Category: General

Books From The Vault: Episode 6

Neil

 

Welcome to our latest exciting and scintillating episode of Books from the Vault, to be found on Wellington City Libraries’ very own podcast channel called Kōtare: Wellington City Libraries Presents. Books from the Vault is a in which three intrepid librarian explorers take an in-depth and fascinating look at some of the treasure trove of titles to be found in our stacks.

Listen now! Books from the Vault: Episode 6

They dive deep into the vaults and unearth some wonderfully diverse books. After a brief description, they go on to talk vividly about the wider aspects of these works and, as an added bonus, discuss a range of linked and associated titles. This latest instalment is a children’s special.

In this episode, one of our CYA Specialists Mary Barnett selects Box by Penelope Todd; a young adult dystopian fantasy book set in Dunedin. Next, Zoë Miller, our Ethnic Communities Engagement Specialist, talks about Emeli Sione’s A New Dawn – a children’s book about the dawn raids of the 1970s and their effects on the community and individuals.

And finally, our Fiction Specialist Neil Johnstone talks about one of his favourite old-time books, The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M Boston. First published in 1954, this is a classic English children’s book with elements of English folk mythology and ghosts, which is also heavily laden with historical detail. Intrigued? You can listen to the full episode here.

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Box / Todd, Penelope
“Derik is on the run. Not from the deadly epidemics on the rise in New Zealand but from the ruling government and its efforts to wipe out disease. The authorities have begun Endorsement: a nation-wide drive to implant a device in every citizen, to regulate body chemistry and control emotions. It’s a social experiment the whole world is watching. But Derik wants to think and feel, for himself. Trying to find shelter, he soon discovers he’s not the only one to have turned fugitive.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

A new dawn / Sione, Emeli
“Emeli Stone shares her Dawn Raid story to help us understand the real impact of this dark time in our history.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

 

 

The children of Green Knowe / Boston, L. M.
“It is a classic of its genre a Children’s book that is basically an  English  folk, ghost story that is also heavily laden with historical detail . It is really atmospheric the start is truly a fabulous bit of writing . At times it can be a bit scary and creepy but in a friendly way. An excellent gentle introduction to ghost stories.’ ( Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Continue reading “Books From The Vault: Episode 6” →

“Tea is considered a delicacy in many parts of the galaxy”: New science fiction & fantasy

Neil

“Tea is considered a delicacy in many parts of the Galaxy. However, the proliferation of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Nutrimatic Machines has made it very hard to get a good cup of tea. It is also a strong Brownian Motion producer” – Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Who can resist the magical, mystical, restorative powers of a good cup of tea?

Well, according to Becky Chamber’s latest book, A Psalm for the Wild-Built and Kemi Ashing-Giwa’s  The Splinter in the Sky, the answer is not many of us.

In their latest novel, Becky Chambers has a tea monk who travels from place-to-place offering calming, relaxing cups of tranquillity, one brew at a time. And in Kemi Ashing-Giwa’s book, a lowly scribe wants to quit her day job and expand her fledgling tea business.

It is far from the first-time fantasy and science fiction authors have found inspiration for their plots in a good cup of tea.

There are numerous examples where this millennia-old drink plays a key part in a fantasy or science fiction work, such as the iconic mad hatter’s tea party in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Douglas Adams was also a huge tea fan; you just need to look at how important tea is in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or the title of the second Dirk Gently instalment, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.

Other authors and books that have tea involved in their plot include Skinwalker by Faith Hunter about a vampire hunter, passionate about tea pots and single estate loose leaf teas. There is also a wonderful  tea shop in  Under the Whispering Door by T J Klune and Gail Carriger’s Soulless features a lot of tea drinking. There’s also A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin and Memory of Water by Emmi Itäranta to name just a few. See our interview with T J Klune here!

A Psalm for the Wild-Built and The Splinter in the Sky are just two of our selected newly-acquired science fiction and fantasy titles; others include Marie Cardno’s fabulous How to Get a Date with the Evil Queen, the awesome Ravensong by T J Klune and Hawke’s Bay’s steampunk, Sir Julius Vogel Award-winning author Gareth Ward’s latest book Tarquin the honest Ocian’s Elven .

A psalm for the wild-built / Chambers, Becky
” It’s been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honour the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They’re going to need to ask it a lot. ” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an eBook. Continue reading ““Tea is considered a delicacy in many parts of the galaxy”: New science fiction & fantasy” →

Inner Visions: Orchestra Wellington Presents ‘Pharaoh’

Corrina

On Saturday 7 October, Orchestra Wellington presents ‘Pharaoh‘, the penultimate concert of its 2023 Inner Visions season. The programme brings together five works that each realise ‘inner visions’: from Gemma Peacocke’s response to the mysterious world of manta rays in the Hauraki Gulf in her new work Manta; there is a collision of archaism and ultra-modernism in Webern’s Passacaglia (1908). Briar Prastiti’s White, Red, Black envisions a folkloric world, through the symbolic qualities of these three colours in story-telling. John Psathas’s Planet Damnation, a concerto for timpani and orchestra, draws us into a different time and landscape, taking its inspiration from the chapter in Robert Fisk’s The Great War for Civilisation that gives the author’s eyewitness account of catastrophic events in the Gulf War. To conclude the programme, Mozart’s music for the play Thamos, King of Egypt heightens the themes of treachery and death that pervade the drama by Tobias Philipp, Freiherr von Gebler (1726-1786). Joining Orchestra Wellington, conducted by Music Director Marc Taddei, will be the Arohanui Strings in Manta, percussionist Tomomi Ozaki, and the Orpheus Choir.

Today’s blog explores some of the books in the WCL collection about the two composers central to the First and Second Viennese Schools of composition, providing additional context to the music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), and Anton von Webern (1883-1945).

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Korea Week 2023: Our library K-Pop collection

Mark

Mayor Tory Whanau travelled to Asia for 11 days in September, taking in Korea, Japan and China. She brought her love for Korean culture with her during her visit to Seoul, and while there signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), elevating Seoul and Wellington’s relationship to the sister city level. She spoke of Korean culture’s rising popularity in Wellington, which dovetails with the upcoming Korean Cultural Festival on October 6th.

Korea Week 2023 is a vibrant cultural celebration, brought to you by the Korean Embassy in Wellington. Discover the beauty of Korean heritage and modern culture in the heart of Wellington.
️Date: Fri, 6th – Sun, 8th October
Venue: Embassy Theatre & Le Cordon Bleu, Wellington
️Admission: FREE

At the Embassy from October 6th to 8th, the Korean Film Festival returns with a variety of Korean films. Experience the magic of Korean cinema with a fantastic lineup including Operation Chromite, Little Forest, A Hard Day, Hwayi: A Monster Boy, Kai, My Brilliant Life, and Fengshui. Booking is required through Eventfinda on each film.                                                                                                                          FREE EVENT with general admission (first-come, first-served seating).

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Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories event

Neil

Recently at our Karori Library, in conjunction with Auckland University Press, we staged a very special celebration event for Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories with authors Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) and Jack Remiel Cottrell (Ngati Rangi).

Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories is a vibrant collection of contemporary Māori short stories, featuring twenty-seven writers working in English and te reo Māori. Edited by Paula Morris and consulting editor Darryn Joseph.

Photo of Whiti Hereaka(c)2021 Tabitha Arthur Photography

In this vibrant showcase of contemporary talent, Hiwa explores the range of styles and subjects in the flourishing world of Māori fiction. For our Karori event, we were honoured by the presence of two of the book’s contributors Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) and Jack Remiel Cottrell (Ngati Rangi)

Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) is an award-winning playwright, novelist and screenwriter. Whiti’s books include The Graphologist’s Apprentice, which was shortlisted for Best First Book in the Commonwealth Writers Prize South East Asia and Pacific 2011, Bugs which won the Honour Award, Young Adult Fiction, New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, 2014, Legacy, which won the award for Best Young Adult Fiction at the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and Kurangaituku, winner of  the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. When not writing multi award-winning books, Whiti is a barrister and solicitor. She has held a number of writing residencies and appeared at many literary festivals in Aotearoa and overseas.

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New Podcast! The Meow Gurrrls ”Famdamily“ poetry launch

Neil

Recently at Te Awe Brandon Street Library we were delighted to do a very special launch event celebrating the release of Famdamily, the latest poetry collection by iconic Wellington poetry collective The Meow Gurrrls.

The Meow Gurrrls are a group of Wellington and Kāpiti Coast poets, named in part after Meow Café and Bar in Wellington where the group meet, who for some time now have been sharing poetry, wine, food and fine company.

This fabulous event featured readings from many of the collective and was hosted by the wonderful Mary McCallum from Makaro Press and The Cuba Press.

It proved to be an evening of unmissable new poetry from these acclaimed wordsmiths. The evening featured readings from six of the group, and was full of feats of verbal gymnastics and poetic daring.

If however you did miss it, do not fear!  The Meow Gurrrls gave us permission to record the proceedings and we are now proud to present a podcast of the evening for your enjoyment.

The poets who read at this very special event were Janis Freegard, Kirsten Le Harivel, Mary Jane Duffy, Mary Macpherson, Abra Sandi King and Sudha Rao. We wish to extent our heartfelt thanks to The Meow Gurrrls and Mary McCallum.

You may now listen to that podcast below, or by following this link!

Continue reading “New Podcast! The Meow Gurrrls ”Famdamily“ poetry launch” →