Subtitled “recognising and coping with postnatal depression”, this is a handy guide for all new mothers and their families. It discusses the whole range of conditions from the fairly innocuous three day blues to manic psychosis and bipolar disorder. The first part gives an understanding of postnatal depression. This is followed by risk factors and […]
Understanding postnatal depression Read Post »
Emily Coleman wakes up one day and simply disappears: she walks away from an apparently happy family with her husband and son, her lovely home and lovely life. But that seemingly happy life may not be all that it seems: Emily has a secret that no one has guessed. The story is told by mixing
Cracking read with plenty of surprises Read Post »
British girl Sophie Hayes didn’t have a great relationship with her father, or with men in general, mistrusting most of them on sight. However, at the age of 18 she met Kas, just a year older and (it seemed) the exact opposite of what she thought all men were: he was charming, kind and determined
Through the eyes of torment Read Post »
Wild Flowers of New Zealand, photography by Rob Suisted (New Holland Publishers, RRP $20) Wellington-based photographer and conservationist Rob Suisted has produced a book packed with shining and colourful examples of the wildflowers of New Zealand. Early botanists were amazed by the plants they found in New Zealand, many of which are unique to our
Trio of quick Kiwi reference books Read Post »
Another easy-to-read collaboration from the king of quick reads: James Patterson. Former United States Marine Jack Morgan owns Private, what has become the world’s foremost investigation firm. It is used by the rich and famous, and by the infamous, to handle indiscretions as discreetly as possible. In this story, Jack himself becomes the prime suspect
Formulaic? Yes … but still entertaining Read Post »
Author Donna Leon continues her Commissario Brunetti series, with this 22nd book to feature the Venice-based detective moving along at the same satisfying pace of its predecessor, Beastly Things. In the middle of a routine and somewhat mundane case, Brunetti gets a call from his wife to say the disabled man who worked for their
Gently flowing mystery Read Post »
Steve Braunias is a master of biting satire, so if you are looking for a friendly little travelogue highlighting the awesomeness of various locale, you might you might want to look elsewhere. However, if you want a read that is equal parts challenging, funny and provocative about the quirks and foibles of various towns and
Steve Braunias explores heartland and margins Read Post »
I’m sure we’ve all, at some point, looked up the meaning of our own name in one of those dinky little books that list all the names you can think of (and a few you never would have thought of in a million years). However, this book is much more than just a list of
Humorous book on names has a Kiwi twist Read Post »
Picking up a new thriller to read while on holiday was a case of deja vu all over again … two books by different authors share a common title. No Way Back, by Matthew Klein (Allen & Unwin, RRP $30) I read the back cover of this one and was hooked from the start, but
Thrillers take different turns Read Post »
Intergenerational histories are treasures for local communities, telling the stories of the people who built the present. In this case the focus is on a farming enterprise, down and across five generations based primarily at Pukerau-Kaiwera-Waipahi, though also touching on Central Otago. The founding matriarch, Otago immigrant Irishwoman Alicia McKenna, had a hard and tragic
Farmers’ heritage: gritty determination Read Post »
