Tag: Women

International Women’s Day 2024 – Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

KathLeave a comment

Today is International Women’s Day and what better way to celebrate than with good books written by women?  This year we’re celebrating by diving into the Women’s Prize for Fiction long list.  Take a look at the diverse titles up for the prestigious award this year…

Hangman / Binyam, Maya
“A man returns home to sub-Saharan Africa after twenty-six years in America. When he arrives, he finds that he doesn’t recognize the country or anyone in it. Thankfully, someone recognizes him, a man who calls him brother–setting him on a quest to find his real brother, who is dying. In Hangman, Maya Binyam tells the story of that search, and of the phantoms, guides, tricksters, bureaucrats, debtors, taxi drivers, relatives, and riddles that will lead to the truth. This is an uncommonly assured debut: an existential journey; a tragic farce; a slapstick tragedy; and a strange, and strangely honest, story of one man’s stubborn quest to find refuge–in this world and in the world that lies beyond it.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

In Defence of the Act / Black, Effie
“Are we more like a coffee bean, a carrot or an egg? What happens to us when we are boiled in the trials and tribulations of life? Jessica Miller is fascinated by the somewhat perplexing tendency of humans to end their own lives, but she secretly believes such acts may not be that bad after all. Or at least, she did. Jessica is coming to terms with her own relationships, and reflecting on what it means to be queer, when a single event throws everything she once believed into doubt. Can she still defend the act?” (Catalogue)

And then she fell : a novel / Elliott, Alicia
“On the surface, Alice is exactly where she should be in life: she’s just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Dawn; her ever-charming husband Steve–a white academic whose area of study is conveniently her own Mohawk culture–is nothing but supportive; and they’ve just moved into a new home in a wealthy neighbourhood in Toronto, a generous gift from her in-laws. But Alice could not feel like more of an imposter.  Told in Alice’s raw and darkly funny voice, And Then She Fell is an urgent and unflinching look at inherited trauma, womanhood, denial and false allyship, that speeds to an unpredictable–and unforgettable–climax. (Adapted from Catalogue) Continue reading “International Women’s Day 2024 – Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist” →

Te Ruahinetanga: World Menopause Day 18 October

Tess

Te ruahinetanga | menopause transitions are highly individualised experiences that are often surrounded by social stigmas. Menopause and peri-menopause symptoms can occur in a wide and diverse range of ways that can affect a persons quality of life in vastly different ways. World Menopause Day is celebrated every year on October 18th to raise awareness and encourage the sharing of experiences and knowledge to help reduce stigma around this natural stage of life. 

We’ve created a reading list that includes a selection of new titles and popular staples, exploring both personal experiences and medical know-how. Browse through our  Te ruahinetanga | Menopause list on Libby, which includes eBooks, eAudiobooks and Magazines on the topic. And since this year’s theme is Cardiovascular Disease don’t miss our upcoming free Heart Health Check at Kilbirnie Library.

For further online information check out the Australasian Menopause Society, who provide access to resources that aim to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and people experiencing menopause, ensuring accurate and evidence-based information is available to the wider community. You can also download their printable infographic poster in both English and te reo Māori. New Zealand Family Planning also provides helpful advice for managing symptoms of menopause, and information on treatments and clinics available across Aotearoa. 

Spread the word, begin a conversation with a loved one or deepen your knowledge through our reading lists to help de-stigmatise te ruahinetanga | menopause today.

Reading List

The M word : everything you need to know about the menopause / Kaye, Philippa

“The menopause does not have to mean the end of your libido, of sex, or of feeling like yourself. The M Word is a complete guide to the perimenopause and menopause, covering everything from symptoms to treatments and lifestyle advice. With a positive and uplifting tone, this book will help you not just survive, but thrive through the menopause.”(Adapted from Catalogue)

Continue reading “Te Ruahinetanga: World Menopause Day 18 October” →

Phenomenal Women – Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023

Kath

It’s International Women’s Day and while we like to celebrate the achievements and lives of women every day, it’s good to stop and highlight the outstanding women of the world on this special day every year.  We’ve put together this list of recent titles showcasing books by and about phenomenal women.

Hilma af Klint : a biography / Voss, Julia
“The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was 44 years old when she broke with the academic tradition in which she had been trained. While her naturalistic landscapes and botanicals were shown during her lifetime, her body of radical, abstract works never received the same attention. Today, it is widely accepted that af Klint produced the earliest abstract paintings by a trained European artist. But this is only part of her story.  Inspired by her first encounter with the artist’s work in 2008, Julia Voss set out to learn Swedish and research af Klint’s life-not only who the artist was but what drove and inspired her. .” (Adapted from Catalogue)

README.txt : a memoir / Manning, Chelsea
“While working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq for the United States Army in 2010, Chelsea Manning disclosed more than seven hundred thousand classified military and diplomatic records that she had smuggled out of the country on the memory card of her digital camera. In 2011 she was charged with twenty-two counts related to the unauthorized possession and distribution of classified military records, and in 2013 she was sentenced to thirty-five years in military prison. This powerful, observant memoir will stand as one of the definitive testaments of our digital, information-driven age.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The light we carry : overcoming in uncertain times / Obama, Michelle
“Mrs. Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Elizabeth Taylor : the grit & glamour of an icon / Brower, Kate Andersen
“No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor’s glamour and guts or her level of fame. She was the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood studio system and she is a legend known for her beauty and her magnetic screen presence in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century and nearly sixty films. Here is a fascinating and complete portrait worthy of the legendary star and her legacy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Nuku : stories of 100 indigenous women / Matata-Sipu, Qiane
“The power of storytelling is evident in our earliest pūrākau. Stories can change the world. It is how our tūpuna passed on their knowledge, the blueprint for living well, for generations. Through telling their stories, the women in this book seek to influence the world around them. The youngest is 14 and the eldest is in her mid-70s. They are wāhine Māori, Moriori, Pasifika, Melanesian, Wijadjuri, Himalayan and Mexican.” (Catalogue)

Listen, world! : how the intrepid Elsie Robinson became America’s most-read woman / Scheeres, Julia
“At a time when it was thought that a woman’s highest calling was to become a wife and mother, Elsie hungered for a different kind of life. She dreamed of becoming a professional writer and sacrificed everything in pursuit of a career in letters, going so far as to work a California gold mine to pay the bills. Through it all, she wrote-everything from features to essays to fiction. Told with drama and cinematic detail by bestselling author Julia Scheeres and award-winning journalist Allison Gilbert, Listen, World! is the first biography of this indefatigable woman, capturing what it means to take a gamble on happiness, stumble a few times, and ultimately land on your feet.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Running up that hill : 50 visions of Kate Bush / Doyle, Tom
“Comprising fifty chapters or ‘visions’, Running Up That Hill is a multi-faceted biography of Kate Bush, viewing her life and work from fresh and illuminating angles. Featuring details from the author’s one-to-one conversations with Kate, as well as vignettes of her key songs, albums, videos and concerts, this portrait introduces the reader to the refreshingly real Kate Bush. Along the way, the narrative also includes vivid reconstructions of transformative moments in her career and insights from the friends and collaborators closest to Kate, including her photographer brother John Carder Bush and fellow artists David Gilmour, John Lydon and Youth.” (Catalogue)

Angela Davis : an autobiography / Davis, Angela Y
“Edited by Toni Morrison and first published in 1974, An Autobiography is a classic of the Black Power era which resonates just as powerfully today. Long hard to find, it is reissued now with a new introduction by Davis, for a new audience inspired and galvanised by her ongoing activism and her extraordinary example. In the book, she describes her journey from a childhood on Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, Alabama, to one of the most significant political trials of the century- from her political activity in a New York high school to her work with the U.S. Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Soledad Brothers; and from the faculty of the Philosophy Department at UCLA to the FBI’s list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Told with warmth, brilliance, humour, and conviction, it is an unforgettable account of a life committed to radical change.” (Catalogue)

My dream time / Barty, Ash
“It’s a tennis story. It’s a family story. It’s a teamwork story. It’s the story of how I got to where and who I am today. We all have a professional and a personal self. How do you conquer nerves and anxiety? How do you deal with defeat, or pain? What drives you to succeed – and what happens when you do? The answers tell me so much, about bitter disappointments and also dreams realised – from injuries and obscurity and self-doubt to winning Wimbledon and ranking number 1 in the world.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

They called me a lioness : a Palestinian girl’s fight for freedom / Tamimi, Ahed
“What would you do if you grew up repeatedly seeing your home raided? Your parents arrested? Your mother shot? Your uncle killed? Try, if just for a moment, to imagine this was your life. How would you want the world to react?” It brings readers into the daily life of the young woman seen as a freedom-fighting hero by some and a naïve agitator by others. Beyond recounting her well-publicized interactions with Israeli soldiers, there is her unwavering commitment to family and her fearless command of her own voice, despite threats, intimidation, and even incarceration.” (Adapted Catalogue)

Ten steps to Nanette : a memoir situation / Gadsby, Hannah
“Hannah Gadsby’s unique standup special Nanette was a viral success–and to some, her worldwide fame may have seemed like an overnight sensation. But like everything else about Gadsby, there’s more to her success than meets the eye. In her first book, the queer Australian comedian, writer, and actress takes us through the key moments in her life that ultimately led to the creation of Nanette and her startling declaration that she was quitting comedy. She traces her growth as a gay woman from Tasmania–where homosexuality was illegal until 1997–to her ever-evolving relationship with comedy, to her struggle with late-in-life diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and finally to the backbone of Nanette–the renouncement of self-deprecation, the rejection of misogyny, and the moral power of telling the truth.” (Catalogue)

Perseverance, with brains and brilliance: women in science

Tess

Did you know? Women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3% of all researchers, only 12% of members of national science academies are women. (United Nations Report)

Despite tremendous progress, a significant gender gap persists within all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines around the world. While female representation has progressed substantially over time, female researchers still have shorter and lower paying careers, despite a shortage of skills in many fields. Achieving science and gender equality is a core principle of the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and an internationally agreed upon Sustainable Development Goal for the UN’s 2030 Agenda, to strengthen the ties between society, science and policy strategies for the future.

Today, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we recognise the vital contributions our female scientists have made that have changed the course of history, despite tremendous odds, disadvantages and social pressures. We’ve compiled a list of some of the inspiring books that feature the too often untold stories of women making ground-breaking discoveries in their fields. Read their inspiring stories and help support the next generation of women and girls in science.

Headstrong : 52 women who changed science–and the world / Swaby, Rachel
“52 insightful and inspiring profiles of history’s brightest female scientists and mathematicians. Highlighting not only that women in science are often treated with less respect than their male counterparts, but also that the STEM fields are still underrepresented spaces. Headstrong gives these lives the attention and respect they deserve–with the aim to encourage and inspire a new generation of women and girls to put on their lab coats.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Why science is sexist / Gaston, Nicola
“Nicola Gaston, President of the New Zealand Association of Scientists scrutinises the sexism afflicting the discipline of science, from the under-representation of women to the ‘scientific’ argument that mental capabilities are gendered. Ultimately, she asks what can be done to combat unconscious bias in science – and to ensure that the future of scientific inquiry is both balanced and objective.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

 

A lab of one’s own : science and suffrage in the First World War / Fara, Patricia
“A Lab of One’s Own tells the fascinating and extraordinary stories of the lives of female scientists, doctors, and engineers who undertook endeavours normally reserved for men during WWI. It tells fascinating and extraordinary stories featuring initiative, determination, and isolation, set against a backdrop of war, prejudice, and disease. Patricia Fara investigates the enterprising careers of these pioneering women and their impact on science, medicine, women’s role during and after the first World War.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Wonder Women : 25 innovators, inventors, and trailblazers who changed history / Maggs, Sam
“A fun and feminist exploration of the forgotten women in Science, Technology and beyond. Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. Wonder Women tells the stories of the totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Includes interviews with women in STEM careers and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The comet sweeper : Caroline Herschel’s astronomical ambition / Brock, Claire
“The story of Britain’s first female professional scientist, Caroline Herschel. Having escaped domestic servitude in earlier life, Caroline Herschel learned astronomy while helping her brother William, then Astronomer Royal. Soon making scientific discoveries in her own right, she swept to international scientific fame and became the first woman in Britain to make her living from science. Brock tells the story of a woman determined to win independence and satisfy her astronomical ambition.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Nobel Prize women in science : their lives, struggles, and momentous discoveries / McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch
“Since 1901 there have been over 300 recipients of the Nobel Prize in the sciences, yet only 10 of them – about 3%- have been women. In Nobel Prize Women in Science, McGrayne explores the reasons for this astonishing disparity by examining the lives and achievements of 15 women scientists who either won a Nobel Prize or played a crucial role in a Nobel Prize-winning project. Revealing the relentless discrimination these women faced both as students and as researchers, celebrating how they were passionately in love with science.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The only woman in the room : why science is still a boys’ club / Pollack, Eileen
“Eileen Pollack grew up in the ’60s and ’70s dreaming of a career as a theoretical astrophysicist. Denied the chance to take advanced courses in science and math, she nonetheless made her way to Yale, where she went on to graduate with honors, as one of the first 2 women to earn a degree in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, starved for encouragement, she abandoned her ambition to become a physicist. Years later, Pollack revisited her reasons for walking away from the career she once had coveted.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Mistress of science : the story of the remarkable Janet Taylor, pioneer of sea navigation / Croucher, John S
“It is hard to imagine a more male-dominated field in the 19th century than sea navigation. This was the high-point of the British Empire and sea navigation drove it. Yet in the midst of this domain, Janet Taylor emerged as a young woman able to match the best male minds in the field. She was one of the most remarkable scientists of the period, a gifted mathematician, astronomer, author and instrument maker, a teacher of navigation and a businesswoman.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Rise of the rocket girls : the women who propelled us, from missiles to the moon to Mars / Holt, Nathalia
“During World War II, when the brand-new minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate jet velocities and plot missile trajectories, they recruited an elite group of young women who transformed rocket design. Based on extensive research and interviews with the living members of the team, Rise of the Rocket Girls offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science, illuminating both where we’ve been and the far reaches of where we’re heading.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Forgotten women. The scientists / Tsjeng, Zing
“Forgotten Women is uncovers the lost herstories of influential women who have refused, over hundreds of years, to accept the hand they’ve been dealt and, as a result, have formed, shaped and changed the course of our futures. From leaders and scientists to artists and writers, the fascinating stories of these women that time forgot are now celebrated, Forgotten Women is putting their achievements firmly back on the map.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Te ruahinetanga | Menopause

Tess

World Menopause Day is celebrated every year on October 18th to raise awareness and encourage the sharing of experiences and knowledge to reduce stigma around this natural stage of life. This year’s theme is Brain Fog and Memory Difficulties in Menopause. Te ruahinetanga | Menopause transition journeys are highly individualised experiences, where a range of different symptoms can occur, with varying levels of severity affecting qualities of life in different ways.  

We’ve created a reading list that includes a selection of new titles and popular staples, exploring both personal experiences and medical know-how around the inevitable transitions that our bodies can go through.

To access online resources in our collection, browse through our Te ruahinetanga | Menopause list on Libby, which includes eBooks, eAudiobooks and Magazines on the topic. You can also look back at our 2021 World Menopause Day post where Menopause over Martinis founder Sarah Connor shared her personal experience of perimenopause, and how that lead to the founding of her company and an awareness raising journey.  

For further online information check out the Australasian Menopause Society, who provide access to resources that aim to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and people experiencing menopause, ensuring accurate and evidence-based information is available to the wider community. You can download their printable infographic poster in both English and te reo Māori. New Zealand Family Planning also provides helpful advice for managing symptoms of menopause, and information on treatments and clinics available across Aotearoa. 

Spread the word, begin a conversation with a loved one or deepen your knowledge through our reading lists to help de-stigmatise te ruahinetanga | menopause today.

Reading List

Don’t sweat it : how to make ‘the change’ a good one / Pellegrino, Nicky
“Forget the myths and misinformation, respected health writer Nicky Pellegrino includes the latest research in this wonderfully candid, warm, and witty investigation into the realities of menopause. Nicky shares her own insights into this often-challenging phase of life, and interviews the experts for the latest credible research to help women make the right choice for themselves. Taking an upbeat approach to managing ‘the change’ to reshape how women experience menopause and show how life can be even better for it.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

This changes everything : the honest guide to menopause and perimenopause / Bezzant, Niki
“Niki Bezzant shares the latest specialist research and advice along with personal stories from real women to answer the most important questions women have about the hottest of topics. From bodies to mental health, alcohol to our stressful working lives, fertility to relationships, natural remedies to HRT, she dispels the myths and confusion around menopause – with a healthy side-serve of calling out sexism and snake-oil along the way.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Queen menopause : finding your majesty in the mayhem / Daddo, Alison
“A friendly, frank, compassionate and comprehensive companion for any woman experiencing menopause, or anyone wondering what to expect. Through sharing her own experience in a very real way, Ali hopes that women won’t feel so alone. Queen Menopause is the book Ali wishes she’d had when she was approaching menopause – so she could have been better prepared for what was coming, embraced the process and felt supported. This is for all women.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Menopause : a comic treatment
“A collection of comics presenting diverse views of menopause. Contributors address a range of life experiences, ages, gender identities, ethnicities, and health conditions.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Next level : your guide to kicking ass, feeling great, and crushing goals through menopause and beyond / Sims, Stacy T
“A renowned exercise and nutrition scientist provides active women approaching or experiencing menopause with all the training and nutrition advice they need to build a strong fitness foundation to keep them strong and capable as they age.” (Catalogue)

 

Cracking the menopause : while keeping yourself together / Frostrup, Mariella
“Straight-talking broadcaster Mariella Frostrup and award-winning health journalist Alice Smellie equip you with the knowledge you need to manage your symptoms from perimenopause onwards. Separating the myths from the reality and offering expertise, hope and advice, to open up the conversation about an urgent topic that half the population will experience, but barely anyone is talking about.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Hormone repair manual : every woman’s guide to healthy hormones after 40 / Briden, Lara
“Naturopath Lara Briden has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health and her fresh approach aims to overturn the stigma of perimenopause and menopause to show women that many symptoms are temporary and manageable. Backed by evidence-based research and case studies, this is a reassuring guide to soothing, nourishing and strengthening your body, mind and spirit during this time of change.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The menopause manifesto : own your health with facts and feminism / Gunter, Jen
“The only thing predictable about menopause is its unpredictability. Factor in widespread misinformation, a lack of research, and the culture of shame around women’s bodies, and it’s no wonder women are unsure what to expect. Menopause is a planned change, and just like puberty we should be educated on what’s to come years in advance. This essential guide will revolutionize how women experience menopause.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Older and wider : a survivor’s guide to the menopause / Eclair, Jenny
“Jenny Eclair’s hilarious, irreverent and refreshingly honest compendium of the menopause is a whistle-stop tour of the menopause in all its glory, that will make you realise that it really isn’t just you. As Jenny says, ‘I can’t say that I’ve emerged like a beautiful butterfly from some hideous old menopausal chrysalis and it would be a lie to say that I’ve found the ‘old me’ again. But what I have found is the ‘new me’ – and you know what? I’m completely cool with that.'” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Perimenopower / Wilk, Katarina
“There may be up to fifteen years of hormonal changes in a woman’s body before she reaches the point where her periods stop. These years can be turbulent both emotionally and physically as our hormones fluctuate from our mid-thirties, so do the needs of our bodies. With the right lifestyle and dietary changes, you can turn the perimenopause into a powerful life transition towards a stronger, healthier and happier you.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

International Women’s Day: Tuesday 8 March

Stephanie A

We’re celebrating International Women’s Day with these epic books from our collection, featuring stories of courageous, creative, bold, brave, smart, successful, athletic and generally awesome women from Aotearoa and around the world.

Kia pai tāu pānui! Happy reading!

Nuku : stories of 100 indigenous women / Matata-Sipu, Qiane
“The power of storytelling is evident in our earliest pūrākau. Stories can change the world. It is how our tūpuna passed on their knowledge, the blueprint for living well, for generations. Through telling their stories, the women in this book seek to influence the world around them. The youngest is 14 and the eldest is in her mid-70s. They are wāhine Māori, Moriori, Pasifika, Melanesian, Wijadjuri, Himalayan and Mexican”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

 

Bookish broads : women who wrote themselves into history / Marino, Lauren
“Women have written some of our most extraordinary literary works while living in societies and cultures that tried to silence them. These women dared to put pen to paper to express the multifaceted female experience. In Bookish Broads, Lauren Marino celebrates fierce, trailblazing female writers, reworking the literary canon that has long failed to recognize the immense contributions of women. Featuring more than 50 brilliant bookish broads, Marino cleverly illuminates the lives of the greats as well as the literary talents history has wrongfully overlooked.” (adapted from catalogue)

Ngā Mōrehu = The survivors : the life histories of eight Māori women
“In eight remarkable oral histories, NGA MOREHU brings alive the experience of Maori women from in the mid-twentieth century. The title, ‘the survivors’, refects the women’s connection with the visionary leader Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki and his followers, who adopted the name ‘Nga Morehu’ during the wars of the 1860s. But these women are not only survivors: they are also the chosen ones, the leaders of their society. They speak here of richly diverse lives – of arranged marriages and whangai adoption traditions, of working in both Maori and Pakeha communities. They pay testimony to their strong sense of a shared identity created by religious and community teachings.” (adapted from catalogue)

Women in sports : 50 fearless athletes who played to win / Ignotofsky, Rachel
“Illustrated profiles of fifty pioneering female athletes, from the author of the New York Times bestseller Women in Science. A charmingly illustrated and inspiring book, Women in Sports highlights the achievements and stories of fifty notable women athletes. Covering more than forty sports, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about notable women’s teams throughout history, pay and media statistics for female athletes, and muscle anatomy. Women in Sports celebrates the success of the tough, bold, and fearless women who paved the way for the next generation of athletes” (adapted from catalogue)

But I changed all that : ‘first’ New Zealand women / Tolerton, Jane
“But I Changed All That is a collection of New Zealand women ‘firsts’, from Kate Sheppard in 1893 to Kristine Bartlett, Katie Milne and Jacinda Ardern in 2018. The 76-page book contains portraits of New Zealand women who broke new ground, with extended captions, including a quote from each subject.” (Catalogue)

 

Bad girls throughout history : 100 remarkable women who changed the world / Shen, Ann
“The 100 revolutionary women featured in this illustrated book were bad in the best sense of the word: they challenged the status quo and changed the rules for those who followed. From ancient times through present day, from pirates to artists, scientists to spies, these courageous women achieved unprecedented feats and left a permanent mark on human history.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Pasifika women : our stories in New Zealand / Kailahi, Sandra
“Sandra Kailahi has interviewed 20 Pacific women that have worked tirelessly within the New Zealand community to better the lives of their peoples. Included are politicians, artists, writers, church representatives, sportswomen, community leaders and many more. The interviews cover early lives to the present, and showcase the strengths and depths of knowledge the women contribute to New Zealand society every day. Each biography is accompanied by Eimi Tamua’s beautifully shot portrait, as well as imagery from the contributors’ private collections of photographs.” (Catalogue)

Little leaders : bold women in black history / Harrison, Vashti
“Based on her popular Instagram posts, debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison shares the stories of 40 bold African American women who shaped history.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Women artists A to Z / LaBarge, Melanie
“From household names like Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe, to French-born Australian artist Mirka Mora, to underrepresented creators such as Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey, this empowering alphabet picture book features a variety of genres – painting, drawing, sculpture, and more. Each lushly illustrated spread summarises the artist’s work in one word, such as ‘D is for Dots’ (Yayoi Kusama) and ‘N is for Nature’ (Maya Lin), and gives the essential information to know about the creator.” (adapted from catalogue)

We should all be feminists / Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi
“What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of ‘Americanah’ and ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’. With humour and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century – one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviours that marginalise women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics.” (adapted from catalogue)

On this day she : putting women back into history, one day at a time / Bell, Jo
“An inspiring collection that shines a light on incredible women who were never given the acknowledgement they deserved. Here are the women whom time has forgotten; those who didn’t make it into the history books and those whom society failed to uphold as significant figures in their own right. Finally, we shall know their stories.” (Catalogue)

Women in science : 50 fearless pioneers who changed the world / Ignotofsky, Rachel
“The New York Times bestseller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world.” (Catalogue)