Tag: biography

Beyond the Gender Binary – Books By and About Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People

KathLeave a comment

We’re deep in Pride month and today we’ve put together a list of books by trans and gender non-conforming people.  This list contains something for all ages, so whether you’re educating yourself, reading about folks like you, supporting loved ones or answering questions from rangatahi or tamariki, we’ve got something for you here.

Beyond the gender binary / Vaid-Menon, Alok
“Poet, artist, and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate Alok Vaid-Menon deconstructs, demystifies, and reimagines the gender binary.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Gender queer : a memoir / Kobabe, Maia
“In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity – what it means and how to think about it – for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The autistic trans guide to life / Purkis, Yenn
“This book is a one-stop guide for autistic trans adults setting out practical strategies and advice to help them navigate through life. The book has chapters on coming out, relationships, sexuality, physical appearance, medical aspects, social transition, work, family life etc. The book is written from a perspective of empowerment and self-acceptance and has a strong focus on promoting pride and self-worth.” (Catalogue)

Being Jazz : my life as a (transgender) teen / Jennings, Jazz
“Teen activist and trailblazer Jazz Jennings–named one of “The 25 most influential teens” of the year by Time–shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Non-binary lives : an anthology of intersecting identities
“What does it mean to be non-binary in the 21st Century? Our gender identity is impacted by our personal histories; the cultures, communities and countries we are born into; and the places we go and the people we meet. But the representation of contemporary non-binary identities has been limited, until now. This thought-provoking anthology shows that there is no right or wrong way to be non-binary.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

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Rising to the Surface – New Biographies and Memoirs

Kath

A fabulous selection of new biographies and memoirs have arrived in our collection.  Comedy and cooking, whistle blowers and writers, dynasties and dry wit are all covered in this month’s selection.

Rising to the surface / Henry, Lenny
“Rising to the Surface traces Lenny Henry’s career through the 80s and 90s. The 16-year-old who won a talent competition, now has to navigate his way through the seas of professional comedy, learning his craft through sheer graft and hard work. We follow Lenny through a period of great creativity – prize-winning tv programs, summer seasons across Britain, the starring role in a Hollywood film, and stand-up gigs in New York.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Departure stories : Betty Crocker made matzoh balls (and other lies) / Bernick, Elisa
“Elisa Bernick grew up “different” (i.e., Jewish) in the white, Christian suburb of New Hope, Minnesota during the 1960s and early 1970s. Poignant and provocative, Departure Stories peers through the broader lens of Minnesota’s recent history to reveal an intergenerational journey through trauma that unraveled the Bernick family and many others.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

README.txt : a memoir / Manning, Chelsea
“While working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq for the United States Army in 2010, Chelsea Manning disclosed more than seven hundred thousand classified military and diplomatic records that she had smuggled out of the country on the memory card of her digital camera. In 2011 she was charged with twenty-two counts related to the unauthorized possession and distribution of classified military records, and in 2013 she was sentenced to thirty-five years in military prison. This powerful, observant memoir will stand as one of the definitive testaments of our digital, information-driven age.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Bryce Courtenay : Storyteller / Courtenay, Christine
“Bryce Courtenay was a born storyteller. The success of his extraordinary debut The Power of One made publishing history, and in the years that followed Bryce continued to entertain and inspire thousands of devoted readers around the world with his sweeping epics and larger-than-life characters who embody the strength and triumph of the human condition. When Christine Courtenay began penning her own memoir during lockdown, she found herself increasingly drawn to the remarkable story of her late husband’s life and reflecting upon his astonishing literary legacy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Managing expectations : a memoir in essays / Driver, Minnie
“A charming, poignant, unfiltered, laugh-out-loud memoir in essays from beloved actor and natural-born storyteller Minnie Driver, chronicling the way life works out even when it doesn’t.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Growing up Getty : the story of America’s most unconventional dynasty / Reginato, James
“Oil magnate J. Paul Getty, once the richest man in the world, is the patriarch of an extraordinary cast of sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Through extensive research, including access to J. Paul Getty’s diaries and love letters, and fresh interviews with family members and friends, Growing Up Getty offers an inside look into the benefits and burdens of being part of today’s world of the ultra-wealthy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Do let’s have another drink! : the dry wit and fizzy life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother / Russell, Gareth
“This collection of one hundred and one anecdotes about Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, features amusing and fascinating vignettes from her long life, including her coming of age during World War I and the 1936 abdication of her brother-in-law.” (Catalogue)

 

Until further notice : a year in pandemic time / Kaler, Amy
“Until Further Notice is a real-time personal account of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic through the prism of one woman’s consciousness. An internal seismograph of living through a global emergency, Amy Kaler’s book documents a series of jolts to her thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and habits. Reflexive and relatable, Until Further Notice captures fine-grained, everyday experiences from an extraordinary year.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Insulin : the crooked timber : a history from thick brown muck to Wall Street gold / Hall, Kersten T
“Before the discovery of insulin, a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes was a death sentence.  This book is the result of the author’s own shocking diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes and its story reminds us all of what technology can – and cannot do – for us.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Local : a memoir / Machado, Jessica
“Born and raised in Hawai’i by a father whose ancestors are indigenous to the land and a mother from the American South, Jessica Machado wrestles with what it means to be “local.” Interwoven with a rich and nuanced exploration of Hawaiian history and traditions, Local is a personal and moving narrative about family, grief, and reconnecting to the land she tried to leave behind.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Too much / Allen, Tom
“‘Happily settled in a new relationship and with a dream house of his own, comedian Tom Allen had finally moved on from the arrested development of millennial life and could at last call himself an adult. But when his father died suddenly in late 2021, Tom’s newfound independence was rocked by a fresh set of challenges, and he began to find solace in the past (and his new vegetable patch). With moving honesty and wit, Tom writes beautifully about those days, weeks and months following his family’s loss, and about how bewildering the practicalities of life can be in the wake of an upheaval – those moments, really, when everything can start to feel a bit too much… ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

It’s a shame about Ray / Seidler, Jonathan
“It’s a Shame About Ray is an extraordinary and powerful memoir about family, love and the power of music. What tracks combine to make a family album? What do we carry from one generation to a next? What is the difference between leaning on and letting go? Blackly funny and frequently devastating, this memoir traverses death, hope, love, family, survival, compassion, and the deep relationship we can develop with music throughout our lives when all else is simply not enough.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

For more new titles in the collection, go to: What’s new & Popular / February 2023 (wcl.govt.nz)

Perseverance, with brains and brilliance: women in science

Tess

Did you know? Women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3% of all researchers, only 12% of members of national science academies are women. (United Nations Report)

Despite tremendous progress, a significant gender gap persists within all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines around the world. While female representation has progressed substantially over time, female researchers still have shorter and lower paying careers, despite a shortage of skills in many fields. Achieving science and gender equality is a core principle of the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and an internationally agreed upon Sustainable Development Goal for the UN’s 2030 Agenda, to strengthen the ties between society, science and policy strategies for the future.

Today, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we recognise the vital contributions our female scientists have made that have changed the course of history, despite tremendous odds, disadvantages and social pressures. We’ve compiled a list of some of the inspiring books that feature the too often untold stories of women making ground-breaking discoveries in their fields. Read their inspiring stories and help support the next generation of women and girls in science.

Headstrong : 52 women who changed science–and the world / Swaby, Rachel
“52 insightful and inspiring profiles of history’s brightest female scientists and mathematicians. Highlighting not only that women in science are often treated with less respect than their male counterparts, but also that the STEM fields are still underrepresented spaces. Headstrong gives these lives the attention and respect they deserve–with the aim to encourage and inspire a new generation of women and girls to put on their lab coats.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Why science is sexist / Gaston, Nicola
“Nicola Gaston, President of the New Zealand Association of Scientists scrutinises the sexism afflicting the discipline of science, from the under-representation of women to the ‘scientific’ argument that mental capabilities are gendered. Ultimately, she asks what can be done to combat unconscious bias in science – and to ensure that the future of scientific inquiry is both balanced and objective.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

 

A lab of one’s own : science and suffrage in the First World War / Fara, Patricia
“A Lab of One’s Own tells the fascinating and extraordinary stories of the lives of female scientists, doctors, and engineers who undertook endeavours normally reserved for men during WWI. It tells fascinating and extraordinary stories featuring initiative, determination, and isolation, set against a backdrop of war, prejudice, and disease. Patricia Fara investigates the enterprising careers of these pioneering women and their impact on science, medicine, women’s role during and after the first World War.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Wonder Women : 25 innovators, inventors, and trailblazers who changed history / Maggs, Sam
“A fun and feminist exploration of the forgotten women in Science, Technology and beyond. Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. Wonder Women tells the stories of the totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Includes interviews with women in STEM careers and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The comet sweeper : Caroline Herschel’s astronomical ambition / Brock, Claire
“The story of Britain’s first female professional scientist, Caroline Herschel. Having escaped domestic servitude in earlier life, Caroline Herschel learned astronomy while helping her brother William, then Astronomer Royal. Soon making scientific discoveries in her own right, she swept to international scientific fame and became the first woman in Britain to make her living from science. Brock tells the story of a woman determined to win independence and satisfy her astronomical ambition.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Nobel Prize women in science : their lives, struggles, and momentous discoveries / McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch
“Since 1901 there have been over 300 recipients of the Nobel Prize in the sciences, yet only 10 of them – about 3%- have been women. In Nobel Prize Women in Science, McGrayne explores the reasons for this astonishing disparity by examining the lives and achievements of 15 women scientists who either won a Nobel Prize or played a crucial role in a Nobel Prize-winning project. Revealing the relentless discrimination these women faced both as students and as researchers, celebrating how they were passionately in love with science.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The only woman in the room : why science is still a boys’ club / Pollack, Eileen
“Eileen Pollack grew up in the ’60s and ’70s dreaming of a career as a theoretical astrophysicist. Denied the chance to take advanced courses in science and math, she nonetheless made her way to Yale, where she went on to graduate with honors, as one of the first 2 women to earn a degree in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, starved for encouragement, she abandoned her ambition to become a physicist. Years later, Pollack revisited her reasons for walking away from the career she once had coveted.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Mistress of science : the story of the remarkable Janet Taylor, pioneer of sea navigation / Croucher, John S
“It is hard to imagine a more male-dominated field in the 19th century than sea navigation. This was the high-point of the British Empire and sea navigation drove it. Yet in the midst of this domain, Janet Taylor emerged as a young woman able to match the best male minds in the field. She was one of the most remarkable scientists of the period, a gifted mathematician, astronomer, author and instrument maker, a teacher of navigation and a businesswoman.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Rise of the rocket girls : the women who propelled us, from missiles to the moon to Mars / Holt, Nathalia
“During World War II, when the brand-new minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate jet velocities and plot missile trajectories, they recruited an elite group of young women who transformed rocket design. Based on extensive research and interviews with the living members of the team, Rise of the Rocket Girls offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science, illuminating both where we’ve been and the far reaches of where we’re heading.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Forgotten women. The scientists / Tsjeng, Zing
“Forgotten Women is uncovers the lost herstories of influential women who have refused, over hundreds of years, to accept the hand they’ve been dealt and, as a result, have formed, shaped and changed the course of our futures. From leaders and scientists to artists and writers, the fascinating stories of these women that time forgot are now celebrated, Forgotten Women is putting their achievements firmly back on the map.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Getting Lost: New biographies and memoirs

Kath

It’s a new year and we have new biographies hitting the collection, including: a female politician from Afghanistan, a much-loved novelist, an actor and of course some royals, among others. There’s a little something for everyone in this collection.

To see what else is new in our collection, go to what’s new & popular (wcl.govt.nz)

Zarifa : a woman’s battle in a man’s world / Ghafari, Zarifa
“Zarifa Ghafari was three years old when the Taliban banned girls from schools, and she began her education in secret. She was six when American airstrikes began. She was twenty-four when she became mayor–one of the first female mayors in the country–and first of Wardak, one of the most conservative provinces in Afghanistan. Written with honesty, pain, and ultimately, hope, Zarifa describes the work she did, the women she still tries to help as they live under Taliban rule, and her vision for how grassroots activism can change their lives and the lives of women everywhere.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Comrade : Bill Andersen: a communist, working-class life / Locke, Cybèle
“Bill Andersen was one of the most significant figures of the twentieth-century trade union movement in New Zealand. In this biography, Cybèle Locke reveals the relationship between communism and working-class trade unionism during the Second World War and the following decades. Writing with insight and empathy, Cybèle Locke provides a highly readable account of a communist union leader navigating the social and political turmoil of the twentieth century.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Getting lost / Ernaux, Annie
“Getting Lost is the diary Annie Ernaux kept during the year and a half she had a secret love affair with a younger, married man, a Russian diplomat. Getting Lost is as strong a book as any that she has written, a haunting, desperate view of strong and successful woman who seduces a man only to lose herself in love and desire.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

The secret heart : John Le Carré : an intimate memoir / Dawson, Suleika
“The astonishing portrait of the master of spy fiction, by the woman he kept secret for all of his life. The Secret Heart is the account of Suleika Dawson’s enduring love affair with John Le Carre. A thoughtful, artfully written and intimate biography, the book aims to shed a new light on one of the greatest British writers of the 20th Century and offer an alternative measure of the man over the literary legend.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Camilla : from outcast to Queen Consort / Levin, Angela
“A compelling new biography of Camilla, Queen Consort, that reveals how she transformed her role and established herself as one of the key members of the royal family. Angela Levin uncovers Camilla’s rocky journey to be accepted by the royal family and how she coped with her brutal portrayal in Netflix’s The Crown. Most of all, Levin tells the story of how Camilla has changed from a fun-loving young woman to one of the senior royals’ hardest workers. She has retained her mischievous sense of humor, becoming a role model for older women and an inspiration for younger ones.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Cover Image for Illustrated Black HistoryIllustrated Black history : honoring the iconic and the unseen / McCalman, George
“A gorgeous collection of 145 original portraits that celebrates Black pioneers–famous and little-known–in politics, science, literature, music, and more–with biographical reflections, all created and curated by an award-winning graphic designer.  Beautifully designed with over 300 unique four-color artworks and accessible to readers of all ages, this eye-opening, educational, dynamic, and timely compendium pays homage to Black Americans and their achievements, and showcases the depth and breadth of Black genius.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Cover image for All Veils Are OffAll veils are off / Heding, Marguerette
“Qatar? It sounds like a bad lung condition! was Marguerette Heding’s first reaction to her husband about moving there.  ‘All Veils Are Off: The True Housewives of Qatar’ is Marguerette’s extraordinary, hilarious, though at times devastating account of her 8 years living in Qatar. Not only did she have to navigate the tricky expat community, but also the secret and fiercely protected world of the Qatari women – a world very few outsiders, particularly a wine-loving, dog owning Australian infidel are ever privy to.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Playing under the piano : from Downton to darkest Peru / Bonneville, Hugh
“A moving, laugh-out-loud memoir from one of today’s best-loved British actors, whose credits include Downton Abbey, Notting Hill, and Paddington.  Whether telling stories of his B&H-smoking, G&T-drinking, horse-race-addicted grandmother, or working with an invisible bear with a penchant for marmalade, this is a richly entertaining memoir.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Revenge : Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors / Bower, Tom
“Meghan Markle’s trajectory from unknown actress to world icon is remarkable. After a childhood spent on Hollywood film sets, she fought hard for stardom. But even when she landed her breakthrough role, her lifelong dream of celebrity remained elusive. In 2016 she created the ultimate fairy-tale ending: she captivated her very own prince. Yet, within one tumultuous year, the dream became a nightmare. In the aftermath of the infamous Megxit split and the Oprah Winfrey interview, the Royal Family’s fate seems persistently threatened.” (Catalogue)

From royalty to rugby, to teletubbies: New biographies

Kath

It’s November and we’ve got another bumper crop of biographies hitting the shelves for you all to enjoy.  From royalty to rugby, teenagers to Tellytubbies, saints to sinners, there’s something for everyone.

To see what else is new in our collection, go to what’s new & popular (wcl.govt.nz)

Women like us : a memoir / Prowse, Amanda
“Sometimes heartbreaking, often hilarious and always entirely relatable, Prowse details her early struggles with self-esteem and how she coped with the frustrating expectations others had of how she should live. Most poignantly, she delves into her toxic relationship with food, the hardest addiction she has ever known, and how she journeyed out the other side. One of the most candid memoirs you’re ever likely to read, Women Like Us provides welcome insight into how it is possible–against the odds–to overcome insecurity, body consciousness and the ubiquitous imposter syndrome to find happiness and success, from a woman who’s done it all, and then some.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Napoleon : the decline and fall of an empire : 1811-1821 / Broers, Michael
“In 1811, Napoleon stood at his zenith: he had defeated all of his continental rivals, had an heir on the way with his new wife, and his personal life was calm and secure. Within two years all of this was in peril. Broers delivers a dynamic new history covering the last chapter of the emperor’s life. Drawing on Napoleon’s personal correspondence, his history follows Napoleon’s thoughts and feelings as he fought to preserve the world he had created. The sheer determination of Tsar Alexander and the British to bring Napoleon down is a story of compromise and sacrifice.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Acne : a memoir / Chinn, Laura
“Laura Chinn tells her by turns horrifying and hilarious story of growing up with non-conformist, irresponsible parents and countless family tragedies (and really bad, chronic acne) and how she found happiness despite everything.” (Catalogue)

To love and be loved : a personal portrait of Mother Teresa / Towey, Jim
“Author Jim Towey had been a high-flying Congressional staffer and lawyer in the 1980s until a brief meeting with Mother Teresa illuminated the emptiness of his life. He began volunteering at one of her soup kitchens and using his legal skills and political connections to help the Missionaries of Charity. When Mother Teresa suggested he take shifts at her AIDS hospice, Towey realized he was all in. Soon, he gave up his job and possessions and became a full-time volunteer for Mother Teresa. To Love and Be Loved is a firsthand account of Mother Teresa’s last years, and the first book ever to detail her dealings with worldly matters. We see her gracefully navigate the opportunities and challenges of leadership, the perils of celebrity, and the humiliations and triumphs of aging. We also catch her indulging in chocolate ice cream, making jokes about mini-skirts, and telling the President of the United States he’s wrong.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Diana : remembering the Princess : reflections on her life twenty-five years on / Wharfe, Ken
“On the twenty-fifth anniversary of her death, this intimate and enlightening book explores the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her influence on the monarchy, on her sons and on wider social attitudes. An authoritative book, written with two close friends of Diana: Inspector Ken Wharfe was Diana’s police protection officer for six years during the most turbulent period of her marriage to Prince Charles. Ros Coward was chosen as author of the official book by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Trust.” (Catalogue)

Over the hills and far away : my life as a Teletubby / Smedley, Nikky
“Say ‘Eh-Oh’ to the performer behind the beloved Teletubby Laa-Laa … When children’s TV programme Teletubbies first aired in 1997, no one expected the cult status it would achieve. Propelled by a unique blend of educational theory, child psychology and linguistics, the show went on to air in 45 languages in 120 countries, win multiple BAFTA Awards, and achieve viewing figures of three billion a year. In a memoir as lively and funny as the programme itself, Nikky Smedley lifts the curtain on what it was like to be a Teletubby and takes us behind the magical scenes of a global phenomenon.” (Catalogue)

Billy Wallace : a true rugby legend / Dwyer, Denis
“In 1905 Billy Wallace was selected to represent New Zealand, touring the British Isles, France and North America, as part of a rugby team that became known as The Original All Blacks. It was during this landmark tour that Billy Wallace showed the rest of the world how the game should be played. Wallace’s rugby career highlights include: scoring the first points for New Zealand in an international test match; being the first Kiwi to score 500 points in first-class rugby; holding the New Zealand record for the most points scored in a single All Blacks match for 46 years. To this day Wallace holds the world record for the most points scored on a rugby tour by any player. Including previous unseen rugby archive and family photographs, this fascinating biography tells the complete story of the life and career of Billy Wallace, a true rugby legend.” (Catalogue)

Zelensky : a biography / Rudenko, Serhiĭ
“Three years after the political novice Volodymyr Zelensky was elected to Ukraine’s highest office, he found himself catapulted into the role of war-time leader. The former comedian has become the public face of his country’s courageous and bloody struggle against a brutal invasion. Born to Jewish parents in central Ukraine, Zelensky campaigned for the presidency in the 2019 election on the promise to restore trust in politics. After his landslide victory, he told jubilant supporters ‘I will never let you down.’ Little did he know that he would be called upon to serve his people in the most demanding circumstances imaginable, fighting for the very survival of his country in the worst war on European soil since 1945. Zelensky’s leadership in the face of Russia’s aggression is an inspiration to everyone who stands opposed to the appalling violence being unleashed on Ukraine. This book tells his astonishing story.” (Catalogue)

Jersey breaks : becoming an American poet / Pinsky, Robert
“In late-1940s Long Branch, an historic but run-down Jersey Shore resort town, in a neighborhood of Italian, Black, and Jewish families, Robert Pinsky began his unlikely journey to becoming a poet. Descended from a bootlegger grandfather, an athletic father, and a rebellious tomboy mother, Pinsky was an unruly but articulate high-school C-student whose obsession with the rhythms and melodies of speech inspired him to write. Pinsky traces the roots of his poetry, with its wide and fearless range, back to the voices of his neighborhood, to music and a distinctly American tradition of improvisation, with influences including Mark Twain and Ray Charles, Marianne Moore and Mel Brooks, Emily Dickinson and Sid Caesar, Dante Alighieri and the Orthodox Jewish liturgy. Jersey Breaks offers a candid self-portrait and, underlying Pinsky’s notable public presence and unprecedented three terms as poet laureate of the United States, a unique poetic understanding of American culture.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Dinners with Ruth : a memoir on the power of friendships / Totenberg, Nina
“Dinners with Ruth is an extraordinary account of two women who paved the way for future generations by tearing down professional and legal barriers. It is also an intimate memoir of the power of friendships as women began to pry open career doors and transform the workplace. At the story’s heart is one, special relationship: Ruth and Nina saw each other not only through personal joys, but also illness, loss, and widowhood. Ruth drew Nina out of grief during the devastating illness and eventual death of Nina’s first husband; twelve years later, Nina would reciprocate when Ruth’s beloved husband died. They shared a love of opera and shopping, as they instinctively understood that clothes were armor for women who wanted to be taken seriously in a workplace dominated by men. During Ruth’s last year, they shared so many small dinners that Saturdays were “reserved for Ruth” in Nina’s house.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

All signs point to Paris : a memoir of love, loss and destiny / Sizlo, Natasha
“Divorced, broke, and heartsick, it seems like things can’t get worse for Natasha Barrett-then she learns her beloved father is dying. So when she’s gifted a session with LA’s most sought-after astrologist, Natasha has nothing to lose. She doesn’t believe in astrology, but the reading is eerily, impossibly accurate. As her misgivings give way, Natasha asks about her emotionally unavailable, yet terribly handsome ex-boyfriend, the one she can’t seem to get over. To Natasha’s surprise, the astrologist tells her he is The One. His birthdate and birthplace-November 2, 1968 in Paris, France-line up with Natasha’s astrological point of destiny. The word husband comes up in the reading. Natasha feels faint. Was her ex really the big soul love she was destined for? Then, she has a lightning bolt of an idea: he couldn’t possibly be the only available man born on November 2, 1968 in Paris. Her soulmate is still out there-she just has to find him.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Life’s work : a memoir / Milch, David
“From the start, Milch’s life seems destined to echo that of his father, a successful if drug-addicted surgeon. Almost every achievement is accompanied by an act of self-immolation, but the deepest sadnesses also contain moments of grace. Betting on race horses and stealing booze at eight years old, mentored by Robert Penn Warren and excoriated by Richard Yates at twenty-one, Milch never did anything by half. He got into Yale Law only to be expelled for shooting out street lights with a shotgun. He paused his studies at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop to manufacture acid in Cuernavaca. He created and wrote some of the biggest, most lauded television series of all time, made a family and pursued sobriety, and then lost his fortune betting horses just as his father had taught him.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

An accidental icon : how I dodged a bullet, spoke truth to power and lived to tell the tale / Scott, Norman
“In October 1975 an assassin tried to murder Norman Scott on Exmoor but the trigger failed and he only succeeded in shooting Scott’s beloved dog, Rinka. Scott subsequently found himself at the centre of a major political scandal and became an unlikely queer icon. But this was never his intention… He was born in 1940 into a poor, dysfunctional and abusive family. Aged sixteen he began an equestrian career, animals having been the one source of comfort in his childhood. By the age of twenty he had run into debts and had suffered a nervous breakdown. In 1960 Scott began a sexual affair with Jeremy Thorpe. By the time of the attempted assassination of Scott, Thorpe was married, leader of the Liberal Party and a figure at the heart of the establishment. He was embarrassed by their former relationship and wanted to cover it up. But he failed. The assassination attempt culminated in a sensational trial in 1979, where Thorpe was tried for conspiracy to murder. The press labelled Scott a madman and the establishment protected Thorpe, who was acquitted. Only recently has Scott’s version of events been vindicated. An Accidental Icon tells a story that is inspiring and jaw droppingly unbelievable: it is the tale of the courage and survival of one man who took on the establishment” (Catalogue)

More New Biographies and Memoirs in October

Kath

No matter what your interests, there’s a biography or memoir for you.  This month we’ve got actors, artists, French models, children of cult members, wild women, foodies and much more in our latest crop of new biographies and memoirs in our collection.  Try some of these…

Kiki Man Ray : art, love, and rivalry in 1920s Paris / Braude, Mark
“In freewheeling 1920s Paris, Kiki de Montparnasse captivated as a nightclub performer, sold out gallery showings of her paintings, starred in Surrealist films, and shared drinks and ideas with the likes of Jean Cocteau and Marcel Duchamp. Her best-selling memoir-featuring an introduction by Ernest Hemingway-made front-page news in France and was immediately banned in America. As provocative and magnetically irresistible as Kiki herself, Kiki Man Ray is the story of an exceptional life that will challenge ideas about artists and muses-and the lines separating the two.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Listening well : bringing stories of hope to life / Morris, Heather
“From New York Times bestselling author Heather Morris comes the memoir of a life of listening to others. In Listening Well, Heather will explore her extraordinary talents as a listener – a skill she employed when she first met Lale Sokolov, the tattooist at Auschwitz-Birkenau and the inspiration for her bestselling novel. It was this ability that led Lale to entrust Heather with his story, which she told in her novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz and the bestselling follow up, Cilka’s Journey.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Smart, stupid & sixty / Marsh, Nigel
“Twenty years ago, Nigel Marsh was an overweight mortgage slave struggling to balance a career, marriage and four children under eight. Until he lost his job. In Fat, Forty and Fired, Nigel wrote about falling off the corporate hamster wheel and surviving. In his memoir for his sixth decade on earth, Nigel ponders ageing well, sex, parenting adult children, his parents’ passing, and the secret to his living a happy life. By turns humorous, thought-provoking, poignant and life-affirming, Smart, Stupid and Sixty is a celebration of the third trimester as a privilege to be enjoyed rather than a sentence to be endured.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Mina Loy : apology of genius / Caws, Mary Ann
“Flamboyant and unapologetically avant-garde, Mina Loy was a painter, poet, novelist, essayist, manifesto-writer, actress, and dress and lampshade designer. Her life involved an impossible abundance of artistic friends, performance and spectacular adventures in the worlds of Futurism, Christian Science, Feminism, Fashion, and everything modern and modernist. This new account by Mary Ann Caws explores Mina Loy’s exceptional life, and features many rare images of Loy and her husband, the swiss writer, poet, artist, boxer and provocateur Arthur Cravan, who disappeared without trace in 1918.” (Adapted from catalogue)

My sand life, my pebble life : a memoir of a childhood and the sea / McMillan, Ian
“Warm and darkly funny, this sublimely crafted book transports you to the world of childhoods by the sea. In this nostalgic collection of reminiscences (with the odd poem thrown in) journey with Ian as he walks barefoot to the sea to see the sun rise. He is attacked by seagulls, and midges, and wasps. He eats a lot of fish and chips and it’s always the best yet. He nearly avoids a frisbee. He searches for jazz in Scarborough. He walks. He even tries to run. But mostly he savours the sea and our seaside moments and our seaside dreams.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Naked at the helm : independence and intimacy in the second half of life / Spector, Suzanne
“At age thirty-nine, Suzanne Spector was a wife, mother of three, and successful school director. But she was also neglected in a sexless marriage, and feeling and as if the passion and juice of life had passed her by. She began with two questions: Who am I, really? and Is it too late ? After divorcing her husband, Suzanne set out to discover who she was as an independent woman with curiosity, questions, and lust for life. Tracing more than four decades of self-discovery and intellectual, spiritual, and creative exploration, Naked at The Helm is Spector’s story of becoming the captain of her own ship in midlife.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Quilt on fire : the messy magic of mid-life / Watson, Christie
“A frank, funny and tender new book from Christie Watson about the search for meaning in mid-life. Quilt on Fire reframes mid-life with openness and honesty, and celebrates the messy magic of being a single woman in your forties. At the age of 44, following what she thought was a spectacular breakdown (and that turned out to be the peri-menopause), she asks the question: what does love mean now? Christie takes us on a very funny, sometimes shocking and touchingly poignant journey: through peri-menopause and single parenting, via a world pandemic, to a place of change and acceptance that her younger self would never have believed.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Raised by wolves / Ho, Jess
“Growing up Cantonese in the racist outer suburbs was hard enough for Jess Ho, but add in a dysfunctional family who only ever made peace over food (and then only until the bill arrived), and it was clear that a normal life was never on the menu. She emerged from her childhood with two important traits: a major psychological complex, and a kick-arse palate. Both would help her fit right into the messy world of Melbourne’s food scene. Fierce, funny and razor-sharp, Raised by Wolves is a potent coming of age story from a savage new voice.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Scenes from my life : a memoir / Williams, Michael Kenneth
“When Michael K. Williams died on September 6, 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen. Imbued with poignance and raw honesty, Scenes from My Life is the story of a performer who gave his all to everything he did-in his own voice, in his own words, as only he could.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Sins of my father : a daughter, a cult, a wild unravelling / Dunn, Lily
“When Lily Dunn was just six years old, her father left the family home to follow his guru to India, trading domestic life for clothes dyed in oranges and reds and the promise of enlightenment with the cult of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Since then he has been a mystery to her, A detective story that charts two colliding narratives, Sins of My Father is a daughter’s attempt to unravel the mysteries of a father who believed himself to be beyond reproach.” (Adapted from catalogue)

For more new items in our collection, go to:

What’s new & Popular (wcl.govt.nz)