Author: Xinxin

The life of New Zealand’s extraordinary scientists

Xinxin

Read stories of New Zealand’s own prominent scientists who changed our lives, from diet to DNA, and from environment patriot to expert witness. Some of their contributions we have taken for granted today, but were revolutionary at the time.

The unconventional career of Dr Muriel Bell / Brown, Diana
“Appointed New Zealand’s first state nutritionist in 1940, Muriel Bell was behind ground-breaking public health schemes such as milk in schools, iodised salt, and water fluoridation. The first woman in New Zealand to be awarded the research degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1926, her pioneer research on vitamins and minerals helped to prevent deficiency diseases. Her early research into fats and cholesterol tackled the complexity of nutrition-related aspects of coronary heart disease. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Peter Snell : from Olympian to scientist / Snell, Peter
“Peter Snell has won three gold medals and was named New Zealand Sportsman of the year in 1960 and 1964, and New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002, and became Sir Peter Snell in 2009. He then moved to US and pursued a successful career in exercise physiology. This biography is the full account of Peter Snell’s life as sensational athlete and respected scientist and academic. It picks up the story from Peter’s first biography No Bugles, No Drums, which was published in 1965.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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Nobel Prizes 2023: Science and behind the scenes stories

Xinxin

Winners of the 2023 Nobel Prizes have been announced! Here are a few related books that may interest you, whether you’re interested in the technical stuff, the behind-the-scenes science or medical stories.  Read on!

Losing the Nobel Prize : a story of cosmology, ambition, and the perils of science’s highest honor / Keating, Brian
“In 2014, astronomers wielding BICEP2(Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization), the most powerful cosmology telescope ever made, thought they’d glimpsed the spark that ignited the Big Bang. Millions around the world tuned in to the announcement, and Nobel whispers began to spread. But had these cosmologists truly read the cosmic prologue or had they been deceived by a galactic mirage? Cosmologist Brian Keating tells the inside story and the ensuing scientific drama.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The incidental tourist : on the road with a globetrotting Nobel Prize winner / Doherty, P. C.
“Join Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty on his extraordinary adventures around the globe. Doherty has kept a journal about the far-flung destinations his work has taken him to for more than thirty years. His observations and discoveries in The Incidental Tourist make for perfect armchair travel. Peter Doherty shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for discovering the nature of the cellular immune defence. He wrote 6 books for general readers, one being The Beginner’s Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

A beautiful mind : the life of mathematical genius and Nobel laureate John Nash / Nasar, Sylvia
“”In this biography, Sylvia Nasar re-creates the life of a mathematical genius whose brilliant career was cut short by schizophrenia and who, after three decades of devastating mental illness, miraculously recovered and was honored with a Nobel Prize. At twenty-one, the handsome, ambitious, eccentric graduate student invented what would become the most influential theory of rational human behavior in modern social science, was offered a dream job in MIT. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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Home ownership in NZ: Helpful books

Xinxin

Below is a list of books about buying property, organising your finances, interior organisation and more. You can also find NZ Property Investor on OverDrive.

From renter to owner : practical, innovative ways to buy your first home today / Edmunds, Susan
“Respected property and business journalist Susan Edmunds has done the hard work to show you how buy first home in New Zealand. Most of us don’t have a big inheritance or limitless funds from the bank of Mum and Dad, so need help getting into a first home and navigating the many options. Book discussed how to apply for and structure your loan; the different properties worth considering, and different buying options, such as buying with friends. ” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

Home : the way we live now / Watson-Smyth, Kate
“Interiors expert Kate Watson-Smyth looks beyond the floorplan and shows how to evolutionally use the space you own or rent. By choosing from over 250 practical solutions, you can make your rooms multi-purpose even at a small space. Author provides a unique and innovative split-format page design for mixing and matching ideas and plans, whether working from home, using small spaces, or buying furniture. Also featured from hoteliers, interior designers and bloggers. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The sophisticated property investor : for new and seasoned commercial property investors / Brill, Jeff
“Do you want to work towards financial freedom and create a legacy to leave a secure money machine behind your children? Herein you will learn the tools needed to invest in the commercial property sector, be it a building or part of one. No longer is this investment vehicle an exclusive domain for the rich, you can make substantial gains to secure your future. Contains an interview with Sir Robert Jones and other specialists in their field.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Buyer beware : a New Zealand home buyer’s guide / Slade, Maria
“Written by a news journalist who has covered many of the horror stories, this book takes a no-holds-barred look at the challenges facing home buyers and offers savvy advice on how to navigate that minefield. It will appeal to all home buyers, with chapters on the search, mortgages and legal aspects, types of title, buying at auction, buying off plans, checks and warning signs, bodies corporate and the special problems to be found in Christchurch, there is plenty of information for everyone.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Kiwi prefab : cottage to cutting edge : prefabricated housing in New Zealand / Bell, Pamela
“Unlike the previous impression of cheap and temporary, today’s prefab home is design rich, high-quality, and readily customised to individual sites and needs. It is likely to be state of the art, an innovative blend of architecture, design, manufacturing and construction. For example, the story of IBS, (Industrialised Building Systems) is a story of a NZ project that came close to revolution.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Smashed avocado : how I cracked the property market and you can too / Haddow, Nicole
“‘Buying a property isn’t easy. It’s not meant to be. It’s one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your life. But it is worth it . . . it’s hard, there will be shit bits, but it’s not impossible.’ At thirty, journalist Nicole Haddow had unstable income, no financial plan and only credit-card debt to her name. But less than two years’ later she was a home-owner. In Smashed Avocado, Nicole explains the steps she took to purchase her own home, alongside detailed case studies of other people who have found ways to enter the property market.” (Adapted from catalogue)

First home buyers guide : how to buy a home in New Zealand / Hampton, Wendy
“A guide to first home buyers written in plain English that explains the purchasing journey in simple terms. It includes amongst other matters simple explanations of the roles of the professionals, types of legal agreements, legal titles, types of ownership as well as a chapter on finance. The guide walks you through the decision making process and includes useful checklists and diagrams.” (Catalogue)

A bouquet of flower books for spring

Xinxin

Whether you are planting a new garden or wanting to arrange flowers you’ve freshly sourced from the markets, these books can provide inspiration for your perfect dining table arrangement or artistic project. You might also like to link up with some of the local flower groups in Wellington: Ikebana Wellington, Miramar Garden Club, Johnsonville Floral Art Club. We also have a great selection of eMagazines, available through the links below.

Flowers for friends / Atkinson-Dunn, Julia
“This is a book about flower arranging from the perspective of a gardener in Christchurch, New Zealand. Harvesting from the garden means short, wonky stems, bruised petals, insects crawling out of blooms and the open invitation to claim a weed or vege as vase fodder. Julia offers a practical guide to picking, conditioning and arranging home-grown treasures, celebrating their quirks and encouraging unexpected combinations. Seasonal chapters profile arrangements she has made, detailing plants in season and inviting readers to explore some quirky and easy-to-do ideas. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Carole’s flower truck : flowers every day for New Zealand homes / Bowden, Carole
“With over 350 photos, this book is a visual treat. As well as the story of Carole’s Flower Truck, it is an inspirational seasonal guide to enjoying flowers. There are ideas for special occasions, tips and tricks to keep your flowers looking great and step-by-step floral projects. This book is all about buying local and using what’s in season with a seasonal guide from United Flower Growers. And a guide to create ‘park posies’, jam jar posies and hydrangea bouquets, circlets and garlands. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Weaving flowers from New Zealand flax / Brown, Ali
“Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax contains detailed instructions for weaving fifteen different flower and foliage designs plus different variations of several of the designs. Many of the flower designs can be woven from a single flax leaf and are very quick to weave once you’ve had a bit of practice. The book also includes examples of floral arrangements for each of the flower designs and various flax foliage ideas for floral arrangements in addition to the woven foliage designs. All the instructions and arrangements in the book are illustrated with large colour photographs.” (Catalogue)

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Real Stories from New Zealand Diplomats

Xinxin

Looking back at diplomatic stories, from diplomats’ personal anecdotes to historical government archives, from Baghdad at the first Gulf War to West Papua, these authors have interesting diplomatic stories and facts uncovered. Read on!

New moons for Sam : becoming Kiwi, life of a New Zealand diplomat / Hamilton, Peter
“In 1961, Leaving from Somerset and growing up in rural New Zealand, Peter Hamilton joined the diplomatic service as this change was getting underway and his four-decade career saw him leading diplomatic and free trade efforts with traditional and new partners at a time of unprecedented international change for his adopted country. This book is a rare insider’s account of how New Zealand conducts its diplomacy, forges alliances and makes the most of its position as a small South Pacific country on a global stage. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

See no evil : New Zealand’s betrayal of the people of West Papua / Leadbeater, Maire
“The book begins by relating the little-known history of West Papua, but its focus is on the impact of New Zealand’s foreign policy on the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants. In the 1950s New Zealand supported self-determination for the former Dutch colony, but in 1962 opted to back Indonesia as it took over the territory. Delving deep into historical government archives, this meticulously researched book uncovers the untold story of New Zealand’s unprincipled and often hypocritical diplomacy. ” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Diplomatic ladies : New Zealand’s unsung envoys / Woods, Joanna
“Diplomatic Ladies tells the story of New Zealand’s diplomatic wives and daughters over a hundred years of diplomacy. Starting with Maud Pember Reeves in 1907 and based on private letters, MFAT archives and personal interviews, it records many unknown episodes in New Zealand’s diplomatic history, including the part played by the spouses in Baghdad during the first Gulf War, and the perils faced by diplomatic wives in Saigon and Tehran. It is a life full of interest and excitement but comes at a price that many modern women are not prepared to pay.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

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International Repair Day

Xinxin

To celebrate International Repair Day, we’ve picked some books on creative and practical inspirations for mending and do-ups. The below list is full of advice, including a book from the BBC’s popular show The Repair Shop; the Haynes Manuals, an online resource for car and motorcycle repairs; and artistic upholstering to help you do some DIY upcycling. The benefit of repairing goes way beyond saving budget!

eLibrary resource: Haynes Car and Motorcycle Manuals

The Repair Shop : life in the barn : the inside stories from the experts / Dowle, Jayne
“In today’s throwaway culture, there’s a counter movement growing that urges us to “make do and mend”. The Repair Shop has brought this waste-conscious message to an even wider audience, cementing itself as a BBC classic of the likes of Antiques Roadshow. This book concentrates on the show’s much-loved experts, including woodworker and furniture restorer Will Kirk, clockmaker and mechanical wizard Steve Fletcher, silversmith Brenton West, saddler/leatherworker Suzie Fletcher and more. (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Mazda 6 automotive repair manual / Killingsworth, Jeff
“Save big with a Haynes manual and you can do it yourself from simple maintenance to basic repairs. Haynes writes every book based on a complete teardown of the vehicle. We learn the best ways to do a job and that makes it quicker, easier and cheaper for you. Our books have clear instructions and hundreds of photographs that show each step. You will find routine maintenance, tune-up procedures, engine repair, cooling and heating, air conditioning, fuel and exhaust, emissions control, ignition, brakes, suspension and more.”(Adapted from the Catalogue)

Style, stitch, staple : basic upholstering skills to tackle any project / Stanton, Hannah
“Style, Stitch, Staple combines straightforward upholstery techniques with advice on choosing and styling fabrics to make the even the most dilapidated furniture into gorgeous, updated pieces. Packed full of fabric advice, yardage charts, upholstery tutorials, and case studies that feature salvaged and inexpensive furniture, this book is the perfect go-to-guide for the many sewers, designers, and artists who want to learn to rescue and revive furniture with a unique, personalized, and stylish look.” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

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