We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the global credit crunch that is currently hitting us all but these tough economic times do have an upside for some. The experts are now saying housing affordability is at its best level since 2005 so if you’re in the the market for a house, now might be […]
Good advice for home-buyers Read Post »
After 11 years and 11 collections of columns, Joe Bennett is back with another sampling of just what it is that makes him so good. In Alive and Kicking, New Zealand’s favourite columnist takes a shot at everything from Beckham-mania to golf umbrellas, from Hillary Clinton to dying pets. And, as always, Bennett manages to
A sampling of Bennett’s best Read Post »
Fish are fascinating creatures, and none more so than the snapper. It is an iconic Kiwi fish and in this book it is celebrated by writers, photographers, scientists, historians, artists, divers, chefs and anglers. Edited by fisherman and author Sam Mossman, the book is absolutely packed with all things snapper: stories, historic facts, statistics and
Beautifully packaged book Read Post »
Stephen King has got the teeny-boppers abuzz after sharing his thoughts on JK Rowling (y’know, the Harry Potter guru) and Stephenie Meyer (yawn, Twilight … dammit, I’m so over hearing about Twilight every 2 minutes). Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people. … The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific
The master speaks … Read Post »
We all have obsessions: for some of us it’s the quite sensible compulsion to buy designer handbags, for others it’s collecting stamps or not stepping on cracks on the footpath. This little book takes a humorous look at the weird obsessions of some very weird people. Joseph Pujol is a prime example. Mr Pujol was
Good value for giggles Read Post »
Woody Allen is many things: playwright, screenwriter, actor, director, father, husband and — at least once — dodgy photographer. However, beyond all that, he’s also pretty funny. I’ve actually found I enjoy his writing much more than his movies: the humour is more rounded and gentle but when it delivers, it has a sharp edge.
I enjoyed this more than his movies Read Post »
If you’ve spent any time at all on the internet, you’ve probably come across some of those cute little stickmen jokes and had a wee giggle. But did you know that there are literally hundreds of the little suckers? Peter Vegan, the artistic genius behind the comic line-drawings, has already released a couple of books
One-dimensional characters rock Read Post »
The friendship between Theo Knight and Jack Swyteck may seem an unlikely — Theo an ex-gang member and Jack a successful lawyer — but their loyalty to one another was set in concrete when Jack saved Theo’s life. Theo grew up in one of Miami’s toughest gang-ruled neighbourhoods and not surprisingly ended up in prison
An explosive thriller Read Post »
We all have questions, and for some of them there are answers. Have you ever wondered just what dark matter really is? How about why galaxies collide? Or why the Moon is gradually drifting away from the Earth? Perhaps it doesn’t like our brand of deodorant. The late, great Douglas Adams once said (amongst other
The master of the universe? Read Post »
Author Allison Mooney believes that even though we live in a wired world, having people skills is an absolute requirement for business success. This is the premise of her book Pressing the Right Buttons. I’m inclined to agree with her. During the past few months I’ve had a range of customer service issues with some
Importance of people skills recognised Read Post »
