We have even more new biographies for you this December, including: a poet, a stockman, more beloved actors, writers and women of substance. You’ll surely find inspiration from this next batch of biographies.

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

Beyond the wand : the magic and mayhem of growing up a wizard / Felton, Tom
“From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton’s life on and off the big screen. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The new ringer / Breckwoldt, Roland
“A shy young man from the suburban outskirts takes himself to Gulf Country on a 1960s boys own adventure that changes his life forever. He was not yet sixteen, and the unworldly Roland was leaving his home on the semi-agricultural fringes of Sydney to work as a stockman on the vast cattle stations of the Gulf Country of North Queensland. Full of youthful stumbles and told with great freshness and gentle humour, this beautifully written coming of age story is a nostalgic and evocative reminder of a disappearing way of life.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Dying of politeness / Davis, Geena
“From two-time Academy Award winner and screen icon Geena Davis, Dying of Politeness is the candid, surprising tale of her journey from her epically polite childhood to the roles that put her in the spotlight and gave her the strength to become a powerhouse in Hollywood. Dying of Politeness is a touching account of one woman’s journey to fight for herself, and ultimately fighting for women all around the globe.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Stay true : a memoir / Hsu, Hua
“From the New Yorker staff writer Hua Hsu, a gripping memoir on friendship, grief, the search for self, and the solace that can be found through art. A coming-of-age story that details both the ordinary and extraordinary, Stay True is a bracing memoir about growing up, and about moving through the world in search of meaning and belonging.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Boy friends / Pedersen, Michael
“An intimate and original memoir of love, grief and male friendship by one of Scotland’s brightest young talents. Ever feel like you were fated to be friends with someone? An alchemy in your meeting, instant fondness — part chemical, part kismet. Written to glitter, with intoxicating energy, Boy Friends is a powerful depiction of friendship and loss, a homage to the beauty of moments shared.”–Amazon.com.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Waxing on : the karate kid and me / Macchio, Ralph
“A fun-filled memoir by the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai actor that’s equal parts nostalgia and contemporary relevance, based on both the classic movies and his current show, which is Netflix’s #1 hit and gaining legions of new fans from every generation.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Raiment : a memoir / Kemp, Jan
“Pioneering New Zealand poet Jan Kemp’s memoir of her first 25 years is a vivid and frank account of growing up in the 1950s, and of university life in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It tracks from an innocent Waikato childhood to the seedy flats of Auckland, where anarchic student life, drugs, sexual experimentation and a failing marriage could not keep her away from poetry. Weaving its own patterns and colours, Raiment shines a clear-eyed light on the heady, hedonistic hothouse of our literary community in the 1970s and reveals what it took, back then, to be an independent woman.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Three times a countess : the extraordinary life and times of Raine Spencer / Gaudoin, Tina
“Debutante of the year. Able politician. Femme fatale. Evil stepmother. Astute businesswomen. Just a smattering of the many labels attached to the irrepressible Raine Spencer: Countess, socialite and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales. But who was the real Raine? What was hidden behind the immaculately manicured and coiffed public facade?” (Catalogue)

Paul Newman : the extraordinary life of an ordinary man : a memoir / Newman, Paul
“In 2008, Paul Newman tasked his best friend with interviewing the people who had shaped his life, in order to create an oral history of it. After hearing and reading what they had to say, Newman dictated his own version. Now, this long-lost memoir will be published. Full of wonderful stories and recollections by his family, friends, and such luminaries as Elia Kazan, Tom Cruise, George Roy Hill and Martin Ritt, this book will surprise and shock readers as it reveals Newman’s previously unknown sides.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Waypoints : my Scottish journey / Heughan, Sam
“Journey deep into the Scottish Highlands in the first memoir by #1 New York Times bestselling author and star of Outlander, Sam Heughan–exploring his life and reflecting on the waypoints that define him. In this intimate journey of self-discovery, Sam sets out along Scotland’s rugged ninety-six-mile West Highland Way to map out the moments that shaped his views on dreams and ambition, family, friendship, love, and life. The result is a love letter to the wild landscape that means so much to him, full of charming, funny, wise, and searching insights into the world through his eyes.” (Catalogue)