The weather is one of those things we all talk about: we care if it’s good, we are even more interested if it’s bad. Anglers, gardeners, sportspeople and parents, no matter who we are, we are interested in what the weather is doing now and even more interested in what it will be doing in […]
If you have a wordy person in your life, they will love this book. We all know a few proverbs and while some are fairly self-explanatory, others seem to fall into the realm of ridiculous. Broadcaster and entertainer Max Cryer is a language expert who knows a thing or two about a thing or two
■ REVIEW: Preposterous Proverbs
Why we say what we say Read Post »
I’m no great fan of self-help books and anyone who knows me will understand why it is my sister who is the social worker of the family and not me. However, this is one of those books that even a cynic like me can see the benefit of owning because it offers sound advice and
If you’ve ever had to explain one of those special Kiwi terms to someone online, or to a visitor from overseas, this might be the perfect book for you. Tony Deverson is a man who knows words – he is the senior editor of the New Zealand Dictionary Centre at Victoria University and taught in
■ REVIEW: Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms
Kiwi lingo in one book Read Post »
Love him or hate him, Marc Ellis is the perfect choice to pen a guide to Kiwi blokes, being such a good Kiwi bloke himself. This book is 248 pages of silliness that takes the reader on a guided tour of the Kiwi bloke species, in all his many guises: from the Ginga to the
■ REVIEW: Marc Ellis' Good Fullas
A fun guide to the Kiwi bloke Read Post »
Have you ever noticed how that whole “older and wiser” is more often than not true? I was the youngest of a large family so by the time I arrived on the scene both of my grandads were gone and I missed out on getting to hear any words of wisdom they may have wanted
■ REVIEW: Tips from your Grandad
Useful stuff from another generation Read Post »
Debbie Mayo-Smith has written a lot of books on a lot of topics but all of them are aimed at making the reader more successful in their chosen field, and these offerings are no different. Sure, the titles do sound a lot like those spammy ads you stumble across online (“click here to buy now
I wasn’t quite sure was I was getting into when I picked up this book. It had a picture of a screwed up piece of paper on the cover, along with the bold claim: Change the way you work forever. Sure, the cynic in me thought here we go, another one of those books, full
■ REVIEW: Rework
A pleasant surprise Read Post »
Tony Williams is a bloke who likes to entertain, in person, on film or in print. He’s produced some excellent books in his literary career and this wee gem is also sure to attain that same dizzying heights of excellence. You see, it’s more than just entertaining: it’s also useful, shocking and a tad thought-provoking.
Did you spot the error in the title? If not, the tagline beneath the heading on the book’s cover might give you a hint: “including how to know the difference between your and you’re”. This brilliant wee gem of a book is a handy guide to all those tricky spelling and grammar traps that trip
■ REVIEW: Your Joking
Wordy help at hand Read Post »
