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 […]
Practical guides in plain English Read Post »
If you’re one of those people who knows you should take the time to read the classics but just don’t have the time to spare, this could be the book for you. Seventy-five of the greatest works of Western literature have been tweaked, tightened and given the Twitter treatment, retold in snippets of no more
Tweaked, tightened and tweeted Read Post »
There’s no doubting Dunedin-based author Vanda Symon’s talent as a writer and I certainly enjoyed most of this book, the third to feature stroppy chick/newbie detective Sam Shepherd. However, I don’t know that a reader who wasn’t so familiar with the southern part of New Zealand would find it such an easy read: most people
Kiwi colloquialisms distract Read Post »
I enjoy a good old-fashioned murder mystery and this book certainly delivers plenty of murder and mystery. This is the third book to feature CSI Darby McCormick, a ballsy woman law enforcement officer who gets things done. Don’t be put off if you haven’t read the earlier books: I was a Darby McCormick newbie but
Murder mystery that delivers Read Post »
By now, most people will know the name Julie Powell, her efforts to work her way through Julia Child’s recipes having been immortalised on film in Julie & Julia. This time around Powell decided to try a new challenge. Because after all that French cooking we’d all be ready to face fresh challenges, right? Her
Carving up her goals Read Post »
Julie Powell wasn’t happy with her life. Living in a pokey New York apartment and simply getting on with the daily grind, the author felt like life was passing her by. Now, it’s probably safe to say many of us have felt like this at some stage in our lives. However, Powell’s solution was certainly
Cooking up a change Read Post »
This is the perfect book if you’ve got any budding cooks in your house. Let’s Cook features more than 70 recipes written for young cooks (or even grown-ups who are a bit cooking challenged). All the recipes have simple instructions and are well illustrated, which is a must if you want to inspire the inexperienced
Good book for budding cooks Read Post »
Alison Holst wrote her first best-selling cookbook the same year I was born so it’s safe to say I’ve grown up with her recipes. Her latest book is a collection of recipes that have been “family-tested” by her own family, with her children and grandchildren trying them out and giving them the thumbs up. The
Another triumph from Alison Holst Read Post »
What Martin Hawes doesn’t know about handling your finances isn’t worth knowing. This time around, in Save Money on Your Mortgage, he’s tackling what is most likely our biggest financial outlay, and our biggest debt: our mortgage. More specifically, he shows how we can save money on our mortgage. This is the updated version of
Expert shares his knowledge Read Post »
Jeremy Clarkson is a bloke who is probably the envy of every other bloke out there (and a lot of bloke-esses, too, I would imagine): he gets to drive around in cool cars, demolish caravans and take part in ridiculous races that keep us entertained. And he gets paid for it. This book, which is
Fun read from the man with a dream job Read Post »
