News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

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)

“Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder with a dash of the dictionary” wrote Kahil Gibran

Poetry features prominently in this month’s selection. The twentieth century in poetry is a most interesting book in that it places it in historical context and traces its development as an art form over this period.

Women and poetry go hand-in-hand like the proverbial horse and carriage. Women are generally the gentler, more romantic sex and much preoccupied by love in all its forms. Many women have been and are poets, many more are the subjects of poems, and yet more are avid readers of poetry. She walks in beauty, which traces a woman’s life journey through this medium, will speak to them. And to celebrate verse in our own country we have selected The best of the best, edited by Bill Manhire.

Letters of Frank Sargeson / selected and edited by Sarah Shieff.
“Sargeson was a prolific letter writer, and this selection of 500 letters ranges over half a century, from 1927 to 1981. The letters vividly capture his life and times, his milieu and his personality. Frank loved gossip, could be bitchy and peevish, but also kind, affectionate, funny, ribald, astute.” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

“The 20th century in poetry / edited by Michael Hulse and Simon Rae.
“An anthology that presents in chronological order over 400 poems written in the twentieth century. It gives an overview of each period of history, while notes to the poems place each one in its historical context and trace the century’s poetic development.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

When I was a child I read books / Marilynne Robinson.
“In this new collection of incisive essays, Robinson returns to the themes which have preoccupied her work: the role of faith in modern life, the inadequacy of fact, the contradictions inherent in human nature.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

She walks in beauty : a woman’s journey through poems / selected and introduced by Caroline Kennedy.
“She Walks in Beauty is Kennedy’s selection of poetry that tells the story of a woman’s life including first love and lasting love; marriage, motherhood, and work; times of silence and solitude, and times of awe. She has written introductions to each of the book’s sections, highlighting the joys and struggles that are part of every woman’s journey.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Jane Austen’s letters / collected and edited by Deirdre Le Faye.
“Jane Austen’s letters afford a unique insight into the daily life of the novelist: intimate and gossipy, observant and informative–they read much like the novels themselves. They bring alive her family and friends, her surroundings and contemporary events with a freshness unparalleled in modern biographies. Above all we recognize the unmistakable voice of the author of such novels as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. We see the shift in her writing from witty and amusing descriptions of the social life of town and country, to a thoughtful and constructive tone while writing about the business of literary composition.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

“Literature and science / Charlotte Sleigh.
“From Aphra Behn’s prodigious snakes to Jonathan Franzen’s designer drugs, literature has concerned itself with the knowledge of nature for as long as the discipline of modern science has been in existence. Here, Charlotte Sleigh provides the first fully theorised overview of the evolving relationship between literature and science. Literature and Science draws on case studies from a three-hundred-year history, including classic texts such as Frankenstein, Middlemarch and Brave New World as well as some more unexpected examples. The book argues that novels did not merely reflect or inform particular areas of science, but were instead part of a broader, ongoing cultural conversation about how to read things – including the claims of science.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Whatever it is, I don’t like it : the best of Howard Jacobson / Howard Jacobson.
“The winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize, Howard Jacobson, brims with life in this collection of his most acclaimed journalism. From the unusual disposal of his father-in-law’s ashes and the cultural wasteland of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to the melancholy sensuality of Leonard Cohen and desolation of Wagner’s tragedies, Jacobson writes with all the thunder and joy of a man possessed. Absurdity piles upon absurdity, and glorious sentences weave together to create a hilarious, heartbreaking and uniquely human collection. This book is not just a series of parts, but an irresistible, unputdownable sum which triumphantly out-Thurbers Thurber.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)

The best of best New Zealand poems / edited by Bill Manhire & Damien Wilkins.
“The Best of Best New Zealand Poems is a colourful and diverse portrait of the current robust health of New Zealand poetry. For ten years, guest editors have chosen their 25 favourite poems published in the previous year, for publication in the online annual, Best New Zealand Poems, hosted by International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University. For this book, editors Bill Manhire and Damien Wilkins have chosen the top 100 poems. They are reproduced here with the poets’ biographies and personal statements about the inspirations of their poems.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)

The silence beyond / selected writings by Michael King ; with an introduction by Rachael King.
“The Silence Beyond is a wide-ranging and often personal collection of King’s writings – many in print for the first time or no longer available – including essays, talks and eulogies for friends.” – (adapted from Back cover summary)

Now write! mysteries : suspense, crime, thriller, and other mystery fiction exercises from today’s best authors and teachers / edited by Sherry Ellis and Laurie Lamson.
“The essential handbook for writers of whodunits, techno- thrillers, cozies, and everything in between-featuring never-before- published personal writing exercises from some of today’s bestselling and award-winning mystery writers. Now Write! Mysteries, the fourth volume in the acclaimed Now Write! writing guide series, brings together numerous bestselling authors-including winners of and nominees for the Edgar, Hugo, and Shamus awards,-for the definitive guide to writing mysteries, thrillers, and suspense stories. Now Write! Mysteries teaches you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about crafting a page-turning mystery-from creating a believable detective hero (or terrifying villain), to using real-life cutting-edge investigative techniques to bring your story to life-with practical exercises taken directly from the pros.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)

As I was saying : a collection of musings / Robert Dessaix.
“This book is a swirling conversation with the reader on everything from travel to dogs and cats, from sport and swearing to the pleasures of idleness. As I was saying is a swirling conversation with the reader on everything from travel to dogs and cats, from sport and swearing to the pleasures of idleness. Punctuated at regular intervals by talks Dessaix has given on a wide range of subjects, as well as by some of his most incisive journalism, the conversation invites the reader to join a leisurely guided tour of his chamber of curiosities, featuring pieces collected all over the globe from across the centuries. Whether writing home from Vladivostock or Damascus, discussing what makes for good conversation or thinking aloud about the paintings, poems and books he loves, Dessaix always writes with an intimacy and attentiveness that beguile, entertain and make his readers eager for new discoveries.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)

The age of Alexander : ten Greek lives / by Plutarch ; translated by Ian Scott-Kilvert and Timothy E. Duff ; introductions and notes by Timothy E. Duff ; with series preface by Christopher Pelling.
“Plutarch’s parallel biographies of the great men in Greek and Roman history are cornerstones of European literature, drawn on by writers and statesmen since the Renaissance, most notably by Shakespeare. This selection provides intimate glimpses into the lives of these men, depicting, as he put it, ‘those actions which illuminate the workings of the soul’. We learn why the mild Artaxerxes forced the killer of his usurping brother to undergo the horrific ‘death of two boats’; why the noble Dion repeatedly risked his life for the ungrateful mobs of Syracuse; why Demosthenes delivered a funeral oration for the soldiers he had deserted in batt≤ and why Alexander, the most enigmatic of tyrants, self-destructed after conquering half the world.” – (adapted from Globalbooksinprint.com summary)

This month you can choose to do it yourself – lots of how-to books here, including an exercise book from Bill Manhire’s highly regarded Creative Writing course at Victoria University. You can read about how others did it or indulge in a delicious sense of schadenfreude with wide eyes as you take in the wicked exploits of well-known writers. For those sentimental about animals – and there are many of us – ‘Shaggy Muses’ will be a special treat.

The exercise book : creative writing exercises from Victoria University’s Institute of Modern Letters / edited by Bill Manhire … [et al.].
“Contains writing prompts to help beginning writers and to help tackle writer’s block. In between are exercises from a host of New Zealand and international writers that explore the nuts and bolts of craft – in poetry, fiction and scriptwriting – along with others that tap into sources of inspiration or show the value of revision and editing.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Writing tools : 50 essential strategies for every writer / Roy Peter Clark.
“The author, vice president of the Poynter Institute School of Journalism, wants you to understand that a tool isn’t the same thing as a rule. A tool is something designed to help you, not constrict you. The 50 tools discussed here take writers through the process of storytelling in prose, from the basic (construct a sentence with a subject and a verb) to the advanced (make your characters archetypes, not stereotypes). Many of Clark’s rules are technical, having to do with such matters as punctuation and tense, but some of them are more thematically oriented (for example, discussions of the proper uses of foreshadowing and suspense). Use the tools when you like, the author says, and throw them away when it suits you.” – (adapted from Booklist summary)

Notes of a dirty old man / by Charles Bukowski.
“Beginning in 1967, Bukowski wrote the column "Notes of A Dirty Old Man" for the underground newspaper IOpen City/I. Perennially drunk, broke and in search of a woman, Bukowski takes on the guise of a wise fool as he ventures through America's seedy lowlife. Peopled by Kerouac, Burroughs and other much less salubrious characters, his exploits provoke humour and despair, whilst highlighting the inherent beauty and futility of life.” – (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com)

Shaggy muses : the dogs who inspired Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edith Wharton, and Emily Brontë
“Coaxed through a depression by her golden retriever, Adams, a psychologist and former Eglish professor, was drawn to five women writers who relied on their dogs for emotional support. Flush distracted Elizabeth Barrett after her favorite brother’s death. Formidable, eccentric Emily Bronte, who once savagely beat her fierce mastiff, Keeper, for sleeping on her bed, refused to sentimentalize the human-dog bond in Wuthering Heights. Carlo, a Newfoundland, comforted Emily Dickinson in a dark time–when she may have been in love with a married man–and Edith Wharton mourned the death of one of her pooches more than the death of her mother.” – (abridged from Publisher’s decription)

The broken book / Fiona Farrell.
“The Broken Book consists of four essays about life and walking, bookended by a preamble and an afterword, and interrupted by 21 poems about the Christchurch earthquakes and their aftermath” – (abridged from Publisher’s description)

Conversations with Ian McEwan / edited by Ryan Roberts.
“Conversations with Ian McEwan collects sixteen interviews, conducted over three decades, with the British author of such highly praised novels as Enduring Love, Atonement, Saturday, and On Chesil Beach. McEwan (b. 1948) discusses his views on authorship, the writing process, and major themes found in his fiction, but he also expands upon his interests in music, film, global politics, the sciences, and the state of literature in contemporary society.McEwan’s candid and forthcoming discussions with some of the greatest minds of his time-Martin Amis, Zadie Smith, Ian Hamilton, David Remnick, and Steven Pinker-provide readers with the most in-depth portrait available of the author and his works. Readers will find McEwan to be just as engaging, humorous, and intelligent as his writings suggest.” – (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com)

“Henry Lawson in New Zealand / edited by Charles Ferrall.
“Australia’s best-known writer Henry Lawson nearly became a New Zealander. Lawson made three trips to Maoriland, the first in 1894 in time to celebrate women voting for the first time in history, the last to teach at a Maori school in a remote and tiny settlement in the South Island. Lawson left after finding the noble savage a fraud and New Zealanders a narrow paltryminded dogin-the manger lot , but later remembered that the most pleasant days of his life were spent on an old telegraph line in New Zealand and that he was inclined to prefer it to all the colonies. The stories, sketches and poems in this collection record his enthusiasm and despair, and capture a time before Australian federation when the colonies on both sides of Tasman were closer than they would ever be again.” – (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com).

How to write and sell great short stories / Linda M. James.
“How to create characters who are more real than your family and friends? How to make these characters speak with their own dialogue, not yours? How to create vivid locations that readers can actually see? How to create such intriguing plots that readers are desperate to carry on reading? How to be really creative with words? You don’t?  Then you need to buy this invaluable book. It will not only teach you fascinating story-telling techniques, but how to market your polished short stories once they are written so that they sell worldwide.” – (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com)

Writers gone wild : the feuds, frolics, and follies of literature’s great adventurers, drunkards, lovers, iconoclasts, and misanthropes / Bill Peschel.
“If you’ve imagined famous writers to be desk-bound drudges, think again. Writers Gone Wild rips back the (book) covers and reveals the seamy underside of the writing life. Insightful, intriguing, and irresistibly addictive, Writers Gone Wild reveals such fascinating stories as:The night Dashiell Hammett hired a Chinese prostitute to break up S. J. Perelman’s marriage (and ran off with his wife).Why Sylvia Plath bit Ted Hughes the first time she met him.Why Ernest Hemingway fought a book critic, a modernist poet, and his war correspondent wife Martha Gellhorn (but not at the same time).The near-fatal trip Katherine Anne Porter took while high on marijuana in Mexico.” – (Summary from globalbooksinprint.com)

The exegesis of Philip K. Dick / edited by Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem ; Erik Davis, annotations editor.
“‘A great and calamitous sequence of arguments with the universe: poignant, terrifying, ludicrous, and brilliant. The Exegesis is the sort of book associated with legends and madmen, but Dick wasn’t a legend and he wasn’t mad. He lived among us, and was a genius.’–Jonathan Lethem. Based on thousands of pages of typed and handwritten notes, journal entries, letters, and story sketches, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick is the magnificent and imaginative final work of an author who dedicated his life to questioning the nature of reality and perception, the malleability of space and time, and the relationship between the human and the divine. Edited and introduced by Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem, this will be the definitive presentation of Dick’s brilliant, and epic, final work.” – (abridged from Publisher’s description)

This month’s new literature sees famous authors talking on subjects they hold dear, poems and essays on the Christchurch quake and a guide to speaking with all the gravitas of a president.

Is everyone hanging out without me? (and other concerns) / Mindy Kaling
“Kaling shares her observations, fears, and opinions about a wide-ranging list of the topics she thinks about the most. From her favorite types of guys to life in the “The Office” writers’ room, her book is full of personal stories and laugh-out-loud philosophies.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The anatomy of influence : literature as a way of life / Harold Bloom
“In this, his most comprehensive and accessible study of influence, Bloom leads readers through the labyrinthine paths which link the writers and critics who have informed and inspired him for so many years.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

On fiction / Virginia Woolf
“Her readings sensitive, her prose style elegant, authoritative and at times thoroughly opinionated, who better equipped than Virginia Woolf to ruminate on the art of fiction? In this selection of lesser-known essays on reading and storytelling, Woolf turns her critical gaze on treasured favourites including ‘the four great women novelists – Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot’, and unearths some less familiar talents. Her discussion of differing approaches to reading is characteristically forward-thinking, and pinpoints the joys of this favourite pastime, in all its guises. ‘Here, then, very briefly and with inevitable simplification, an attempt is made to show the mind at work upon a shelf full of novels and to watch it as it chooses and rejects, making itself a dwelling-place in accordance with its own appetites. Of these appetites, perhaps, the simplest is the desire to believe wholly and entirely in something which is fictitious.’” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)

On booze / F. Scott Fitzgerald
“”First you take a drink,” F. Scott Fitzgerald once noted, “then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” Fitzgerald wrote alcohol into almost every one of his stories. On Booze gathers debutantes and dandies, rowdy jazz musicians, lost children and ragtime riff-raff into a newly compiled collection taken from The Crack-Up, and other works. On Booze portrays “The Jazz Age” as Fitzgerald experienced it: roaring, rambunctious, and lush—with quite a hangover.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)

Speak like a president : how to inspire and engage people with your words / Simon Maier
“For some people, making presentations of any type can be a trial; others relish the opportunity to speak to others, but are they really inspiring and engaging their audience with what they say, rather than catering to their own ego? In this book, Simon Maier offers an essential guide to the power of rhetoric and oratory for executives, managers, consultants, sales professionals or anyone, in fact, who needs to get their message across powerfully and convincingly. Covering key issues such as: understanding what makes a great speaker; how to find your voice; how to choose the best speech style; and pitfalls to avoid, Speak Like a President will help you speak with passion, confidence and influence whatever your topic or audience.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)

The broken book / Fiona Farrell
“The Broken Book consists of four essays about life and walking, bookended by a preamble and an afterword, and interrupted by 21 poems about the Christchurch earthquakes and their aftermath” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

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” – (adapted from cover description)

A wide ranging selection of new literature picks this month. Lectures and lecturing, poems about love and poems half remembered, memories of California and memories of Brooklyn.

As we speak : how to make your point and have it stick / Peter Meyers and Shann Nix
” A lot of books about public speaking come down the publishing pike, but few really stand out. This one does. Falling within the purview of the authors, both of whom are affiliated with Stand & Deliver Consulting Group, are all venues of public speaking, from large, formal assemblies to business presentations for smaller groups to one-on-one exchanges. (Of course, the latter doesn’t refer to social visits!) It seems that there are two basic requirements for an effective, helpful manual of this nature, well-ordered information and a presentation done with an approachable, encouraging style. Both requirements are certainly met here as Meyers and Nix, making good sense, explain why public speaking instills fear in the strongest of individuals and show how to replace fear with confidence. (This is one of their interesting take-to-heart insights. Self-consciousness is nothing more than too much concentration on self. ) Their program for making a confident, successful communicator of yourself is called High Performance Communication, which lays out three central areas to master: content, delivery, and state (as in state of mind). The meat of this inspiring book, then, is a full analysis of these three components and how to relate them to your own public-speaking situations.” – (adapted from Booklist review)

The steampunk bible : an illustrated guide to the world of imaginary airships, corsets and goggles, mad scientists, and strange literature / Jeff VanderMeer with S. J. Chambers
“Steampunk–a grafting of Victorian aesthetic and punk rock attitude onto various forms of science-fiction culture–is a phenomenon that has come to influence film, literature, art, music, fashion, and more. “The Steampunk Bible” is the first compendium about the movement, tracing its roots in the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells through its most recent expression in movies such as “Sherlock Holmes.” Its adherents celebrate the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and robots. A burgeoning DIY community has brought a distinctive Victorian-fantasy style to their crafts and art. Steampunk evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, and embraces extinct technologies as a way of talking about the future. This ultimate manual will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk history.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Tyger tyger burning bright : much-loved poems you half-remember / [compiled by] Ana Sampson
“Great poetry ‘finds its way to the hearts of many, not just the minds of the few’, and this delightful collection is the ideal way to browse, remember and enjoy some of poetry’s greatest hits. Following in the bestselling footsteps of “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, the first poetry anthology from Ana Sampson, “Tyger Tyger, Burning Bright” contains verses from more than eighty of the world’s favourite poets, from the thirteenth century to the present day. It includes such leading lyricists as Burns, Keats, Tennyson, T.S. Eliot, Philip Larkin and Seamus Heaney – taking in the work of W.H. Auden, Dylan Thomas, Wilfred Owen, and many others along the way. Perfect to dip into on the reader’s whim, the chapters cover childhood and youth, nature, love and romance, home and travel, elegies, and more – each poem set in context with a lively introduction and entertaining notes on the poets themselves. This book is a lovely reminder of the nation’s finest poems, and the perfect addition to any poetry lover’s collection.” – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)

When love speaks : poetry and prose for weddings, relationships and married life / edited and introduced by Adam O’Riordan
“‘And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods Makes heaven drowsy with harmony’ “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” William Shakespeare. When Love Speaks brings together the greatest writing on love and commitment – from Donne to Cole Porter, Sappho to P.G. Wodehouse, love letters of the great composers to Edwardian marriage advice. These poems and passages capture high romance and everyday happiness, feverish first love and tender union. This joyful anthology provides a range of unique and inspiring readings for a wedding or civil ceremony. Selected by the poet Adam O’Riordan.” – (adapted from Amazon.com description)

Speaking frankly : the Frank Sargeson memorial lectures, 2003-2010 / edited by Sarah Shieff
“This collection brings together the annual Frank Sargeson Memorial Lectures delivered at Waikato University from 2003 – 2010. Subjects range from his generosity, how the Great New Zealand novel developed, the influences on his writing, the place of literary house museums and the value of reading to our lives.” – (adapted from Publisher’s description)

The white album / Joan Didion
“First published in 1979, The White Album is a mosaic of the late sixties and seventies. It includes, among other bizarre artifacts and personalities, the dark journeys and impulses of the Manson family, a Balck Panther Party press conference, the story of John Paul Getty’s museum, the romance of water in an arid landscape, and the swirl and confusion of the sixties. With commanding sureness of mood and language, Joan Didion exposes the realities and dreams of that age of self-discovery whose spiritual center was California.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Literary Brooklyn : the writers of Brooklyn and the story of American city life / Evan Hughes
“According to freelance journalist and critic Hughes, the one experience Brooklyn writers share is living just outside “the colossal, churning center of the metropolis,” thus providing a “revealing window onto the broader history of American urban life.” Going chronologically, Hughes also touches on the ethnic diversity of Brooklyn across the decades. Walt Whitman’s free-form verse and his bawdy subject matter in Leaves of Grass exalted the downtrodden and inaugurated a less lofty strain in American poetry. Richard Wright’s Black Boy documents the “Great Migration” of African-Americans from the rural South to urban Northern centers like Brooklyn; in Death of a Salesman, inspired by his Jewish immigrant uncle, Arthur Miller made the working man of Brooklyn represent the common man struggling in the capitalist system. William Styron’s Sophie’s Choice captures a postwar Brooklyn peace and growing economic comfort commingled uneasily with the horrors of the Holocaust. Henry Miller, Paul Auster, Hubert Selby Jr., and Norman Mailer round out the collection. A hybrid of urban history and literary biography and analysis, this engrossing, perceptive book makes a valid case for the richness of Brooklyn as a site of the literary imagination.” – (adapted from Publisher Weekly review)

Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the wind : a bestseller’s odyssey from Atlanta to Hollywood / Ellen F. Brown and John Wiley, Jr
“This book presents the first comprehensive overview of how this iconic novel became an international phenomenon that has managed to sustain the public’s interest for 75 years. It tells how Mitchell’s book was developed, marketed, distributed, and otherwise groomed for success in the 1930s and the savvy measures taken since then by the author, her publisher, and her estate to ensure its longevity.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

This month we feature new studies on Saul Bellow, Robert Lord, Samuel Beckett, Ian McEwan and the inimitable Dorothy Parker. We also have a new volume of essays by the popular English free-thinker Christopher Hitchens of ‘God is not great‘ fame. Those interested in the history of English literature may be not be aware of the influence of classical mythology upon it – Geoffrey Miles’s new book examines this topic. Enjoy !!

Arguably / Christopher Hitchens.
“This collection of essays by Christopher Hitchens offers an indispensable key to understanding the passionate and skeptical spirit of one of the most dazzling writers, widely admired for his style, a result of his disciplined and candid thinking. Topics range from why Charles Dickens was among the best of writers and the worst of men to the science fiction of J.G. Ballard; from the legacies of Thomas Jefferson and George Orwell to the persistent agonies of anti-Semitism and jihad.” – (adapted from Wellington City Libraries catalogue summary)

Saul Bellow : letters / edited by Benjamin Taylor.
“Bellow was a dedicated correspondent until a couple of years before his death, and his letters, spanning eight decades, show us a 20th-century life in all its richness and complexity. These letters reveal the influences at work in the man, and illuminate his enduring legacy.”
- (adapted from Syndetics summary)

“The portable Dorothy Parker / with an introduction by Marion Meade.
“The great Parker gets the red-carpet treatment as her “Portable” is bumped up to a “Deluxe Edition” (go, Dottie!). The text includes her short fiction, poems, book and theater reviews, letters, and more. A wonderful extra is the quickie biography in simple drawings adorning the front and rear inside cover flaps. Though probably better known today for her one-liners, Parker should be taken seriously as one of the great writers, female or otherwise. This beautifully executed edition does her justice.” – (adapted from Library Journal)

Ten ways of thinking about Samuel Beckett : the falsetto of reason / Enoch Brater.

A comprehensive new study on Shakespeare opens this month’s picks. Also featured is a reminiscence on a friendship with Philip Larkin by Maeve Brennan. For budding and established writers the 2011 editions of three important reference books have been received. These are reference only for the current year.

Shakespeare : the life, the works, the treasures / Catherine M.S. Alexander.
“This lavish coffee-table book celebrates Shakespeare, his world, his plays, their later reception, and the subsequent presence of his work not only on the stage but in film and other media. Illustrated with color pictures and photographs, it also contains 30 items of removable facsimile memorabilia: e.g., copies of the playwright’s baptism record, an extract from the First Folio of 1623, Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s marriage bond, and the movie poster for Laurence Olivier’s 1944 screen production of Henry V.”(Syndetics summary)

Kiss me, Chudleigh : the world according to Auberon Waugh / edited by William Cook.
“Auberon Waugh was a philosopher; savage, eccentric, but a philosopher nonetheless. More than any writer of his era, Auberon Waugh had a genius for dividing his readers, into the delighted and the infuriated, and he retains the ability to start a squabble, even from beyond the grave. Kiss Me, Chudleigh is a collection of Waugh’s best writing. It is also a compact biography. It will consist of excerpts from the things he wrote, drawn from every stage of his career, from his salad days on the Catholic Herald to his swansong on the Literary Review. Probably the most prolific journalist of his generation (and surely the wittiest).( Summary globalbooksinprint).

Love, sex, death & words : surprising tales from a year in literature / John Sutherland & Stephen Fender.
“An unrivalled, sumptuous voyage through the highs and lows of the human condition across literature’s bejewelled past.” (Summary globalbooksinprint.com)

The Philip Larkin I knew / Maeve Brennan.
“”The Philip Larkin I Knew” traces the author’s close friendship with the poet and stretches over his 30 year tenure of office as librarian of the University of Hull, taking in his literary achievements from “The Less Deceived” (1955), through “The Whitsun Weddings” (1964), to “High Windows” (1974). It reveals Larkin in a new light – courteous, compassionate, generous, and a man of deep sensitivity and charm – with a natural sense of fun and instinctive wit; in contrast to the gloomy and somewhat objectionable portrait that has emerged since his death.” (Syndetics summary)

The heroine’s bookshelf : life lessons from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder / Erin Blakemore.
“In this compelling book of beloved heroines and the remarkable writers who created them, Blakemore explores how the pluck and dignity of literary characters such as Scout Finch and Jo March can inspire women today.” (Syndetics summary)

Wrotten English : a celebration of literary misprints, mistakes and mishaps / Peter Haining.
“Wrotten English is a collection of some of literature’s funniest, most-awkward and unbelievable errors – from unfortunate typos to bad titles, grammar to graffiti, devilish double entendres and even publishers’ errata…”–Back cover.

Tablet & pen : literary landscapes from the modern Middle East : a Words without borders anthology / edited by Reza Aslan.
“This volume celebrates the magnificent achievement of 20th-century Middle Eastern literature that has been neglected in the English-speaking world.” (Syndetics summary).

The Australian writer’s marketplace 2011/12 : every contact you will ever need to succeed in the writing business / compiled and edited by Queensland Writers Centre.
“Details of every contact you will need to succeed in the writing business! Comprehensively checked, updated and indexed, the 11th edition of THE AUSTRALIAN WRITER’S MARKETPLACE contains more than 2,200 listings with submission and contact details for: magazines and journals; newspapers; publishers; agents; publishing services; writers’ services; industry organizations; script markets; literary awards, competitions, fellowships and grants; literary courses and literary events.” (Syndetics summary)

New Zealand handbook for writers and editors : grammar, usage and punctuation / Margaret McKenzie.
“Whether you are a Professional Writing student, practicing writer of editor, student studying English or English Language or someone wanting to tighten your grasp on grammer, this book is a rich resource.” (Fishpond summary)

Writer’s market 2011 / Robert Lee Brewer, editor.
“This writer’s bible to freelance success provides the updated information writers need to get published and get paid for their work. Features include more than 3,500 completely updated listings from the previous edition; exclusive interviews; and more.” (Syndetics summary)

Welcome to our Literature recent picks for June. Winter is almost upon us- so here are some humorous books to lighten the dark days ahead ! A couple of serious works are included for good measure.

The mammoth book of great British humour / edited by Michael Powell.“From George Bernard Shaw to Michael McIntyre, from Eric Morecombe to Omid Djalili, and from Oscar Wilde to Jimmy Carr, a side-splitting look at Britain, the British and life in general. Including these gems from Britain’s finest comedians.”(Summary from Global Books in print)

Public enemies : dueling writers take on each other and the world / Bernard-Henri Lévy and Michel Houellebecq ; translated from the French by Miriam Frendo and Frank Wynne.
“The international publishing sensation is now available in the United States–two brilliant, controversial authors confront each other and their enemies in an unforgettable exchange of letters. “Public Enemies” is a death match between literary lions, remarkable men who find common ground, confident that, in the end (as Levy puts it), “it is we who will come out on top.”" (Syndetics summary)

Perfect written English / Chris West.
“A guide to mastering grammar and improving writing style with practical sections on writing everything from personal webpages to corporate sales reports. Perfect Written English is one of the Perfect series of practical guides.” (Syndetics summary)

Title deeds : the hidden stories behind 50 books / Gary Dexter.“In this entertaining collection, acclaimed literary detective and columnist Gary Dexter reveals the intriguing stories behind some of history’s most celebrated books. Here we learn the real reasons for such unusual pieces of nomenclature as Generation X by Douglas Coupland, Goldfinger by Ian Fleming, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This last was originally titled Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, but changed due to the author’s worry that potential buyers would think it was about mining.” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Celebrity cat recipes / Joe Bennett.“The columns that make up this collection first appeared in the Press, the Dominion Post, the Otago Daily Times, the Southland Times, the Waikato Daily Times, Hawke’s Bay Today, the Northern Advocate, New Zealand Gardener and Metro.”–T.p verso.

I remember nothing : and other reflections / Nora Ephron.
“Ephron returns with her first book since the astounding success of “I Feel Bad About My Neck,” taking a cold, hard, hilarious look at the past, the present, and the future, bemoaning the vicissitudes of modern life, and recalling with her signature clarity and wisdom everything she hasn’t (yet) forgotten.” (Syndetics summary)

Fifteen minutes of fame, annus horribilis, the cold war, we are not amused, elementary my dear Watson, let them eat cake … are all phrases used frequently. Who said that first?: the curious origins of common words and phrases by Max Cryer explores who said what, when  and why. The mastermind of some of the phrases can be quite surprising. Enjoy reading this – make your day!

Most thriller readers wonder if they have it in them to write their own bestselling novel. This book How to write a damn good thriller: a step by step guide for novelists and screenwriters by James N. Frey could be the first step. Written in a practical and entertaining manner he focuses on plot and character and uses the writing of successful thriller authors as examples.

Martha C. Sammons book The Longman guide to style and writing on the Internet is an accessible reference tool for anyone wanting to create successful Web documents. The book has been updated to add the latest Web terms, design and writing tools and will be of use to all Web writers.

Read these titles and others including Paul Holmes’ columns, poetry and how to write better essays in last month’s Recent Literature Picks.

Is it much ado about nothing or is there authoritative proof that Shakespeare did not pen the huge volume of work attributable to him? Those who have been linked with rumours of their own penmanship include Francis Bacon, the Earl of Oxford and Christopher Marlowe. Can James Shapiro author of Contested Will: who wrote Shakespeare? finally silence those who protested too much? Read this month’s featured Literature Recent Picks book and decide if Shakespeare’s name and reputation is intact.

To have a book dedicated shows a public declaration of a special bond. Once again to Zelda: fifty great dedications and their stories by Marlene Wagman-Geller looks at what inspired the honour. Whether romantic or tragic it gives us an insight into how that dedication became reality.

Wellington’s Dame Fiona Kidman has recently published her new collection Where your left hand rests, timed for her 70^th birthday in March. Topics include Katherine Mansfield’s shawl, Irish grandmothers and time spent in Greece. This adds to her large volume of work written over many years – readers look forward to more.

Enjoy these books and others in the latest eclectic mix of Literature Recent Picks including mentors, muses and monsters, why you should read the classics, Bill Manhire’s new book and a reissue of Michael Jackson’s Dancing the Dream.