Have you heard the interesting, true story about the cow that saved its owner during a flood in the Manawatū? If you’d like more stories along the same theme, below we have books on remarkable dogs, pigeons, and horses helping and saving their human friends during war and peace times – and vice versa.

Animal heroes / Long, David
“The first recipients of the Dickin Medal in December 1943 were three pigeons serving with the Royal Air Force, all of whom contributed to the recovery of aircrew from ditched aircraft. And Treo, a black Labrador, was awarded for his ‘heroic actions as an arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan’. Olga the courageous police horse, who bolted from the path of a flying bomb in World War II only to return to duty. These true tales of heartrending devotion and duty are told from first-hand accounts.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Alfie & me : what owls know, what humans believe / Safina, Carl
“A moving account of raising, then freeing, an orphaned screech owl, whose lasting friendship with the author illuminates humanity’s relationship with the world. When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl. Alfie’s feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and also braided Carl and Patricia into her world.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The diggers’ menagerie : mates, mascots and marvels : true stories of animals who went to war / Stone, Barry
“From the Boer War to the conflict in Vietnam, from the Somme to Afghanistan, from beasts of burden and bomb detectors, animals have played a vital role and provided companionship in Australian military history. Dogs, cats, pigeons, camels and horses are documented by Barry Stone, through letters, journals, photographs and first-hand accounts. The stories of the myriad creatures added a poignant layer to Australia’s military history.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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The sky is no longer the limit, with people’s endless exploration. This blog collects books about the lives of astronomers and scientists, whose imagination and research lead to space. Some of these books are witty and funny, while some records the challenge they had to face, whether personally or academically.

An astronomer’s tale : a life under the stars / Fildes, Gary
“Gary Fildes left school at sixteen, got a trade like most of his mates and was soon married with four kids. He practised a secret with a few like-minded friends. Then one day, middle age approaching alarmingly, he acted on his lifelong passion, to be an astronomer. Today, Gary is the founder and lead astronomer of Kielder Observatory, world’s top ten stargazing sites. Situated within Europe’s largest protected dark sky park, it offers some of the UK’s most spectacular views of stars, planets and galaxies.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Star-craving mad : tales from a travelling astronomer / Watson, F.
“Most people world harbor the romantic notion that astronomers spend every night with their eyes clapped to giant telescopes. Members of the public normally ask astronomer Fred Watson whether he’s recently found anything? Sadly, astronomers normally spend huge amount of time investigating things they already know about. Fred Watson takes us on a witty, funny, and knowledgeable ride through space, ruminating on Pluto’s demotion from planetary status and Peru’s ancient sky watchers.” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

Celestial geometry : understanding the astronomical meanings of ancient sites / Taylor, Ken
“Since the dawn of civilization, humans have sought inspiration and guidance in the night sky. “Celestial Geometry” explores the remarkable achievements of ancient astronomers at over 60 archaeological sites, from European stone circles like Stonehenge to the pyramids of Egypt and Central America, the medicine wheels of North America, the carved monoliths of Easter Island, and the sun clock of Goseck.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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This blog collects stories and writings of New Zealand sports people, from sportsmen on the field to TVNZ’s sports journalists, from dark horses to well-known champions. This blog also provides unique perspective to some significant sports people and events in New Zealand. Whether you are interested in rugby, cricket, rowing, soccer or Olympics, you will find something interesting to read.

A tingling catch : a century of New Zealand cricket poems, 1864-2009
“Edited by cricket follower Mark Pirie and foreword (and a poem) by well-known cricket historian, former national selector and former president of NZ Cricket, Don Neely. From Samuel Butler’s classic description of the visiting All-England XI in 1864 to Arnold Wall’s widely known First World War piece, ‘A Time Will Come’, to the ‘underarm incident’ of 1981 and more recent cricket poems. This book is sure to appeal to cricket lovers and poetry readers.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The Awa book of New Zealand sports writing
“Triumphs, disasters, magic moments, and controversies abound in this collection of writing by top New Zealand sportswriters, including Edmund Hillary’s conquest of Everest, Jack Lovelock’s famous 1,500-meter victory in the shadow of Hitler at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and Jean Batten’s daring, first solo flight from England to New Zealand. Politics and sports come together in a gripping account of the protests, arrests, and controversy surrounding the South African rugby team’s 1981 tour of New Zealand.” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

A life in sport / Telfer, Brendan
” New Zealand’s best known sports broadcaster Brendan Telfer looks back on his career and deals with the Olympic Games, test rugby, international athletics, apartheid in sport, and radio and television broadcasting since 1974. In this book he covers many controversial topics and provides a personal account of working in the field. Stories include the Goodwill Games, TVNZ insider’s view, and comments about Peter Snell, Murry Halberg, Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, Carl Lewis, Bob Charles, Alan Jones and more.” (Adapted from the Catalogue) Continue reading “Sports Stories: Books from Te Pataka” →

This blog explores huts in the high mountains, dramatic Fiordland or icy Antarctica. Some huts are located on this country’s beautiful landscape and make an internationally distinctive statement and icon, some are functional for local farming and mining, while others mark scientific importance across the ages.

A tramper’s journey : stories from the back country of New Zealand / Pickering, Mark
“A celebration of the culture and spirit of tramping in New Zealand. Mark Pickering takes both a serious and humorous look at tramping from a personal perspective. This is one of the few books on tramping which attempts to explain the appeal of an activity which can be strenuous, uncomfortable and often dangerous, but brings its own unique rewards as a result of the effort.” (Catalogue)

Huts : untold stories from back-country New Zealand / Pickering, Mark
“If huts could talk they could tell the whole history of the back country. Of Scottish shepherds who arrived in the high country with the fresh, vivid memories of the Highland Clearances. Of the flush and fury of goldminers and water-racemen in Central Otago. Of the patient and poorly paid jobs of boundary keepers, musterers and roadmen, who lived in tiny huts in the shadow of huge landscapes. Some of the 1500 huts in New Zealand tells the social and mountain history.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The daily journal of an Antarctic explorer, 1956-1958 / Warren, Guyon
“Guyon Warren was one of a small group of men who spent 15 consecutive months in the Antarctic in the late 1950s. Warren was a member and geologist of Sir Edmund Hillary’s team travelling from South Pole to the Ross Sea. With his exploration on the ice he helped established Scott Base, right from the construction of the first hut. In this book he rewards you with insights into the day-to-day conditions experienced by himself and his colleagues in the Antarctic.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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