Information for Seniors

Rod: the autobiography / By Rod Stewart, (2012)
"Rod Stewart was born working-class son of a Scottish plumber in North London. He was never, as some stories later had it, a professional footballer or a gravedigger, though he did become a bit of a singer - and a fairly good one at that. This book tells the story of a guy with one hell of a voice and one hell of a head of hair". (Publisher's description)

Meet me at Begg's / By Clare Gleeson, (2012)
"Charles Begg & Co Ltd, or Begg's as it was better known, has an important place in New Zealand's social and business history. From 1861 until 1970, Begg's expanded until its network of branches and agencies covered the country from Whangarei to Invercargill. Synonymous with music, Begg's was not only a retailer but also a manufacturer of instruments, publisher of sheet music, promoter of overseas artists and supporter of music in all its facets. Coupled with this was the company's major role in bringing overseas innovations and technology to New Zealand by way of gramophones, radios, televisions and a myriad of other electrical appliances. Meet Me at Begg's looks at the history of the firm from its beginnings in Dunedin to its demise in 1970. No ordinary business history, this is an informative, warts and all account of the highs, lows, peccadilloes and successes of the Begg family and the company it founded. Lavishly designed, it contains more illustrative material and period advertisements than any other business history published in New Zealand. Historian Clare Gleeson is the great-great-grand-daughter of the firm's founder, Charles Begg. This book was developed from her masters thesis, completed at the University of Otago"(Publisher's description)

Dearie: the remarkable life of Julia Child / By Bob Spitz, (2012)
"It is rare for someone to emerge in America who can change our attitudes, our beliefs, and our very culture. It is even rarer when that someone is a middle-aged, six-foot three-inch woman whose first exposure to an unsuspecting public is cooking an omelet on a hot plate on a local TV station. And yet, that is exactly what Julia Child did. The warble voiced doyenne of television cookery became an iconic cult figure and joyous rule breaker as she touched off the food revolution that has gripped America for more than fifty years. Julia Child was a directionless, gawky young woman who ran off halfway around the world to join a spy agency during World War II. She eventually settled in Paris, where she learned to cook. She was already fifty when The French Chef went on the air, at a time in our history when women were not making those leaps. Julia became the first educational TV star, virtually launching PBS as we know it today. Julia Child's story, however, is more than the tale of a talented woman and her sumptuous craft. It is also a saga of America's coming of age and growing sophistication, from the Depression Era to the turbulent sixties and the excesses of the eighties to the greening of the American kitchen. Julia had an effect on and was equally affected by the baby boom, the sexual revolution, and the start of the women's liberation movement. On the centenary of her birth, Julia finally gets the biography she richly deserves". (Publisher's description)

The life and times of Call the midwife: the official companion to series one and two / By By Heidi Thomas, (2012)
[The series] "... is written by Heidi Tomas, who wrote the screenplays, and is already a hugely successful TV writer, with Cranford and the successful revamp of Upstairs Downstairs under her belt. But Call The Midwife is special, and this fabulous book celebrates that to perfection. For me, the most captivating passages are Heidi's personal diaries, recounting how she met Jennifer and Philip Worth to discuss casting, costumes etc., etc. The book is a veritable treasure trove of information on the midwifery profession post-war, when the series is set, and even before that, with original photographs and advertisements showing their uniforms and their equipment. There was plenty of research into who the original convent-trained midwives really were, and Heidi recounts how Jennifer eventually confirmed their true identities. This is a brilliant book, captivating, heart-warming, sometimes shocking, always entertaining, and is the perfect companion to the TV series...." (adapted from a review on Amazon.co.uk)

Fleamarket chic: the thrifty way to create a stylish home / By Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell, (2012)
"In modern rooms, a distressed chair or a vintage mirror adds a perfect finishing touch. And in traditional decorating schemes, fleamarket chic is a key part of the mix: faded textiles, weathered furniture, mismatched china and the occasional flamboyant lamp or work of art are all part of the charm". (Publisher's description)

Good food made simple / By Allyson Gofton, (2013)
"All about cooking food that brings warmth to a kitchen, laughter and pleasure to a home. It's about new twists on old standbys and delicious meals made easy for the everyday cook". (Publisher's description)

Critical decisions: how you and your doctor can make the right medical choices together / By Peter Ubel, (2012)
"In this revolutionary book, practicing physician, behavioural scientist, and bioethicist Peter Ubel reveals how hidden dynamics in the doctor-patient relationship keep us, and our loved ones, from making the best medical choices. From doctors who struggle to explain, to patients who fail to properly listen, countless factors alter the course of our care, causing things to go seriously awry. Dr Ubel has been on both ends of the stethoscope and Critical Decisions will forever change the way we communicate at a time where thoughtful decision-making matters the most". (Publisher's description)

Missionaries, wives & roses / By Debora Robertson, (2012)
"Roses bred by Ken Nobbs and named after the early Far North pioneers - generally the wives of missionaries, but includes a few others also. Picture of most roses, and a biography of the person the rose is named after". (Publisher's description)

Gifts from the garden: 100 gorgeous homegrown presents / By Ann Chapman, (2012)
"Brimming with ideas from the pretty to the practical, "Gifts from the Garden" contains more than 100 projects that use the gardener's bounty throughout the seasons. Divided into Flowers and Herbs, and Fruit and Vegetables, Debora includes gifts that are edible, for your home and for your wellbeing. There are potted bulbs in teacups and decorated personal seed packets, a lavender, rose and chamomile bubble bath, flower and fruit lip balms, a tisane planter and a pizza herb window box, as well as festive wreaths and ideas for using flowers and foliage when wrapping presents. And of course delicious ideas like toffee apples, herbal teas, spice rubs, chilli jams, courgette muffins and quince vodka to name a few! So whether you want to give something practical for the home, indulgent to enjoy at bathtime, or to complement a delicious dinner, there is a present that will suit everyone". (Publisher's description)

The cuckoo's child / by Marjorie Eccles
"Laura Harcourt, the plucky 21-year-old heroine of this solid stand-alone set in 1909 from British veteran Eccles (Last Nocturne), has sought her independence from her wealthy family by serving in a refuge for destitute women in London's East End. After realizing that such work is not for her, Laura accepts a position in Wainthorpe, a small Yorkshire town, to catalogue books in a 16th-century manor house owned by Ainsley Beaumont, who runs a large mill in the area. On arrival, Laura is shaken to see that a wing of the house destroyed in a fire years before remains "an empty fire-blackened shell." Later, when a man's body surfaces in the water near the mill dam, signs of blunt force trauma to the head suggest foul play. The killer's identity will surprise more than a few readers, but the book's main strength lies in the author's gift for describing people and scenery." (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved" - (Syndetics summary)

Top 10 of everything rugby / By Gregor Paul, (2013)
"A journey through history of international rugby, ranking the best and worst of the game in lists that cover everything from best captains, great rivalries and acts of heroism to wasted talents, scary psychos and darkest scandals" (Back cover)

The intouchables [videorecording] / By the Weinstein Company / Quad Gaumont, TF1 Films production
"An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust, and human possibility. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicapped millionaire and his street-smart ex-con caretaker, The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humour between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common" (Cover)

Argo [videorecording] / By Warner Bros. Pictures / Smokehouse Pictures production
"On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444-day ordeal. There's a little-known footnote to the crisis: six Americans escaped and a mid level agent named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them." (Cover)

Quartet [original motion picture soundtrack] / [Original score by Dario Marianelli]
"-Divine music, the soundtrack from the latest movie, including famous works of Verdi, Gilbert & Sullivan, Puccini, Rossini and more" (Cover).

The pursuit of love [sound recording] / By Nancy Mitford
"Oh the tedium of waiting to grow up! Longing for love, obsessed with weddings and sex, Linda and her sisters and cousin Fanny are on the look out for the perfect lover. But finding Mr Right is much harder than any of the young ladies thought". (Back cover)"