New Zealand/Aotearoa Recent Picks
December - January
Click on the underlined title links to check the item's availability in our catalogue.
 | The best New Zealand fiction. Volume 1 edited by Fiona Kidman. (2004) "'It always begins with a body,' or at least so begins Fiona Farrell's page-turning mystery in this anthology of superb stories, offering a lively and fresh sampling of what is being written now. Selected by Fiona Kidman, they come from our top writers: both well-established and new; those based permanently in New Zealand and those who have recently spent time here. From making love to a legless woman and collecting 'no evil' monkeys, to touring Holocaust memorials or working as a matron in a 1916 lunatic asylum, the elements in this diverse collection bring a new perspective on our living literature." (Random House)
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 | Transit of Venus by Rowan Metcalfe. (2004) "The story of the Bounty mutiny is well known. Fletcher Christian's mutineers set Captain William Bligh and others adrift in a ship's boat. Bligh sailed some 5000 kilometres to safety; the mutineers returned to Tahiti before making their way to isolated and uninhabited Pitcairn Island. But what of the Tahitian women who joined the Bounty at Tahiti? Their powerful and compelling story is told in Transit of Venus. Mauatua and her friends and relatives speak directly to us in beautiful and startlingly perceptive ways as they move away from their homeland and pass into the feverish intensity of drunkenness, lust and murder that marks the early years on Pitcairn." (Huia)
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 | Crafty girls' road trip by Ann Packer. (2004) "Aimed at those who get warm fuzzies just walking into a wool shop, simply have to stroke the fabric at the quilt store, and long to touch the textiles at museums, this round-up of New Zealand's craftiest places will go down a treat. Because crafty girls need to know where to get their fix in a strange town, the book lists treasure troves for embroiderers, patchworkers, knitters, spinners and other crafty types to find not only materials but inspiration on the road. And because they need frequent cups of coffee to fuel their journey and somewhere to lay their head, the book includes some favourite places along the way." (Random House) Don't be misled by the title. This is a great idea for blokes and women too!
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 | Welcome to the South Seas : contemporary New Zealand art for young people by Gregory O'Brien. (2004) "Welcome to the South Seas is a high-spirited introduction to contemporary New Zealand art. It features some of the liveliest creations of the past 30 years: from Bill Culbert's Tupperware extravaganza, Spacific Plastic, to Michael Parekowhai's Patriot : Ten Guitars. There are artworks that float in midair and others that creep across the floor. There are surfboards and the hull of a burnt-out boat; there are yapping dogs, bird-headed men and even bolder ideas, this book is an introduction to the imaginative life of a country where anything can, and indeed does, happen." (Randomhouse) |
 | Day walks of greater Wellington by Marios Gavalas. (2004) "Clear, concise and informative descriptions of nearly 80 day walks are provided in this book, covering a wealth of walking opportunities in the greater Wellington area. Richly illustrated with maps and photographs, the guide offers an interesting mix of urban and rural day walks in addition to: an introduction to the regionâs geology, forests, wildlife and history; walks divided into over a dozen different areas, with brief overviews; grades of difficulty, completion times, access details, track notes and points of interest." (Reed) |
Inspiration from the Ellerslie Flower Show by Neil Ross and Gil Hanly. (2004)
"It's the 'Big Day Out' for the green-fingered." (Maggie Barry)
"Inspiration from the Ellerslie Flower Show is packed full of magnificent photography accompanied by an informative but gently humorous text that captures the essence of all the years of the Show to date. This book will quickly become an essential souvenir for all those who already know that there is much more to gardening than mowing lawns and keeping the borders tidy." (Cover)
Reed illustrated history of New Zealand by Matthew Wright ; illustrations from the Alexander Turnbull Library. (2004)
"Noted historian Matthew Wright extends his award-winning interpretation of our colonial past in this popular and accessible account of New Zealand's life and times since around 1800. Why do we want to own our quarter-acre slice of paradise? Where did our ideals of equality come from? And why has the 'cultural cringe' taken so long to overcome? Matthew Wright tells us why in his lively, accessible narrative that recounts our headlong journey through peace, war, suffrage, beer and ultimately cafes up to late twentieth century." (Reed)
Eating with the angels by Sarah-Kate Lynch. (2004)
"Eating means everything to Connie Farrell, she's a restaurant critic after all, so when her husband Tom fails to turn up on their second honeymoon in fairytale Venice she's rattled but she doesn't exactly lose her appetite. Quite the opposite, you could say. Handsome gondolier Marco awakes a hunger in her and sates it with all manner of mouth-watering delicacies, including himself. But Connie also has a hankering for something with a bit more zest, something muscled and tanned with silver hair and an honest heart going by the name of Luca. All second honeymoons should be so sweet!" (RandomHouse)
Our islands, our selves : a history of conservation in New Zealand by David Young. (2004)
"Our Islands, Our Selves is the story of how a conservation ethic emerged in New Zealand. It looks at Maori settlement and how the need to preserve slowly became an element of the use of some resources. It identifies the issues, personalities and organisations of the past 200 years, as New Zealand evolved from a 'quarry economy' to a modern society grappling with erosion and flooding issues, predator proliferation and habitat species loss. As the concerns of the nation have shifted, the approaches to conservation have changed: from the acclimatisation of exotic species to National Parks, the development of island sanctuaries and now, an ecological approach that protects relationships as well as specific flora and fauna." (Cover)
New Zealand beginner's guide to family history research by Anne Bromell. (2004)
"If you have been thinking about doing some genealogical research but don't know where to begin, then this is the book for you. Whether your family had humble beginnings or were part of the aristocracy, good research techniques will help you find out more. This guide shows you how and where to locate information, how to use various resources, and how to record what you find. Best of all, the work you do will leave a valuable legacy for your descendants. There is no time like the present to start preserving your past for future generations." (Cover)
Wide white page: writers imagine Antarctica by Bill Manhire. (2004)
"An Antarctic anthology like no other, this book is about the the imaginative uses writers have made of Antarctica. It spans eight centuries of writing - from Dante's famous account of Ulysses's last southbound ocean journey, culminating in mysterious peak, violent storm, and savage whirlpool; to Michael Chabon's WW2 US army base on ice, from his award winning Kavalier and Clay - and many more of the imagination. Genres range from Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, to Monty Python's Scott of Sahara. Writers from closer to home include Chris Orsman, Douglas Stewart, Denis Glover and Owen Marshall. A treasure trove for any devotee of either the Antarctic or the imagination." (NZ Books, Oct 2004)
Toss Woollaston : a life in letters edited by Jill Trevelyan. (2004)
"On the page, as on the canvas, Toss Woollaston is a singular personality, forthright in his opinions yet acutely attentive to the world around him. From his heady, youthful letters home in the 1920s, to his energetic communications of 70 years later, the letters in this book provide an illuminating portrait of the artist and his milieu. Essential reading for anyone interested in this country's literacy as well as visual arts." (Cover)
The 2nd Wellington International Poetry Festival anthology edited and compiled by Mark Pirie, Ron Riddell and Saray Torres. (2004)
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