganza of food from around the world. Food from Arabia, Morocco, Mexico and … Mt Eden!

Modern Flavours of Arabia / Suzanne Husseini ; photography by Petrina Tinslay.
“Authentic Arabian dishes inspired by Suzanne’s fondest food memories are blended with an elegant, modern take: crepes are speckled with pistachios and sweetened with rose syrup, and scones are enhanced with dates, orange and cardamom. The classics are here too: tabbouleh, hummus, shawarma and homemade labneh. These are the foods that Suzanne loves to cook for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and she wants us to love making them, when recreating the same flavours at home. Luscious photography, warm personal stories and ideas on how to serve each dish make MODERN FLAVOURS OF ARABIA a feast for the palate as well as for the eyes.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

Well Fed : Paleo recipes for people who love to eat / by Melissa Joulwan ; foreword by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig ; photos by David Humphreys ; design by Kathleen Shannon.
“Preparing quality food is among the most caring things we can do for ourselves and the people we love. Thats why “Well Fed: Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat” is packed with recipes for food that you can eat every day, along with easy tips to make sure it takes as little time as possible to get healthy, delicious food into your well-deserving mouth.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

Mourad : New Moroccan / Mourad Lahlou ; with Susie Heller, Steve Siegelman, and Amy Vogler ; photographs by Deborah Jones.
“Lahlou, chef and owner of the highly acclaimed San Francisco restaurant Aziza, was inspired by a large extended family, most notably his grandfather who fostered a love for food in the stalls of the Moroccan marketplace. Relocated in the U.S., Lahlou attempts to recreate from memory the beloved food of his childhood. By experimenting, he is able to replicate these meals with a twist-his own take on traditional Moroccan dishes that eventually become staples in his restaurant and are highlighted in this worthy collection …” – (adapted from Publisher Weekly summary)

Classic Preserves / food director Pamela Clark.
“There’s a new interest in making jams, jellies, marmalades and chutneys. People have realised just how delicious home made preserves are and also what a calming therapeutic experience it is to make them. As well as the classic jams, jellies, marmalades and chutneys there are recipes for classic pickles, relishes, sauces and drinks, and step-by-step photographs to lead you through the trickier techniques.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

Dulcie May Kitchen Everyday / Natalie Oldfield ; photography by Todd Eyre ; food styling by Michelle Burrell.
“From breakfast to light lunch and beyond, these simple, tasty dishes are among those favourites prepared and served everyday by Natalie and her family in their food store and at home. The recipes offer a fresh look at how to eat well every day, in the signature Dulcie May Kitchen style.” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

Bill Cooks for Kids : no-fuss food for the whole family / Bill Granger ; photographs by Petrina Tinslay.
“Packed with recipes that are simple, nutritious and kid-friendly, Bill Cooks for Kids takes the frazzle out of mealtimes. This ultimate collection covers hurried weekday breakfasts, simple sweet snacks, play-date dinners, feasts for the family, delicious desserts, and party time treats. Bill Granger’s recipes are renowned for being unfussy, fast, and packed full of healthy easy-to-access ingredients. His recipes offer a solution to balancing a hectic life while still providing nutritious, enticing meals for families with young children. With over 80 recipes, to appeal to all members of the family, this is a collection both you and the kids will enjoy. Key points: the best of Bill Granger’s ‘kid-friendly’ recipes from six of his best-selling cookbooks, collected in one comprehensive volume; over 80 recipes catering to both adult and kids tastes, written in Bill’s signature tone – laid back and approachable; fresh photography and an easy-to-follow layout.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk summary)

Healthy Switch Collection : favourite recipes without all the fat / Regina Weedon.
“Make the switch and enjoy the taste of good health. Returning to Australia and then working at Rivers Cafe, Regina has now qualified as a personal trainer. She combines her passion for food with health and fitness and leads a healthy active life.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

An everlasting meal : cooking with economy and grace / Tamar Adler
“Adler, who opened a farm-to-table restaurant in Georgia and cooked at Chez Panisse (Alice Waters here contributes a foreword), offers insight into how to make simple foods into enjoyable meals, e.g., food scraps that are normally thrown away are instead used for soups, bones for stock, and orange peels for marmalade. In the chapter “How To Boil Water,” she encourages readers to put on a pot of water, then figure out what to throw in it-vegetables, pasta, potatoes, beans, even meat-increasing flavor with each item. Adler devotes a chapter to eggs, which can easily create a meal via a variety of cooking techniques, and she includes a recipe for Tortilla Espanola (simply potatoes, onions, and eggs). She also offers inspiration for making an exciting salad from in-season produce.” – (adapted from Library Journal summary)

Tacos, Quesadillas & Burritos / Laura Washburn ; photography by Isobel Wield.
“If you think tacos are greasy, unhealthy food, – think again. Tacos are so much more than ground beef and grated cheese in a crispy shell; they include fresh, tasty ingredients that are good for you. Tacos, burritos and quesadillas hail from Mexico and traditional recipes generally involve long-simmered meat or poultry, topped with crispy vegetables, wrapped or sealed in a soft flour or corn tortilla and served with a dollop of spicy salsa. It is street food par excellence and as the trend has grown, so have the options for fillings. This book offers a collection of recipes for taco, quesadilla and burrito fillings, with a good selection of contemporary twists to get you hooked on the taco-making and eating craze.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

The Little Paris Kitchen : classic French recipes with a fresh and simple approach / Rachel Khoo ; with photography by David Loftus and illustrations by Rachel Khoo.
“Rachel Khoo serves up a modern twist on classic French cooking. Rachel Khoo was determined to get to grips with French cooking, so to learn more she moved to Paris, not speaking a word of French, and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, the world-famous cookery school. Six years later, she still lives and works in Paris, cooking up a selection of classic French dishes from all over the country and giving them a fresh makeover with her own modern twists.” – (adapted from Global Books summary)

This month we start by showcasing three books that reflect on the world of contemporary photography, its major players and current themes, and then continue our monthly journey on a more pragmatic note — looking at titles that will help you improve your own photography — before finally taking a leisurely stroll along the cobbled streets of the coveted French capital.

Altered Landscape: Photographs of a changing environment
“A comprehensive look at the work of 100 contemporary photographers who capture the impact of human activity on natural landscapes. The Altered Landscape is a provocative collection of photographs representing a wide range of artists, techniques, visual styles, subjects, and ideological positions. Organized chronologically, the more than 150 images-by artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, Chris Jordan, Catherine Opie, and Edward Burtynsky-reveal the ways that individuals and industries have marked, mined, toured, tested, developed, occupied, and exploited landscapes over the last fifty years. From Robert Adams and Lewis Baltz, two of the most influential photographers to document environmental destruction in the American West, to Richard Misrach and Mark Klett, who examine abuse of natural resources, these moving images reveal the diversity of voices within the field of contemporary photography. In Association with the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno.”–Publisher’s website.

Collect contemporary photography
The best little book in a long time. Regardless of whether you are considering collecting contemporary photography or not, this book is definitely worth a look. Deceptively low key (its small format is at odds with many books on photography, and you will find it in the small books section of the Arts Music and Literature department of the central library), it confirms the place that photography has gained as an entirely legitimate artistic medium. Due to the nature of the medium and its ability to be reproduced, photography is still accessible, which can be quite an incentive to start collecting — rarity and quality of the print commanding the highest prices. Handy, useful, informative, this little book got me hooked. I read it from cover to cover in a couple of days, getting inspired by the well researched and yet succinct biographies of some of the influential names of contemporary photography. It also contains useful descriptions of the main photographic and printing techniques.

Cindy Sherman
You cannot get a more up-to-date publication on this “grande dame” of contemporary photography than this comprehensive retrospective produced as the catalog of an exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art from Feb to June 2012 and further afield from June 2013. The book reviews her most important series chronologically through high quality reproductions. The introductory essays by the exhibition curator, Eva Respini, and art historian Johanna Burton together with an interview between Sherman and John Waters give depth and perspective to the artist’s impressive body of work and the themes that pervade it.

For an interesting documentary on Cindy Sherman check out the 5th season of the excellent Art 21 PBS series, from our DVD documentary collection.

Food photography
This practical guide presents in a clear and simple way the basics on getting the right camera equipment — lights, lenses, reflectors, etc. — and takes you through the key photographic principles of aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Lighting and composition and food styling are explained and post-production techniques illustrated. Whether you want to improve your food photography to create vibrant blog posts or just want to improve your photography techniques from shooting to post-processing in general, this book is a good tool along the way.

Sketching Light
“Photographer Joe McNally explains how to experiment with light in photographs. Using many colour photos as examples, he details how a flash works, basic lighting techniques, lighting modifiers, one-light solutions, individual images, flash technology, and lighting styles and approaches he has used, along with behind-the-scenes pictures and sketches that show light placement, power settings, f-stops, and shutter speeds, as well as detailing what motivates his choices.” (booknews.com)

And finally, for light visual relief, Paris in Colour

is a series of colour coded “postcards” of the city of light. A delicious little book, like a soft buttery brioche on a beautiful automn day. For more visual feasts on Paris, check out this blog: Portrait of a place: Paris.

This month’s recent picks showcases the variety of people who call New Zealand home, from Tāngata Whēnua to Irish immigrants to those of Jewish descent.

Stones bones steam / Philip Andrews.
“Looks at Māori myths and landforms; power of ignimbrite eruptions; early geological exploration; past discoveries of moa, mosasaur and other fossils; the man who made artificial geysers; Rotorua’s great bores versus geysers controversy; and geology in verse” – (adapted from Back cover)

Bog Irish Micks : the O’Brien family from Scariff : a family history / by Kath Woodley.
“Chronicles the families started by the five children of John O’Brien and Margaret Malone, all of whom left Scariff, Ireland for New Zealand between 1874 and 1883.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Jewish lives in New Zealand : a history / Leonard Bell and Diana Morrow, editors.
“The census tells us that 8000 New Zealanders actively identify as Jewish and it is estimated that the broader population is probably around 25,000. There has never been an authoritative history of this country’s Jewish population and yet people of Jewish descent (both secular and religious) have played vital roles in all aspects of our society throughout its history. Auckland alone has had five Jewish mayors. Jews have been prominent in New Zealand’s business, cultural, intellectual, political, medical, intellectual life and more since the 1840s, and successive waves of immigration have added to the tapestry of New Zealand Jewry. This significant book covers key sectors of activity with specialist writers assigned to each. Richly illustrated, it slots another important piece into the jigsaw of our history.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

For gallant service rendered : the life & times of Samuel Austin, NZ Cross, 1831-1903 / Barbara Mabbett.
“Samuel Austins military career began with the British army and ended with the Wanganui Native Contingent in their campaign to capture Te Kooti in 1870. Drawn extensively from Austins own diary, this is the story of his adventurous life as a soldier, settler, and family man. From his childhood in Ireland and service with the 65th Regiment, it vividly details the extensive action he took part in during the turbulent years of the New Zealand Wars, and his later life as a colonist in the growing town of Wanganui.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Bishop Monrad in Aotearoa : Ditlev Gothard Monrad’s life and his legacy to New Zealand / edited by Ian Macfarlane ; [text edited by Robin Briggs].
“Monrad cam to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1866 and for almost most three years carried out the strenuous work of being a settler, clearing the land and establishing a farm in the Manawatū. In 1869 he returned to Denmark, but members of his family continued his pioneer work in New Zealand. Before he left , Monrad gave his treasured collection of prints of etchings and engravings by masters of European art to the government and people of New Zealand. This collection is help at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.” – (adapted from Back cover)

Here are our picks of the new computing books for April. We’ve had a bit of a browse and come up with some interesting titles for you – including 50 digital ideas you need to know about, open source Learning Management System Moodle, a primer on Apple’s iCloud services, a visual guide to Photoshop Elements 10, and the 2012 edition of Ubuntu Unleashed. Enjoy!

Beginning ASP.NET web pages with WebMatrix / Mike Brind, Imar Spaanjaars.
“Microsoft WebMatrix is designed to make developing dynamic ASP.NET web sites much easier. This complete Wrox guide shows you what it is, how it works, and how to get the best from it right away. It covers all the basic foundations and also introduces HTML, CSS, and Ajax using jQuery, giving beginning programmers a firm foundation for building dynamic web sites.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Moodle 2.0 course conversion : beginner’s guide : a complete guide to successful learning using Moodle 2.0 / Ian Wild.
“The Beginner’s Guide approach… Clear step-by step instructions for the most useful tasks: Learn by doing – start working right away: Leave out the boring bits: Inspiring, realistic examples that give you ideas for your own work: Tasks and challenges to encourage experimentation.” – (adapted from Book jacket)

Understanding cryptography : a textbook for students and practitioners / Christof Paar, Jan Pelzl ; forward by Bart Preneel.
“Cryptography is now ubiquitous-moving beyond the traditional environments, such as government communications and banking systems, we see cryptographic techniques realized in Web browsers, e-mail programs, cell phones, manufacturing systems, embedded software, smart buildings, cars, and even medical implants. Today’s designers need a comprehensive understanding of applied cryptography. After an introduction to cryptography and data security, the authors explain the main techniques in modern cryptography.” – (adapted from Book jacket)

50 digital ideas you really need to know / Tom Chatfield.
“From malware to mashups; from spam to the semantic web; and from email to avatars, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the profound social and behavioural changes wrought by the emerging digital age.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

iCloud / Tom Negrino.
“Learn to use Apple’s iCloud services with Mac, PC and iOS devices. Easy visual approach uses pictures to guide you through using iCloud with your Mac, PC, and iOS devices and show you what to do step by step. Concise steps and explanations let you get up and running in no time. Essential reference guide keeps you coming back again and again.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Teach yourself visually Photoshop Elements 10 / Mike Wooldridge, Brianna Stuart.
“If you want practical coverage of the most important features of Photoshop Elements 10, this book is for you. Packed with step-by-step instructions illustrated with full-color screen shots, this book clearly shows you how to do tasks, rather than using lengthy explanations. Even better, the book includes an associated website with all the images in the book available for download, so you can get hands-on practice as you go. It’s an efficient, easy-to-follow way to get up to speed on the latest and best that Photoshop Elements 10 has to offer.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Practical malware analysis : the hands-on guide to dissecting malicious software / by Michael Sikorski and Andrew Honig.
“Practical Malware Analysis provides a rapid introduction to the tools and methods used to dissect malicious software, showing readers how to safely analyze, debug, and disassemble these threats. The book goes on to examine how to overcome the evasive techniques – stealth, code obfuscation, anti-debugging, encryption, packing, and others – that malware authors employ to thwart analysis attempts. Key chapters include a lab at the end, which reviews important concepts from the discussion in the context of real-world malware examples. Drawn from the authors’ extensive field experience combating malware, these labs make Practical Malware Analysis the perfect teaching tool for beginners and seasoned veterans alike.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

MacBook all-in-one for dummies / by Mark L. Chambers.
“At home or on the road, your MacBook can do it all – this book shows you how! Don’t let its slim good looks fool you; your MacBook packs the power of a desktop, and this book helps you get the most from your MacBook. Learn the basics about using and maintaining your MacBook, work with Mac OS X Lion, use the iWork and iLife productivity suites, gets apps from the APP Store, and cruise the web from anywhere.” – (adapted from Book jacket)

Pushing the limits with iOS 5 programming : advanced application development for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch / Rob Napier and Mugunth Kumar.
“Pushing the Limits with iOS 5 Programming is an expert guide for developers aiming to create unique applications for Apple′s iPad 2, iPhone, and the iPod Touch, which includes the latest version of the Apple iPhone SDK, iOS 5. This text goes beyond the basics to keep you ahead of the technology curve and spark your innovative nature to create seamless, functional, and fun apps. With a focus on advanced techniques for app development, you will learn to differentiate your apps from all the rest.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Ubuntu / Matthew Helmke with Andrew Hudson and Paul Hudson.
“Ubuntu Unleashed is filled with unique and advanced information for everyone who wants to make the most of the Ubuntu Linux operating system. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated by a long-time Ubuntu community leader to reflect the exciting new Ubuntu 11.10 (“Oneiric Ocelot”)and the forthcoming Ubuntu 12.04. Former Ubuntu Forum administrator Matthew Helmke covers all you need to know about Ubuntu 11.10/12.04 installation, configuration, productivity, multimedia, development, system administration, server operations, networking, virtualization, security, DevOps, and more….” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

When I was a student nurse many moons ago and being instructed on the feeding of patients incapable of carrying out this task for themselves, the dietician recommended “interesting mixed fork fulls”. The idea was that you did not work your way through the potato, veggies, meat and gravy individually but mixed them up so the patient received a variety of tastes and textures with each mouthful of food. This phrase has stuck with me and seems apposite for many other experiences in life — travel, reading, friendship. theatre and movie-going among them.

This month’s literature picks would qualify for this description. The books selected are very different but together make for a most interesting mélange!

Faulks on fiction : great British characters and the secret life of the novel / Sebastian Faulks.
“Ever since Robinson Crusoe in 1719, the novel has introduced British readers to truly unforgettable characters – people in whom we can find deeper understanding of our own lives. In this engaging and personal book, Sebastian Faulks examines and celebrates the most famous and best-loved of these dazzling fictional creations and their wider impact on British culture as a whole. From Sherlock Holmes and Mr Darcy to Emma Woodhouse and James Bond – this is the story of the heroes, lovers, snobs and villains in all of us.” (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com)

Holidays in heck / P.J. O’Rourke.
“Two decades after Holidays in Hell (1988), the travelogue of a former war correspondent in search of fun in some of the world’s most desperate areas, O’Rourke follows up with the travel adventures of a writer, husband, and father, which are thrilling and humbling in their own way. To venues ranging from China to Kyrgyzstan to Disneyland, O’Rourke offers the fresh perspective of a neophyte civilian and family traveler along with his own acerbic wit about politics, recreation, economics, and family life. There’s skiing in relatively flat Ohio, which exposes the id of winter sports, and there’s reading the European Union Constitution on a beach in Guadeloupe in 2005 while pondering French and Caribbean politics and economics. Political humorist O’Rourke discusses animal-cruelty issues and the class tensions underlying stag hunting in Exmoor in England and the love of birds and bird hunting in the Galapagos Islands with a bunch of Republicans, and in Brays Island Plantation, South Carolina, with his newly rifle-educated wife. The essays are as humorous and charmingly meandering as his travels.” (Summary adapted from Booklist)

The 50 funniest American writers : an anthology of humor from Mark Twain to the Onion / according to Andy Borowitz.
“Ever wondered who makes a very funny person laugh? Wonder no more. Brought together in this Library of America collection are America’s fifty funniest writers — according to acclaimed writer and comedian Andy Borowitz. Reaching back to Mark Twain and forward to contemporary masters such as David Sedaris, Roy Blount Jr., Ian Frazier, Bernie Mac, Wanda Sykes, and George Saunders, The 50 Funniest American Writers* is an exclusive Who’s Who of the very best American comic writing. Here are Thurber and Perelman, Lenny Bruce and Bruce Jay Friedman, Garrison Keillor and Dave Barry and Veronica Geng, plus hilarious lesser known pieces from The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic, National Lampoon, Salon, and The Onion. Who does one of the funniest people in America (CBS Sunday Morning) read when he needs a laugh? Here’s Andy Borowitz to tell you.”–Publisher’s description.

Morning, noon & night : finding the meaning of life’s stages through books / Arnold Weinstein.Morning, Noon, and Night: Finding the Meaning of Life’s Stages Through Books
“From Homer and Shakespeare to Toni Morrison and Jonathan Safran Foer, major works of literature have a great deal to teach us about two of life’s most significant stages — growing up and growing old. Distinguised scholar Arnold Weinstein’s provocative and engaging new book, “Morning, Noon, and Night”, explores classic writing insights into coming-of-age and surrendering to time, and considers the impact of these revelations upon our lives. With wisdom, humor, and moving personal observations, Weinstein leads us to look deep inside ourselves and these great books, to see how we can use art as both mirror and guide. He offers incisive readings of seminal novels about childhood — Huck Finn’s empathy for the runaway slave Jim illuminates a child’s moral education; Catherine and Heathcliff’s struggle with obsessive passion in Wuthering Heights is hauntingly familiar to many young lovers; Dickens’ Pip, in Great Expectations, must grapple with a world that wishes him harm; and in Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical Persepolis,little Marjane faces a different kind of struggle — growing into adolescence as her country moves through the pain of the Iranian Revolution. In turn, great writers also ponder the lessons learned in life’s twilight years: both King Lear and Willy Loman suffer as their patriarchal authority collapses and death creeps up.” (Summary from www.globalbooksinprint.com)

Plays 2 : London calling / Ken Duncum.
“Music hits the shores of New Zealand and reverberates through three different eras in these plays by award-winning playwright Ken Duncum. BLUE SKY BOYS: Wellington, 1964, The Beatles rock the Town Hall while the down-on-their-luck Everly Brothers, Don and Phil, thrash out their artistic and personal differences, using a trio of New Zealand teens as cannon fodder. JOHN, I’M ONLY DANCING: Glam gatecrashes an early seventies boys’ high as a subversive music teacher turns macho school culture on its head via a staging of David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust’. WATERLOO SUNSET: 1980, a Wellington southerly batters a converted waterfront boatshed where safety-pinned Punks clash with older ex-pat English Mods, each fighting to find a future as their youth runs out.” (Summary from www.globalbooksinprint.com)

“House of exile : war, love and literature, from Berlin to Los Angeles / Evelyn Juers.
“Evelyn Juers’ extraordinary book is a unique imagining of the unconventional love affair between the writer and political activist Heinrich Mann and Nelly Kroeger – a tall, blonde ex-barmaid twenty-seven years his junior – recounting their flight from Nazi Germany in 1933, to France and then to Los Angeles.”(Summary from www.globalbooksinprint.com)

Haiku for the single girl / Beth Griffenhagen ; illustrations by Cynthia Vehslage Meyers.
“A celebration of the single girl’s life told in uproarious and uplifting haiku and illustrations guaranteed to make any woman of any age, single or otherwise, laugh out loud and forget her troubles. Unsolicited relationship advice from relatives, disastrous dates, men who wear thumb rings, and the moments of deep satisfaction when you realise that you can do whatever you want with your time – it’s all here in a collection of incisive haiku and deliciously cheeky drawings that superbly and charmingly capture the life and times of being a single woman.” (Summary from www.globalbooksinprint.com).

Thank you notes / Jimmy Fallon, with the writers of Late night.
“Fallon addresses some 200 subjects in need of his undying “gratitude.” Each page will feature one note and a photograph of its recipient. From Hilary Clinton to a light bulb he is too lazy to replace, these are the moments and memories that make his life a little bit fuller.” (Syndetics summary)

Write more good : an absolutely phony guide / The Bureau Chiefs.
“In the grand tradition of “The Onion” and “The Daily Show,” the media satirists behind the popular Twitter feed @FakeAPStyleBook have produced the definitive guide on how (not) to write, tuned to the precise frequency of the Internet age.” (Syndetics summary)

Eminent outlaws : the gay writers who changed America / Christopher Bram.
“This book is a history, literary critique, and collective biography in one. Novelist Bram (Gods and Monsters), himself an essential gay writer, discusses gay men (no women here, with no explanation) from Gore Vidal in the early postwar years up through the 1990s and close to the present. His main thesis, that “good art can lay the groundwork for social change,” is demonstrated and contextualized in dozens of examples of how literature can be not just a reflection of the times but also a catalyst for change; for example, Mart Crowley’s 1968 play (made into a 1970 movie), The Boys in the Band, is shown to have produced conflicting reactions that spurred the debate of what gay culture should look like.” (Library Journal)

Some new DVDs to hit the shelves here at Wellington City Libraries for April include the new documentary on New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham; acclaimed animated feature ‘The Illusionist’; a biography on the life of autistic scientist Temple Grandin; ‘Red Dog’ the highest grossing Australian film of 2011; a new French comedy with Audrey Tautou; & the Foo Fighters documentary ‘Back & Forth’…

Bill Cunningham New York.
“Richard Press’s flattering, but never fawning portrait of New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham distinguishes itself from most other art and fashion documentaries. First of all, Cunningham doesn’t produce work that ends up on gallery walls. Instead, his candid snapshots of the city’s most fashionable citizens have graced the paper’s Style section for decades… Navigating New York with his humble Schwinn, clad in his blue canvas jacket, Cunningham doesn’t miss a trick or a trend. In an era when anyone can take a digital photo and upload it to the Internet, he still shoots on film, and style mavens pour through his columns, “On the Street” and “Evening Hours,” to see what’s hip and whether or not they made the cut… Press always returns to Cunningham, whose joie de vivre will surely prove irresistible even to those who normally couldn’t care less about cameras and clothes. (Description from Amazon.com)

Jig.
Features the remarkable story of the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships, held in March 2010 in Glasgow. Thousands of dancers, their families, and teachers from around the globe descend upon Glasgow for one drama-filled week. Clad in wigs, makeup, fake tan, diamantes, and dresses costing thousands of pounds, they compete for the coveted world titles. (Description fron container)

The illusionist.
“The Illusionist (2010) is director Sylvain Chomet’s homage to French writer-director-actor Jacques Tati…Basedon a script Tati wrote but never produced, the film focuses on a sleight-of-hand magician whose career founders as television and rock and roll supplant traditional entertainment. During a trip to a remote village in Scotland–where pub goers still appreciate his act–the magician encounters Alice, a teenage girl who works as a maid. When he departs, Alice follows him to Edinburgh, seeking a more glamorous life. In addition to his stage gigs, the Illusionist works at various odd jobs to support Alice, whom he treats as an adopted daughter. The Illusionist is told with only minimal dialogue. However, in place of the manic energy of Triplets, The Illusionist is permeated with a wistful melancholy for a fading era, a fading talent, and, ultimately, a fading relationship…(Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Temple Grandin.
“Grandin, who is now in her 60s, has accomplished a good deal more than a great many “normal” folks, let alone others afflicted with the autism that Grandin overcame on her way to earning a doctorate and becoming a bestselling author and a pioneer in the humane treatment of livestock. The doctor who diagnosed her at age 4 said she’d never talk and would have to be institutionalized. Only through the dogged efforts of her mother (Julia Ormond)…did Grandin learn to speak; to go to high school, college, and grad school; and to become a highly productive scientist…Danes, who is in nearly every scene of director Mick Jackson’s film, is remarkable, embodying Grandin’s various idiosyncrasies…Captivating, compelling, and thoroughly entertaining, Temple Grandin is highly recommended…(Adapted from Amazon.com review)

Red Dog.
“Dampier, Western Australia, 1971. A wild and desolate place where workers from all over the world come to sweat away. When the sun goes down, these grafters make their way to the industrial hick town’s only pub where they drink, recall their homes and get involved in fights. But this particular night things are somewhat quieter than usual. In the back room a dog is drawing its last breath. But this isn t just any old cur, this is Red Dog, a dog everybody here knows and loves, and about whom everyone has a story to tell. No doubt about it, Red Dog really is a character and tonight everyone is prepared to agree for once. Full of comedy, romance and heart-warming drama RED DOG has won numerous awards and has stormed the box office in Australia to become the highest grossing Australian film of 2011 and reach the Top 10 Australian films of all time…” (Amazon.co.uk description)

Beautiful lies.
“Beautiful Lies stars Audrey Tautou as Emilie (yes Emilie, not Amélie) the owner of a hairdressing salon full of oddball characters situated in the sultry south of France. Emilie receives a passionate hand-written anonymous love letter from shy salon handyman Jean (Sami Bouajila) which she promptly discards; but when she later visits her mother Maddy (Nathalie Baye) and finds her still distraught over the betrayal of Emilie’s father, she hatches a plan to re-send the love letter anonymously to Maddy, to cheer her up. The trick works a little too well, and a rejuvenated Maddy falls head over heels with the sender, eventually believing it to be Jean. As Emilie tries to pay Jean to date her mother and keep up the pretence she finds herself falling for him herself, culminating in an awkward and funny love triangle. …(From Amazon.co.uk description)

Tomboy.
“Ten year old Laure isn’t like most girls. She prefers football to dolls and sweaters to dresses. When Laure, her parents and little sister Jeanne move to a new neighbourhood, family life remains much the same. That is, until local girl Lisa mistakes Laure to be a boy. Indulging in this exciting new identity, Laure becomes Michael, and so begins a summer of long sunny afternoons, playground games and first kisses. Yet with the school term fast approaching, and with suspicions arising amongst friends and family, Laure must face up to an uncertain future…” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Single father.
“David Tennant and Suranne Jones star in this touching and humorous drama about an ordinary man struggling to raise his family after the sudden death of his partner. Dave’s a family man; a photographer who adores his wife, Rita, and is an active dad to his three kids and his teenage stepdaughter, Lucy. But when Rita suddenly dies, a grief-stricken Dave faces the daunting prospect of bringing up the children on his own. To make matters worse Dave uncovers secrets about Rita’s life that lead him to question if he ever really knew her. Dave feels increasingly overwhelmed and his only support seems to come from Rita’s devastated best friend Sarah, but in the midst of their shared grief, events take a turn that neither Dave nor Sarah could ever have predicted.” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Perfect sense.
“Michael is a chef. Susan is an epidemiologist. They meet one evening as many people do. Both damaged in their different ways, they flirt, share cigarettes, and before too long, they fall in love. But this is not a typical love story. As their love strengthens, so too does a pandemic which is steadily robbing the world’s population of sensory perceptions. First to go is the sense of smell. Next is taste. But as the disease spreads across the world, so too does the realisation that the human race will always adjust, will always adapt. Part romance, part apocalyptic thriller, PERFECT SENSE illustrates that while the future is uncertain, one thing is for sure: without love, there is nothing.” (Description from container)

Foo Fighters: back and forth.
“Following the number one album Wasting Light, Foo Fighters release Back And Forth. A true chronicling of the triumphs and tragedies of the band’s 16-year history, Back And Forth chronicles Foo Fighters’ entire existence: from Dave Grohl’s cassette demos to the band forming to play those songs to their ascent to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. Back And Forth features Foo Fighters recalling every stage of the band’s existence more candidly and intimately than ever before, culminating in a behind the scenes look at direct-to-analog tape sessions in Grohl’s garage that produced the new album Wasting Light.” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

There’s nothing trivial about these recent picks from our classical music collection, which highlight some new and very interesting titles in the much-loved genre of music lists and music history.

The Classic FM hall of fame / Darren Henley, Sam Jackson, Tim Lihoreau ; illustrated by Lynn Hatzius.
This is a collection of the 300 most popular pieces of classical music, as voted for by Classic FM listeners.

A natural history of the piano : the instrument, the music, the musicians–from Mozart to modern jazz, and everything in between / Stuart Isacoff.
“In this engrossing study, pianist Isacoff (Temperament: How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization) combines basic history of the construction and sound of pianos with witty discourses on composers and performers and their cultural context. Dividing the subject into thematic sections such as “Combustibles” or “Rhythmitizers” brings together similar stylists from across the centuries, while certain major schools such as that emanating from Russia are given separate treatment. Although the field of piano history books is already crowded, this title stands out for its distinctive inclusion of jazz figures such as Duke Ellington and for long quotations from artists ranging from Vladimir Horowitz to Billy Joel. Isacoff addresses the role of women musicians and brings to the fore valuable if long-forgotten names as well. The many photographs and drawings lend much humanity; diagrams and selected musical examples, contributor biographies, and sections of notes are all useful.” (Library Journal)

Illegal harmonies : music in the modern age / Andrew Ford.
Illegal Harmonies is an engaging, facinating and very accessible introduction to 20th and 21st century art music:
“A delightful and informative history of modern music. Harmony is created by bringing sounds together. In music lessons, we learn how to do this in a formal way: we learn about chords and keys, and we are given rules for using them. This is the textbook way; this is legal harmony. Everything else – including the sounds that constantly surround us, those of ticking clocks, dogs, traffic, birdsong and aeroplanes – is illegal harmony. Illegal Harmonies charts the course of music over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, linking it to developments in literature, theatre, cinema and the visual arts, and to popular music from Irving Berlin to The Beatles to rap. The result is a stimulating, provocative and always informative cultural history.” (Syndetics summary)

World music is where we found it / essays by and for Allan Thomas ; edited by Wendy Pond and Paul Wolffram.
A New Zealand contribution to this month’s round-up, World Music is Where We Found it is a collection of essays written by and for the late Victoria University lecturer Allan Thomas, providing a fresh insight into Ethnomusicology in Aotearoa.

Recently the Pulitzer Board announced there would be no Pulitzer Prize for Fiction awarded this year, as the nominated titles were not good enough. Although the Pulitzer Prize originally began in 1917 with many categories relating to American newspaper journalism, arts, and letters, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as we know it now, changed in 1948 from an award just for a novel, to include short stories, novels, novellas and fictional poetry, by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. It can also be awarded posthumously. It has been 35 years since there last was no Pulitzer Prize awarded for fiction. This announcement is discouraging for writers, publishers and readers everywhere, as prizes and awards give the highest recommendation to any works.

In lieu of this we have decided to highlight six recently received debut novels. The authors are from America, Australia, Britain and Ireland, of varying ages, but all are brilliantly crafted, highly polished novels and exhibit the great potential of these writers. At least this small selection of new fiction will show that there are writers beginning their careers who will provide wonderful fiction in the future!

City of Bohane : a novel / Kevin Barry.
Kevin Barry is an Irish writer from Limerick and began his writing career as a journalist for a local paper. He went on to become a freelance writer, having columns published in many major newspapers, including The Guardian and The Irish Times. His first collection of short stories won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 2007. Another collection of short stories titled Dark lies the Island has recently been published. The City of Bohane, his first novel was published in 2011. Set 40 years in the future, the once great city of Bohane on the west coast of Ireland is in terminal decline, with vice and tribal splits rife. Logan Hartnett, godfather of the Hartnett Fancy gang has been in charge but his nemesis has arrived back in town, his henchmen are becoming ambitious, his wife wants him to give it all up and go straight and, he has his mother to contend with. This novel was shortlisted for the 2012 Costa Awards, and is an amazing reading experience.

The darlings : [a novel] / Cristina Alger.
Critina Alger is a Harvard and New York University School of Law graduate. She has worked as an analyst for Goldman, Sachs, & Co and also as an attorney. She lives in New York City where she was raised. Utterly compelling, her debut novel covers a single week in the fortunes, or, rather, misfortunes, of the Darlings, a pedigreed Manhattan family:
“Their lavish lifestyle depends on the positive performance of Delphic, their financial investment firm. All goes awry when Morty Reis, a family friend and Delphic’s most successful fund manager, tosses himself off the Tappan Zee Bridge. Unfortunately for son-in-law Paul Ross, this terrible event happens around the time of his signing on as the firm’s legal counsel and the receipt of pointed phone calls from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He begins to suspect that Morty had engaged in fraudulent schemes that will bring down the family” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The ruins of us : a novel / by Keija Parssinen.
Keija Parssinen was born in Saudi Arabia and lived there for twelve years as third generation expatriate, She now lives in Missouri. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English and received her MFA from Iowa Writer’s workshop. The Ruins of Us received a Michener-Copernicus Award and is a gripping, well-crafted debut about the awakening of a Saudi Arabian family to the dangers that lurk within:
“Twenty-five years into her marriage to wealthy Abdullah al-Baylani, the American Rosalie is shattered to find that her husband has taken another wife, and worries about the effect this will have on their teenage children, Faisal and Mariam, worries that will soon prove prescient.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The light between oceans / M.L. Stedman.
Margot Stedman was born and raised in Perth, Australia, but now lives in London. While working as a Lawyer in London in 1997 she decided to try creative writing. After having her first short story published she went on to study creative writing part time at the University of London. She then had three novellas included in an anthology in 2008. Her debut novel, The Light between Oceans is an extraordinary and heart-rending book about good people and the tragic decisions made that change the course of their lives:
“Tom Sherbourne, released from the horrors of the First World War, is now a lighthouse keeper, cocooned on a remote island with his young wife Izzy, who is content in everything but her failure to have a child. One April morning, a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man, and a crying baby. Safe from the real world, Tom and Izzy break the rules and follow their hearts. It is a decision with devastating consequences.” (adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

The cartographer / Peter Twohig. Peter Twohig was born in Melbourne in 1948, he now lives in Sydney. He has played in a rock band, worked in various Government Departments, trained in Naturopathy and Homoeopathy; he also has a BA in Professional Writing and a BA in Philosophy. The Cartographer is set in 1950s Melbourne and follows an imaginative 11-year-old boy, a year after the death of his twin brother, as he accidentally witnesses a murder and starts working out the cartography of the city to avoid running into the murderer again. This is a captivating and outrageously funny novel about a boy who refuses to give in and the numerous shifty, dodgy and downright malicious people he has to contend with on his grand adventure of loss and discovery.

The Bellwether revivals / Benjamin Wood.
Benjamin Wood was born in 1981in Northwest England and is now Lecturer in Creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London. In 2004 he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to attend the MFA Creative writing course at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His short fiction appeared in several journals, and The Bellwether Revivals, his first novel was shortlisted for the inaugural Dylan Thomas Prizes’ Sony Reader award for the best unpublished novel. It is a stunningly good novel — thrilling and disquieting with long remembered characters:
“It tells the story of bright, bookish Oscar Lowe who has escaped the urban estate where he was raised and made a new life for himself amid the colleges and spires of Cambridge. He has grown to love the quiet routine of his life as a care assistant at a local nursing home, where he has forged a close friendship with the home’s most ill-tempered resident, Dr. Paulsen. But when he meets and falls in love with Iris Bellwether, a beautiful and enigmatic medical student at King’s College, Oscar is drawn into her world of scholarship and privilege, and soon becomes embroiled in the strange machinations of her brilliant but troubled brother, Eden, who believes he can adapt the theories of a forgotten Baroque composer to heal people with music.” (adapted from Amazon.co.uk).

Have a browse of the latest music books at the library. Topics include 1970s pub rock, a world without music (a story of Sudden Neursosensory Hearing Loss), the postwar musical life of Hawera, and a book about those retail refuges — record stores. Enjoy!

Just like us : aspects of New Zealand music / Robert Hoskins … [et al.].
“A guide to aspects of New Zealand music for senior high school students, undergraduates, and interested lay people. Written as much as possible in plain language, and illustrated throughout, it introduces selected works and provides follow-up activity material.” (description from fishpond.co.nz)

World music is where we found it / essays by and for Allan Thomas ; edited by Wendy Pond and Paul Wolffram.
“Allan Thomas began lecturing at Victoria University’s School of Music in 1977, and developed across the following three decades a wide range and vision for ethnomusicology there. World Music courses were complemented by tuition in and performance of Indonesian gamelan, using the set of instruments from Cirebon which he had brought to New Zealand in 1974. The twin focus on Asian and Pacific music also broadened into explorations of vernacular music in New Zealand society. Postwar musical life of Hawera township in Taranaki is the subject of Music Is Where You Find It (2004). 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.” (Description from fishpond.co.nz)

Record store days : from vinyl to digital and back again / Gary Calamar and Phil Gallo ; Scott Calamar, editor.
“”Record Store Days” takes a look back at the retail refuges that enthralled at least three generations of music lovers. Includes photographs and reminiscences from musicians, music industry executives, former record store clerks, and, of course, avid fans.” (Syndetics summary)

The train in the night : a story of music and loss / Nick Coleman.
“How do you lose music? Then having lost it, what do you do next? Nick Coleman found out the morning he woke up to a world changed forever by Sudden Neursosensory Hearing Loss. The Train in the Night is an account of one man’s struggle to recover from the loss of his greatest passion in life and to go one step further than that: to restore his ability not only to hear but to think about and feel music. Of all our relationships with art, the one we enjoy with music is the most complex, the most mysterious and, for reasons that cannot be explained by science alone, the most emotionally charged. Nothing about that relationship is simple. And yet it is perhaps through music that we make the most intimate contact with our sense of who we really are, at our most naked, unsophisticated, honest, simplified.” (Syndetics summary)

100 killer riffs & fills for rock guitar : all the hot riffs & fills you need–and how to use them / Phil Capone.
“Phil Capone has distilled all the essential licks and chops into this easy to use collection. Each example is presented within a subgenre: perspective rock, heavy metal, and blues rock, to provide an invaluable historical perspective and ensure that the correct musical context is fully understood. It comes complete with a CD, so you can learn the lick, then play it back yourself over a professional backing track.” (description from Amazon.com)

A howlin’ wind : pub rock and the birth of new wave / John Blaney.A Howlin’ Wind: Pub Rock and the Birth of New Wave
“Take a trip to a lost world. A world permeated by the odour of stale tobacco and overflowing toilets; a world where your feet stick to the carpet and the walls are covered in peeling flock wallpaper. The beer is warm, but the band on stage is hot. Welcome to the world of 1970s pub rock. Author John Blaney traces the history of pub rock from its Mod roots through to its reinvention as new wave. With eye-witness accounts from those involved, including a lengthy interview with Dave Robinson, John Blaney explains perfectly how pub rock started, flourished and reinvented itself as the new wave: ‘A Howlin’ Wind’ that blew away the cobwebs from a moribund music scene.” (description from Amazon.com)