Archive for September, 2015

Reviews: A tasty line-up of cookbooks

September 29, 2015
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Reviews: A tasty line-up of cookbooks

One-dish Dinners: Easy all-in-one meals, by Penny Oliver (Penguin, RRP $40): From the author of the quintessentially Kiwi Bach, Beach, Boat, Barbecue, comes a collection of recipes that are packed with flavour but won’t have you spending hours in the kitchen cleaning up. As you can probably gather from the title, all the recipes in...

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Exploring NZ at ground level

September 25, 2015
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Exploring NZ at ground level

Wild About New Zealand: A Guide to our National Parks, by Gus Roxburgh with Matt Philip and Peter Hayden; photographs by Jason Hosking (Random House NZ, RRP $55): This comprehensive guide is based on the Natural History New Zealand-produced TV series of the same name, that was made to celebrate the 125th anniversary of...

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Great read captures Kiwi experience

September 22, 2015
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Great read captures Kiwi experience

Flying Kiwis: A History of the OE, by Jude Wilson (Otago University Press, RRP $45): Going on the big OE is something of a rite of passage for many young Kiwis, so it should come as no surprise that there is now a book looking at the history of this trend. This is the...

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Well-researched look at medieval politics

September 20, 2015
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Well-researched look at medieval politics

A King’s Ransom, by Sharon Penman (Macmillan, RRP $38): For his part in the third Crusade, King Richard the Lionheart has won prestige, legendary status and, sadly, enemies within Christian Europe itself. As a result, his journey home becomes fraught with danger. Storms and pirates fade into insignificance when he is detained by Duke...

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Shame on the high seas

September 20, 2015
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Shame on the high seas

The Catch, by Michael Field (Awa Press $40): The tagline on this book is “How fishing companies reinvented slavery and plunder the oceans”, and that’s exactly what it’s about. Michael Field has done an outstanding job outlining the disgraceful state of conditions on foreign charter vessels fishing in New Zealand waters for New Zealand...

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On the bookshelves: October 2015

September 19, 2015
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On the bookshelves: October 2015

New releases coming in October. FICTION According to Yes, by Dawn French: The brilliant and hilarious new novel from chart-topping author and comedian Dawn French is out on October 23 (published by Michael Joseph, RRP $37). Manhattan’s Upper East Side has its own rigid code of behaviour. It’s a code strictly adhered to by...

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Whimsical work a little gem

September 15, 2015
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Whimsical work a little gem

Edwin’s Egg and Other Poetic Novellas, by Cilla McQueen (Otago University Press, RRP $40): Former New Zealand Poet Laureate Cilla McQueen has produced a cute little collection of poetic novellas that will appeal to her existing fans and also provide a great introduction to her work for new fans. Originally one of the works McQueen...

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Tasty and healthy go hand-in-hand

September 7, 2015
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Tasty and healthy go hand-in-hand

Nadia Lim’s Good Food Cookbook, by Nadia Lim (Random House, RRP $50): Nadia Lim’s Good Food Cookbook is simple, easy and packed full of healthy and nutritious recipes to cater for everyone. As a dietician, you can trust Nadia to create the best option for the whole family, while still providing recipes that are...

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Third book coming in YA cult story

September 2, 2015
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Third book coming in YA cult story

Fleur Beale’s powerful story of life inside a religious cult will have its third installment with the release of Being Magdalene this month. The first book in the young adult series, I am not Esther, was published 16 years ago and won the Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-loved Book. It has remained hugely popular and...

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