This book sparked a bit of controversy when it hit the shelves because while Garth McVicar is listed as the author, he didn’t actually write it. That aside, it is an interesting read because it shows how the Sensible Sentencing Trust – one of the country’s most successful lobby groups – came about. And yes, […]
Who ‘ghosted’ this doesn’t matter Read Post »
Stephen Fry is one of those horribly intelligent people who manages to make it very clear that he knows a lot about a lot without coming across as a pompous prat. Well, OK, at times he does do the pompous prat thing, but he does it extremely well and with such good humour that you
The early stories of a very clever man Read Post »
December 5 marked the the anniversary of the death of one of New Zealand’s true adventurers, Sir Peter Blake, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who remembers distinctly where I was when I heard the awful news that Sir Peter had died at the hands of bandits on the Amazon River.
A personal look at a great Kiwi adventurer Read Post »
There’s no doubt that most of us enjoy a good spot of gossip but David Hartnell is one of those very few people in the world who has managed to make a career of it. It wasn’t always such a glamorous life, though, and for young David Segetin (as he was then) growing up was
Amusing study of gossip writer’s life Read Post »
A stunning collection of photographs of Central Otago from artist Grahame Sydney provides a new perspective on the beautiful and varied landscape of the region. Over the last decade, since shifting to live in the heart Central Otago, Sydney has captured the unique beauty, austerity and seasonal extremes of the region known to the first
Artist’s book simply stunning Read Post »
New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker, with Dean Brettschneider (Penguin, RRP $35): Baking is one of those retro things that has suddenly become cool again and television has jumped on the bandwagon with New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker, which isn’t quite as dodgy as the name might suggest. No, this show doesn’t involve scantily clad busty
Baking: so hot it’s cool Read Post »
I’m sure everyone out there has a favourite recipe for a never- fail sponge, awesome bikkie or spectacular scone that has come from a mother, grandmother, aunty or friend. It is those recipes that are handed on from friend to friend, and generation to generation, that always seem to end up becoming our go-to recipe
Granny knows her stuff Read Post »
This is a reprinted, repackaged and updated version of Julie Le Clerc’s 1999 book by the same name and I have to say, the recipes still stack up well as good cafe food 12 years down the track. Food trends come and go and looking over old magazines can sometimes offer a bit of a
Still good after 12 years Read Post »
This is the fourth book in the Detective Sam Shepherd murder mystery series and I’m pleased to report that they just get better and better. I have read two of the other three (Overkill, the very first book, is still on my “must-track-down-and-read” list) and each time the main character becomes more and more believable
A ripper of a series Read Post »
We all have our favourite recipes and have collected favourite recipes from family and friends over the years so this book is something I’m sure every home cook would find useful: it’s a collection of more than 40 recipes from the author herself, compiled in the form of a journal that allows space for the
Build your own cooking journal Read Post »
