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From Short Stories to Science Fiction and Fantasy, this selection of new fiction show cases the diversification and skill of New Zealand writers.

Geist / Philippa Ballantine.
“The first in a new series. Between the living and the dead is the Order of the Deacons, protectors of the Empire, guardians against possession, sentinels enlisted to ward off malevolent hauntings by the geists. Sorcha Faris , a powerful member of the Order of the Deacons, is dispatched to an isolated village to aid a Priory plagued by violent Geist activity.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

A man melting : short stories / Craig Cliff.
“This collection of stories moves from the serious and realistic to the humorous and outlandish, each story copying an element from the previous piece in a kind of evolutionary chain. “A Man Melting” was awarded the 2011 Commonwealth Writers Prize Best First Book.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Tortolona / Thomas W. Devine.
“Seven Caribbean tourists become pawns in the struggle for ideological and political control of Tortolona when a Cuban-trained army officer, Martin Levera, seeks to overthrow the dictatorship of Mathew Duppie. When Levera lead his mutineers aggainst the rest of the Tortolonan Army all their lives are in peril whatever the outcome.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

The below country / Nicholas Edlin.
“Mae Glass is the daughter of a once famous American novelist. From New York to Auckland via post-war Korea, her colourful childhood is itself the stuff of stories. More than thirty years later she travels back to booming Seoul, which is preparing to host the Olympic Games. Accompanied by a quirky, dubious team of guides, she tries to uncover the dark secret of her father’s wartime exploits, only to be besieged by all manner of ghost from her past.” – (adapted from Book cover )

The circus of ghosts / Barbara Ewing.
“New York, late 1840s, and in the wild, noisy, brash and beautiful circus of Silas P. Swift a shadowy, mesmeric woman entrances crowds because she can unlock the secrets of troubled minds. Above them all her daughter sweeps and soars: acrobat and tightrope-walker. The mysterious woman can help so many others, but she cannot unlock dark, literally unspeakable, memories of her own. In London memories fester in the mind of an old and venomous duke of the realm. He plots, with an unscrupulous lawyer (and a huge financial reward) against the mother and the daughter: to kill one, and to abduct the other and bring her across the Atlantic to him”. – (adapted from Amazon.co.uk description)

The trouble with fire / Fiona Kidman.
“This collection of short stories range in time from the colonial period to present day New Zealand, all written with subtlety and insight. They explore how we are all touched and sometimes scarred by the flames of emotion.” – (adapted from Book cover)

The conductor / Sarah Quigley.
“In June 1941, Nazi troops march on Leningrad and surround it. Hitler’s plan is to shell, bomb, and starve the city into submission. Most of the cultural elite are evacuated early in the siege, but Dmitri Shostakovich, the most famous composer in Russia, stays on to defend his city, digging ditches and fire-watching. At night he composes a new work. But after Shostakovich and his family are forced to evacuate, only Karl Eliasberg, a shy and difficult man, conductor of the second-rate Radio Orchestra, and an assortment of musicians are left behind in Leningrad to face an unendurable winter and start rehearsing the finished score of Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony.” – (adapted from Book cover)

Scarlet / Leigh Marsden.
“George is captivated by Cass and who could blame her? Cass is beautiful, sexy and outgoing and she and George run riot through the bars and beds of night-time Auckland. But are George and Cass just girls having fun, or is there something more going on? As George sinks deeper into the nightlife her dark past begins to emerge.” – (adapted from Book cover)

The sweet second life of Darrell Kincaid / Catherine Robertson.
“No one knows ‘happy endings’ like romance novelist Darrell Kincaid. In the act of adding the final full stop to her ninth book, Darrell has a revelation: it’s not the ending that really matters but what comes next. Darrell now sees that when her husband Tom died she lost more than the man she loved. She lost her own ‘happy ever after’. Darrell knows she has a choice. She can stay in New Zealand and live a half-life, or she can leave in search of something, perhaps someone else.” – (adapted from Book cover)

By any means / Ben Sanders.
“Friday rush hour, Auckland city. A lone shooter fires across a packed street and kills a man. Detective Sergeant Sean Devereaux is assigned the case. He’s not complaining, his Friday nights are seldom better spent. But the inquiry is not straightforward. Witness accounts are conflicting. The dead man appears to be an unintended victim, with the true target unknown. It’s a homicide that leaves police with no initial suspects and no apparent motive.” – (adapted from Book cover)

Topics of the moment are covered in our New Zealand new book picks this month (rugby, wearable arts and Christchurch pre- and post-earthquake). To round off our selection, we also have Gareth Morgan and Susan Guthries’ book The Big Kahuna, which has generated a lot of interest since being discussed on National Radio.

Fred the needle : the untold story of Sir Fred Allen / by Alan Sayers and Les Watkins.
“Hugely anticipated biography of a New Zealand icon. Few New Zealand rugby personalities can truly be labelled legends. Sir Fred Allen, though, is one of those rare exceptions. Along with the great Colin Meads, Allen is an icon of the game, universally loved and a true New Zealand hero. For years, the man who famously captained and then coached the All Blacks unbeaten through 37 matches in a golden era from 1966-68, has resisted the urgings of writers and publishers to tell his story. That is until now.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Sonny Bill Williams : the story of rugby’s new superstar / John Matheson.
“Sonny Bill Williams: The story of rugby’s new superstar tells the story of Williams stunning transformation from one of league’s ‘most hated’ to one of rugby’s ‘most loved’.” (adapted from back cover)

Having a ball : a cartoon history of New Zealand rugby / Ian F. Grant.
“For over a century rugby has been New Zealand’s national game, an obsession that has helped define a small country and mould its people – Maori and Pakeha Having a Ball looks at the triumphs and disasters, the amateur code that morphed into the professional era, the game at the local park and internationals in huge arenas, as well as rugby’s effect on the national psyche and the agendas of politicians. It is a story brilliantly told in a short introduction and through the perceptive, telling and funny insights of New Zealand’s leading cartoonists.” (Adapted from Syndetics summary)

Eden Park : a history / written by John McCrystal and Lindsay Knight ; [foreword by Wilson Whineray].
“An illustrated history of the iconic park. Over the last century, Eden Park has been through many changes and in 2011, as it hosts another World Cup, the park carries within it the spirit of many past champion players, epic contests and enthusiastic crowds.” (Library Catalogue)

Off the wall : the World of WearableArt/ photography by Martin de Ruyter, Neil Price, Rohit Chawla and Daniel Rose.World of Wearable Art
“All new photos of garments from the last two shows, as well as new photos of some of the most extraordinary award-winning entries from the last decade”–Cover.

Gwenda Turner’s Christchurch : an enchanted journey through the garden city / written, illustrated and designed by Gwenda Turner.
“The essence of Christchurch, its elegance and charm, are captured forever by artist Gwenda Turner in this truly memorable book. Using a blend of old photographs, mementos and original paintings, this book is both a tribute and a celebration of the Garden City.” (Adapted from inside front cover)

Christchurch : a portrait of yesterdays / [Graham Stewart].
“The author spent the first week of February – two weeks before the earth moved – shooting a photographic essay of Christchurc and the suburbs to complement photographs he had taken in the early 1950’s. His colour photographs taken in February suddenly became yesterdays pictures. The photograph of the cathedral on the front cover was taken on 2 February, 20 days before the earthquake.” (Inside back cover)

Earthquake : Christchurch, New Zealand, 22 February 2011 / text by Chris Moore and Press Journalists ; images by Press and Fairfax photographers ; picture research by Jude Tewnion.
“Powerfully and movingly written by a number of Press staffers and illustrated with striking images from the Press team. DVD includes footage taken 10 minutes after the quake, many personal stories plus the incredible footage that screened at the Day of Remembrance.” (Back cover)

The big kahuna : tax and welfare / [Gareth Morgan and Susan Guthrie].
“The big kahuna takes as its base assumption that we don’t, as a society, accept that huge differences in income are acceptable and that we therefore choose to redistribute wealth. While they are generally regarded as separate, the tax and welfare systems are fundamentally both methods of doing just that – redistributing income from those who have plenty to those who don’t.” –Back cover.

Rugby fever is here, and our selection of new sports books this month certainly reflects it! Have a browse:

IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 : The Official Guide / Chris Hawkes ; foreword by Bernard Lapasset.
“Packed with expert analysis of all the 20 teams involved, from France to South Africa and from England to Russia, this fascinating guide also features detailed profiles of the star players…and the key statistics that all fans will need to enjoy the Tournament.” (Book Jacket)

A History of the Rugby World Cup / Gerald Davies ; foreword by John Eales.
“In The History Of The Rugby World Cup, Wales and Lions legend and current correspondent for The Times, Gerald Davies gives a detailed analysis of the evolution of the tournament, providing commentary, statistics and interviews with those players and coaches who have battled it out for the ultimate prize.” (Syndetics summary)

The Rugby World Cup 2011 / Jon Richards.
“Find out everything you need to know about rugby, from the players and laws of the game to the teamwork involved in winning the ultimate tournament, the Rugby World Cup” – (Syndetics summary)

How to Watch the Rugby World Cup 2011 / Spiro Zavos.
“Since the Rugby World Cup tournament began in 1987, it’s powerful players, speed-charged runs, soaring kicks, brutal scrums and controversial refereeing decisions have gripped billions of people around the world. In 2011 the tournament returns to its birthplace, New Zealand, where 20 qualifying nations will battle to win rugby’s most coveted prize.” (Book Jacket)

Ali’s Utterly Unreliable Guide to the 2011 World Cup / with James Griffin.
“This book takes a light-hearted look at the All Blacks squad members, all of the countries participating and brings to light statistics that many players would have preferred never to have seen the light of day.” (Global Books)

Rugby League Through the Decades : all the players, all the statistics– everything that’s happened in rugby league since 1907 / Ian Collis, Alan Whiticker.
“A celebration of each epoch of the game throughout Australian history. Including almost 1000 images, many never before published, rare memorabilia, season records and international details, it is completely up to the minute with chapters about recent events, new clubs and fresh controversy.” (Syndetics summary)

Rugby in Focus.
“Rubgy in Focus is a visual, historical record of the development and growth of the game, with background on more than a century of the most successful teams and the greatest matches, a players’ hall of fame, and a guide to the hallowed grounds where the game is played.” (Global Books)

Rugby Union for Dummies / by Greg Growden.
“With the 2011 World Cup coming up fast, you need to know why a haka is not someone feeling queasy and why a goose-step is nothing to worry about! Let this second edition of RUGBY UNION FOR DUMMIES guide you past the high tackles, teach you how to spot a decoy and help you avoid a yellow card.” (Syndetics summary)

Titch : Sevens Is My Game : The Gordon Tietjens Story / Heather Kidd.
“Gordon Tietjens is arguably New Zealand’s most successful sporting coach of the past 25 years. He has set the standard in Sevens coaching since taking over as national coach in 1994. Tietjens has coached the NZ Sevens team to numerous IRB World Sevens Series titles and, as well, his sides have won World Championships and four Commonwealth Games gold medals under his stewardship. His story is unique in the annals of New Zealand sporting achievement.” (Global Books)

The film festival is over but these new additions to the New Zealand collection may help to keep the post film festival blues away. The Film Archive has released the very beautiful, New Zealand film: an illustrated history. Other new additions are The Last Train to Paradise: Journeys from the Golden Age of New Zealand railways and for an interesting browse through Wellington “The Wellington Book” is a book about Wellington captured with illustrations rather than photgraphs.

New Zealand film : an illustrated history / edited by Diane Pivac with Frank Stark and Lawrence McDonald.
“The age of cinema began in Paris in 1895. Within a year New Zealanders saw their first films and in fewer than five they were making their own. New Zealand Film: An Illustrated History is the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of New Zealand film and film making from the very beginning. With contributions from 24 top film writers, historians, household names and industry insiders, this book is an entertaining narrative of more than a century of film making and an essential reference tool for students and film buffs alike.” (Summary adapted from Syndectics)

Last train to paradise : journeys from the golden age of New Zealand railways / Graham Hutchins.
“‘Last Train to Paradise’ describes the halcyon days of New Zealand rail, some of which the author was fortunate enough to experience personally. The ‘name’ trains and journeys cover a considerable period of New Zealand’s history, from the late 1800s, through the ‘golden’ era of train travel. The book includes a wide variety of fascinating and unfamiliar photographs, not just of the trains themselves but also of the characters who travelled in them.” (Summary adapted from Syndectics)

The Wellington book / Jess Lunnon … [et al.].
“This book is all about imagination. It captures the Wellington your camera can’t in 120 gloriously illustrated pages. If you would like a visually diverting and mildly educational memento, feast your eyes on this.” (Back Cover)

Yvonne Rust, QSM : maverick spirit / Theresa Sjoquist.
“Yvonne Rust: Maverick Spirit is the fascinating, richly illustrated biography of Northland’s iconic artist, pioneer potter, and inspired arts educator, Yvonne Rust, QSM. Yvonne grew up during the Depression years as the only white child in Te Hapua, in the Far North. She graduated with a Dip.FA in 1946, and went on to teach art in schools. As a painter and at the forefront of the pottery movement in the 1950s, she worked closely with such luminaries as Barry Brickell, Ted Bracey, Faith McManus, Richard Parker, Sir Jon Trimmer and Michael Trumic. She believed New Zealand had its own spirit and she sought relentlessly to express it.”(Summary adapted from Syndectics)

Karori and its people / edited by Judith Burch & Jan Heynes.
“This book traces Karori’s transition from its beginnings as a rural outpost in the 1840’s, through to the thriving community it is today – one of New Zealands largest and most significant suburbs.” (Back Cover)

New Zealand Music Month is gone but Aotearoa has a lot of stories to tell.

Home, land and sea : situating music in Aotearoa New Zealand / [edited by] Glenda Keam and Tony Mitchell.“Presents twenty different viewpoints on music in Aotearoa/New Zealand. A selection of experts examine the vast range of music production in this country and relate it to what it might say about our homeland, our diverse population, our landscape and our identities. The collection surveys traditional and popular music created by Maori and Pacific Islanders, distinctively Polynesian brands of reggae and hip hop, the music of migrants from such areas as Latin America, China, Japan and Greece, the electronic and instrumental music traditions made more local by Douglas Lilburn, the internationally recognised ‘Dunedin sound’ of the Flying Nun label, and the eccentric electroacoustic of ‘outsider’ musicians, revealing an ever-increasing diversity of music in New Zealand.” (Back cover)

Song of a young country / selected & edited by Neil Colquhoun.
“An illustrated New Zealand history in the words and music of songs. This is a totally revised and enlarged edition of a classic of NZ publishing; the 1972 edition has been out of print for decades. This is rich, poetic Kiwi cultural treasure – the songs of the pioneers: whalers, sealers, gumdiggers, goldminers and unionists. Includes lyrics, music and chords. Neil Colquhoun enjoyed a long career as a music specialist educator in schools. Performance with Rona Bailey and Jim Delahunty at the 1957 Auckland Festival of the Arts began his interest in New Zealand folk song. Since then he has collected, performed and recorded New Zealand song, and where the music has been lost he has recreated appropriate and beautiful tunes.” (Syndetics annotation)

Wild about you! : the sixties beat explosion in Australia and New Zealand / Ian D. Marks & Iain McIntyre ; introduction by Iain McFarlane. “The astonishing outpouring of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1960s in Australia and New Zealand gave birth to such iconic bands such as the Easybeats, the Masters Apprentices, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, the Purple Hearts, and the Missing Links. It also launched the careers of a generation of musicians who would go on to greater, international fame with their later groups (the Bee Gees, AC/DC, Little River Band, and more). “Wild About You!” includes chapters on 35 bands that made the scene, as well as the editors’ list of the top 100 beat and garage songs of the era.” (Syndetics summary)

I & I : the natural mystics : Marley, Tosh and Wailer / Colin Grant.
“The Wailers are the undisputed sovereigns of reggae: and one of the biggest and most influential groups of the twentieth century. In the course of their ten years together, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley produced a raft of songs – including ‘Get Up, Stand Up’, ‘I Shot the Sherriff’ and ‘Stir It Up’ – that have come to define an era, and a golden age in music. Following the trail of the Wailers from Jamaica through Europe, America, Africa and back to the vibrant and volatile world of Trench Town, I andamp; I: The Natural Mystics is a remarkable and revelatory story of creativity, squandered talent and fierce ambitious rivalry – and an exploration of black emotional and intellectual thought in the twentieth century.” (Syndetics summary)

Lick me : how I became Cherry Vanilla : (by way of the Copacabana, Madison Avenue, the Fillmore East, Andy Warhol, David Bowie and the Police) / Cherry Vanilla ; foreword by Rufus Wainwright.
“Steeped in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, “Lick Me” takes the reader on a juicy journey through the life and times of the infamous Cherry Vanilla.” (Syndetics summary)

We have a great list of new books in our History Recent Picks this month. Enjoy!

Tracing your rural ancestors : a guide for family historians / Jonathan Brown.
“Many family historians will come across direct links to ancestors who lived and worked in the countryside as farmers, labourers, landowners, village tradesmen and professionals – for most of us have rural ancestors. Yet despite the burgeoning interest in genealogy, these people have rarely been written about with the family historian in mind. No previous book has provided a guide to the documents and records, from medieval times to the twentieth century, that researchers can use to find out about their rural ancestors and the world in which they lived. That is why this accessible and informative introduction by rural historian Jonathan Brown is so important.”(Global Books In Print)

Karori and its people / edited by Judith Burch & Jan Heynes.
“This book traces Karori’s transition from its beginnings as a rural outpost in the 1840s, through to the thriving community it is today – one of New Zealand’s largest and most significant suburbs. Chapters cover: Landscape and natural environment – Access – Settlement, growth and population – The town centre — heart of the suburb – Residential – Governance – Education – Business – Religion – Heritage in the cemetery – Military – Sport and recreation – Health and sanitation – Community and social services – Karori people. KARORI AND ITS PEOPLE covers all these topics and more, with the common thread the people who have made the suburb their home.” (Global Books In Print)

The Lisbon route : entry and escape in Nazi Europe / Ronald Weber.
“The Lisbon Route tells of the extraordinary World War II transformation of Portugal’s tranquil port city into the great escape hatch of Nazi Europe. Royalty, celebrities, diplomats, fleeing troops, and ordinary citizens desperately slogged their way across France and Spain to reach the neutral nation. As well as offering freedom from war, Lisbon provided spies, smugglers, relief workers, military figures, and adventurers with an avenue into the conflict and its opportunities. Yet an ever-present shadow behind the gaiety was the fragile nature of Portuguese neutrality.” (Syndetics summary)

The beautiful and the damned : life in the new India / Siddhartha Deb.
“A personal, narrative work of journalism and cultural analysis, The beautiful and the damned examines India’s many contradictions through five individual perspectives.”–Publisher’s description.

Gallipoli : the final battles and evacuation of Anzac / David W. Cameron.
“This book is the first book since Charles Bean’s Official history to provide a detailed narrative of the bloody and tragic battle for Hill 60, along with the other engagements that went on until the very last days at Anzac – viewed from both sides of the trenches. It also examines in detail the planning and execution of the evacuation of the troops from Anzac – the most successful part of the whole Gallipoli fiasco. David Cameron’s detailed research and use of firsthand accounts including letters, diaries, and interviews, enables him to convey the confusion of battle while also telling a good story with a powerful emotional impact”–Back cover.

Many of the New Zealand collection newest titles this month have a history focus. A collection of writings from one of the most widely read New Zealand historians Michael King heads the list.

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.” –Back cover.

Wellington’s railways : colonial steam to Matangi / David Parsons.
“An illustrated record of the Wellington railway system. David Parsons documents progress of the greater Wellington railway system and motive power development through to introduction of the new Matangi multiple units. Also covered are associated transport modes including tramways, the cable car, rail ferries and rail air, with a chapter covering rail transport museums situated within the suburban network. This book is profusely illustrated with colour and black-and-white photographs of motive power variants, stations and associated infrastructure”.(Summary from Syndectics)

Karori and its people / edited by Judith Burch & Jan Heynes.
This book traces Karori’s transition from its beginings as a rural outpost in the 1840’s, through to the thriving community it is today – one of New Zealands largest and most significant suburbs. (Summary adapted from the back cover)

John Larkins Cheese Richardson : ‘the gentlest, bravest and most just of men’ / Olive Trotter.
“This biography recalls Richardson’s life of service in mid-nineteenth-century New Zealand. An Englishman born in Bengal, Richardson’s public life began in Dunedin, a small New Zealand town. Of note is his push for equal education for women, and his lengthy report on the rabbit population problem, foreseeing modern invasive species regulations. Illustrated with period photographs. Trotter is a Dunedin-based writer. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)” (Summary from Syndectics)

Shaping Godzone : public issues and church voices in New Zealand 1840-2000 / Laurie Guy.
Churches as institutions, and Christians as individuals and groups, have made significant and often contentious contributions to shaping private and public morality and issues of social justice in New Zealand. Laurie Guy provides a lively account of Church and Christian involvement in a selection of these issues. This ground-breaking book highlights the influence of the church in the shaping of ‘Godzone’ – Aotearoa New Zealand. (Summary adapted from Syndectics)

New Zealanders in focus : the documentary photography of Peter James Quinn.
“Peter James Quinn is one of New Zealand’s preeminent social documentary photographers. His images are revealing, offering insights into the nature of society we thought we knew well. His are images of humanity, pride, sadness, unbridled joy all approached with compassion and humour”.(Summary from Syndectics)

For all of you New Zealand manly blokes!

Hunter / Graeme Marshall.
“Graeme Marshall has always loved to write. This, his tenth book, is devoted to his passion for hunting. He wrote his first magazine article for fledgling Rod and Rifle in 1981 and has contributed to every issue bar one since then. Whilst most of his books have revolved around trout fishing this is his fourth hunting book, including the most recent, Aerial Hunter, The Dick Deaker Story.” (Global Books)

South Island Trout Fishing Guide / John Kent ; photography by Patti Magnano Madsen.
“John Kent’s South Island Trout Fishing Guide is a comprehensive guide to the South Island’s incomparable trout fishing waters. More than 400 rivers and 150 lakes are described, along with their location, access, fishing season and appropriate techniques and flies. This book will be of special interest to anglers who enjoy the challenge of exploring and fishing new water.” (Global Books)

The New Zealand tramper’s handbook : everything you need to know to stay safe and have fun / Sarah Bennett & Lee Slater.
“New Zealand has some of the most magnificent and accessible wilderness areas on earth, and exploring them on foot is both exhilarating and rewarding. The key to an enjoyable and safe outdoor adventure lies in sound preparation, and THE NEW ZEALAND TRAMPER’S HANDBOOK is an excellent starting point. Aimed at beginner trampers, it gives practical and sensible information on: clothing, footwear and equipment; maps and navigation; weather, river crossings and other challenges; safety and survival skills; camping tips and hut etiquette; the trampers’ pantry – eating well on the track; useful pre-trip checklists.” (Global Books)

Blue Water : Stories from a Life Afloat / Lindsay Wright.
“Blue Water is a book for all those who hear the call of the ocean and dream of whenthey can next go down to the sea.” (Book Jacket)

Hooked on Hunting : Stories from the Bush / Martin Brenstrum.
“Martin Brenstrum has been exploring New Zealand’s backcountry since as far back as he can remember. In HOOKED ON HUNTING he shares a decade and a half of hunting yarns (and a few good fishing yarns along the way), from the days when you could go bush in the morning and be home in the evening with a deer cheque in your pocket and a satisfied, if knackered, grin on your face. Recalling the many friends he hunted with and the often hugely entertaining – at least in the telling – experiences they had in all weathers, in all conditions, but invariably with equal doses of enthusiasm and determination, Brenstrum also shares his keen knowledge of their quarry, the surrounds and the skills needed to be successful in the rough terrain they traversed. Thoroughly engaging reading, this is not a book just for hunters but for anyone who enjoys a good yarn.” (Syndetics summary)

Fishing New Zealand : Over 1000 Fishing & Diving Spots / [edited by] Mark Draper, Tony and Jenny Enderby.
Book includes
- North Cape to Stewart Island boat fishing & diving spots
- shore fishing & fresh water spots
- marine charts & topographic maps
- GPS marks, target species, best conditions & expert tips.

The New Zealand Pig Hunter’s Handbook : and Resource Guide / Paul Askin.
“At last a book that covers all aspects of pig hunting in New Zealand, practical information based on experience, written by a skilled and knowledgeable hunter. It covers everything an aspiring hunter needs to know and a lot of information an experienced hunter can learn from.” (Global Books)

Fly Fishing in New Zealand Lakes / John Kent & David Hallett.
“New Zealand has a worldwide reputation as a fly fisher’s paradise. Renowned author and trout-fishing specialist John Kent has selected 20 of the very best lakes, covering both the North and South islands, and presents here, complete with stunning photography by David Hallett, a complete guide to New Zealand’s premier fly fishing spots.” (Global Books)

Soft Plastic Bait Fishing in New Zealand / John Eichelsheim.
“Fishing with soft plastics has continued to grow in New Zealand. The baits continue to catch more fish. John Eichelsheim has returned to the file to update and revise the text with new develolpments in the soft bait revolution. John is perfectly placed as a freelance writer for a number of fishing and boating magazines – and a keen fisherman – to be able to access key information related to soft baits.” (Global Books)

We have a great list of new books in our History Recent Picks this month. Enjoy!

Titirangi : fringe of heaven / Marc Bonny ; edited by Bruce and Trixie Harvey.
“TITIRANGI, probably Auckland’s most beautiful suburb and on the edge of the dramatic Waitakere Ranges, is truly the ‘fringe of heaven’. The name incorporates the Maori word for sky and alludes to the go Rangi. It was here about 1750, on Titirangi’s southern and western flanks, that the heroic struggle occured that saw Ngati Whatua wrest control Tamaki Makau-rau (Auckland) from the incumbent Waiohua.
Titirangi: Fringe of Heaven tells of the Maori settlements, the European arrivals and forest clearing, first at Litlle Muddy Creek, and the formation of small farmlets accessed by boat from Onehunga.”  (Book Jacket)

Treasures from the attic : the extraordinary story of Anne Frank’s family / Mirjam Pressler with Gerti Elias ; translated from the German by Damion Searls.
“Anne Frank wrote a diary from the age of 13 as she hid for over two years in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse escaping the horrors of Nazi occupation. An intimate record of tension and struggle, adolescence and confinement, anger and heartbreak, it is among the most enduring documents of the twentieth century, famed throughout the world. Since first publication in 1947, the diary has been read by tens of millions of people in many different translations. A bestseller in its 1952 and 1997 (definitive) editions it remains a beloved and deeply admired testament to the indestructible nature of the human spirit. Recently discovered letters, documents and photographs of Anne and her family including letters from her, her father’s letters from Auschwitz and his poignant descriptions of searching for his family after the war and his discovery of the dairies, have been made into a family saga by Mirjam Pressler, the editor of the definitive edition of the Diary.” (Global Books In Print)

Cradle of gold : the story of Hiram Bingham, a real-life Indiana Jones, and the search for Machu Picchu / Christopher Heaney.
“In this grand, sweeping narrative, Heaney takes the reader into the heart of Peru’s past to relive the dramatic story of the final years of the Incan empire, the exhilarating recovery of its final cities, and the thought-provoking fight over its future.” (Syndetics summary)

Dividing the spoils : the war for Alexander the Great’s empire / Robin Waterfield.
“On his deathbed, surrounded by his generals, Alexander supposedly willed his empire to the strongest of them. His demise launched a period of internecine warfare among his diadokhoi (successors) that lasted four decades and reshaped the political landscape and subsequent history of Europe and the Near East. Classical scholar and translator Waterfield brings that violent, chaotic, and confusing epoch to life in a clear, concise, and well-researched survey dominated by the figures of Antigonus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, former generals of Alexander who are compelling, even admirable characters. Their efforts to seize as large a chunk of territory as possible for themselves and their families eventually resulted in the three smaller but still powerful successor states that ruled the area until their absorption by the Roman Empire.–Freeman, Jay Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist)

Irresistible North : from Venice to Greenland on the trail of the Zen brothers / Andrea di Robilant.
“In this engaging book about a historian in pursuit of a riddle, di Robilant (Lucia: A Venetian Life in the Age of Napoleon) relates not just what he found but how he found it and both what he knew and didn’t know by the end of the quest. It’s the best kind of history: scrupulously honest, with attention to detail, and never exaggerated. The puzzle is a centuries-old map, supposedly drawn by the Zen brothers-merchants, sailors and explorers in late 14th-century Venice -David Keymer, Modesto, CA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.” (Library Journal)

This selection of new novels illustrates the great diversity of New Zealand fiction.

Cry of the go-away bird / Andrea Eames.
“Elise as a young white girl in 1990s Zimbabwe, her life is idyllic. Her clothes are always clean and ironed, there is always tea in the silver teapot, gin and tonics are served on the veranda, and, in theory at least, black and white live in harmony. However, this dream-world of childhood cannot last. As Elise grows older, her eyes are opened to the complexities of adult life, both through the changes wrought in her family by the arrival of her stepfather Steve, and through her growing understanding of tensions in Zimbabwean society. As Mugabe’s presidency turns sour, the privileged existence of white farmers begins to crumble into anarchy.” (Adapted from Book cover)

The most beautiful man in the world / Jill Marshall.
“What do a housewife from Hampshire, a pole dancer form Taranaki, a London publisher and an LA soap starlet all have in common? All their lives have been impacted by The Most Beautiful Man in the World. It’s only when he is found floating face-down in his Hollywood pool that they discover the ugly truth- about themselves, about each other, and about the man they’ve chased around the world, and across decades.” (Adapted from Book cover)

The Larnarchs / Owen Marshall.
” William Larnach was a politician and self-made man who built the famous ‘castle’ on Otago Peninsula. In 1891, after the death of his first two wives, he married the much younger Constance de Bathe Brandon. But the marriage that began with such happiness was to end in tragedy. The story of the growing relationship between Conny and William’s younger son, Dougie, lies at the heart of Owen Marshall’s subtle and compelling new novel.” (Adapted from Book cover)

The conductor / Sarah Quigley.
”In June 1941, Nazi troops march on Leningrad and surround it. Hitler’s plan is to shell, bomb, and starve the city into submission. Most of the cultural elite are evacuated early in the siege, but Dmitri Shostakovich, the most famous composer in Russia, stays on to defend his city, digging ditches and fire-watching. At night he composes a new work. But after Shostakovich and his family are forced to evacuate, only Karl Eliasberg, a shy and difficult man, conductor of the second-rate radio orchestra, and an assortment of musicians are left behind in Leningrad to face an unendurable winter and start rehearsing the finished score of Shostakovich’s Leningrad symphony.”(Adapted from Book cover)

The end of longing / Ian Reid.
“Frances, a New Zealand woman, is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Jamaica in 1894. Her enigmatic husband, the Rev. William Hammond, cannot be found. Reports are later sent to her brothers alleging fraud and, perhaps, murder. Frances is not Hammond’s first wife and his movements have always been elusive.” (Adapted from Syndetics summary)

Island / Penelope Todd.
”An island in a bleak harbour; an isolated quarantine station where a group of nurses works tirelessly to care for sailors and immigrants recovering from the effects of the long sea voyage to the new land. Kahu swims ashore, searching for a woman. Young nurse Liesel, caught in a passionate triangle, is faced with choices both harrowing and intoxicating. Martha, who overseas the hospital and guides the community, is making a kind of experiment with life. Some on the island are too sick to live. Others flame with life. The island is cradle and crucible.”(Adapted from Syndetics summary)

The open accounts of an honesty box / Julie Helean.
“Things are heating up in Easy, a Central Otago town. After lobbying unsuccessfully to get their desperately needed public toilet, the women of easy give up on council, conspiring to build it themselves. Luckily Jinx, a visitor in a campervan, has just the right credentials to get them started. When the town’s unofficial Mayoress, Martha, traps her builder in town, she discovers that Jinx, aside from her non-traditional job, is a hard-to manage lesbian, with a penchant for rule breaking of every kind.” (Adapted from Book cover)

Miranda Bay / Susan Tarr.
“ Miranda, a smart, raucous and bolshy young woman, splurges her entire inheritance on a pile of sagging architecture in the Bay of Islands, sight unseen, simply because it bears her name. One step ahead of bankruptcy, the now not-so-proud owner of the old Miranda Bay Sanatorium, must turn her mistake into a profitable beach resort or lose everything.”(Adapted from Book cover)