New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 26 Jan – 2 Feb
”Wind from a distant summit” by Pat Deavoll
For over three decades Pat Deavoll has been climbing at the elite level of her sport, in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, in the Canadian Rockies and Alaska and undertaking extreme, world-class expeditions to the great mountain ranges of Central Asia, including the Himalayas and the Karakorum. In Wind from a Distant Summit she tells of her beginnings in the mountains of New Zealand, and of how far a singular level of drive, determination and talent has taken her – there are few mountaineers in New Zealand, women or men who have managed her level of achievement, and who have climbed so hard for so long. This book however, is more than an account of her remarkable adventures, for it delves into the more personal aspects of elite mountaineering; the personal sacrifices required to lead a life lived out on the edge, the challenges of being a woman in an activity so dominated by men, and an exploration of the motivation that drives her and others to take such extreme risks. But what is perhaps most remarkable about Pat Deavoll is that she has achieved so much despite a life-long struggle with clinical depression, and about which she writes with a moving honesty. Wind from a Distant Summit is a rich and compelling story with enough humanity and insight to make this a wonderful read for anyone interested in the possibilities of an adventurous life. [Cover]
”The dovekeepers” by Alice Hoffman
The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year 70AD, in the desperate days of the siege of Masada, when supplies are dwindling and the Romans are drawing near. All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets – about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. There is Yael, the assassin’s daughter whose heartbreak leads to her true path in the ruins of the desert; Revka, the baker’s wife who loses her dearest treasure on earth and yet finds the strength to protect her family; Aziza, the warrior’s beloved who leads a secret life not even those closest to her could imagine; and Marit, beautiful witch of Moab, a woman as loyal as she is dangerous. [Cover]
”Big fat gypsy weddings”
Welcome to the wonderful world of Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.This is the official book of one of the most talked-about TV series ever to have hit our screens. The show offered a unique insight into the traveller and gypsy communities, their lives, loves and their incredible wedding ceremonies.But there is so much more to these fascinating people and their culture and this book draws readers even further into an extraordinary secret world.All of the biggest, most colourful characters from the series are here – including Thelma the wedding dressmaker and Paddy the champion fighter. The book reveals what happened to some of the young lovebirds from the series – did they live happily ever after? And there’s a host of new and wonderful characters to get to know too.But it’s not just about weddings. This book sheds light on what it’s like to grow up living on the outside of society, suffering the suspicions of settled folk and trying to preserve the traditions of an ancient culture.Big Fat Gypsy Weddings is a gilt-edged invitation into the heart of gypsy and traveller life, brimming with unforgettable stories and brand new insights into a disappearing world. [Cover]
”The secrets of Rosa Lee” by Jodi Thomas
Everyone assumes Rosa Lee Altman lived a life without passion. But buried secrets are meant to be revealed…The once beautiful Altman home sits empty: its gardens overgrown, its windows boarded up — an old lady, now silent. But if some of the townsfolk have it their way, this lovely reminder of times past will be sold off to the highest bidder. When a group of community members with little in common is chosen to decide the fate of ‘the old Altman place’, they soon learn that Rosa Lee’s home is more than bricks and mortar. It’s also a place that harbours a love so strong, it has the power to change the entire town. But no one is prepared for what they discover beneath Rosa Lee’s overgrown roses — or how her legacy will change their lives forever. [Cover]
”No regrets” by Carolyn Burke
Edith Piaf was one of the most greatly loved singers of the twentieth century. From the start of her exceptional career in the 1930s, her waif-like form and heart-wrenching voice endeared her first to the French, then to audiences around the globe. As she moved from her youth singing in the streets to the glamour of the Paris music-halls, Piaf formed lasting friendships with such figures as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Cocteau and Marlene Dietrich; she wrote many of her own songs, aided the Resistance in the Second World War, and mentored younger singers like Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour. Yet her path to stardom was full of tragedies – the death of her daughter in infancy; the death of Marcel Cerdan, her greatest love, in a plane crash; her many illnesses, affairs and addictions, all of which nourished her passionate performances and strengthened her enduring bond with audiences. In this mesmerising, definitive new biography Carolyn Burke gives us Piaf in her own time and place, illuminating through sympathetic readings of sources hitherto unavailable both the charm and the pathos of the ‘Little Sparrow’ who enchanted generations and still enthralls us today. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“Women’s stuff” by Kaz Cooke
“The colour of death” by Michael Cordy
“Gamble” by Felix Francis
“V is for vengeance” by Sue Grafton
“Wire jewelry masterclass” by Abby Hook
“Surface treatment workshop” by Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson
“Battlefield 3″ by Andy McNab
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 19 Jan – 26 Jan
”Strength in what remains” by Tracy Kidder
“Strength in What Remains” recounts the remarkable experiences of Deo, a medical student from Burundi who narrowly survived two genocides, first in his own country, then Rwanda. Through sheer fortitude, and the astonishing kindness of strangers, Deo fled to New York. But his ordeal was far from over. He endured daily discrimination in his menial job, and left his first home – a Harlem tenement building – for the greater safety of sleeping rough in Central Park. Again the generosity of those he encountered prevailed. Deo was introduced to a couple who would in time virtually adopt him, and in the coming years he graduated from Colombia, obtained US citizenship and returned to Burundi to pursue his dream of founding a clinic. In this powerful book, Tracy Kidder brings to light the universality of the human condition through Deo’s extraordinary story of suffering and survival. [Cover]
”Practical beekeeping in New Zealand” by Andrew Matheson
For more than 25 years Practical Beekeeping in New Zealand has been the bible for New Zealand beekeepers. The only comprehensive guide to keeping bees in New Zealand, it provides both amateur and professional beekeepers with details on honey bee management throughout the year, advice on handling hive products and information about many other beekeeping subjects. As well as being a guide to beekeepers, Practical Beekeeping in New Zealand appeals to those interested in apiculture and deciding whether to keep bees, and horticulturalists and farmers find it of particular interest for crop pollination. Given New Zealand’s reputation in world beekeeping the book has also been keenly sought after by beekeepers overseas. Three editions of the book have been published since 1984. It has now bee comprehensively updated to incorporate the latest information available, particularly on new approaches to beekeeping now the parasitic varroa mite has become established in New Zealand and changed the face of beekeeping forever. [Cover]
”The forgotten islands” by Michael Veitch
Bass Strait has over fifty cold, dark islands that are regularly pounded by atrocious weather and hardly visited. These islands are rich in atypical Australian history: sealers, lighthouse keepers, feuds, aboriginal ‘resettlements’, and deadly encounters with nature and people who have vanished. Michael Veitch has always been strangely drawn to these islands and was intrigued by how little we know about them. Although some of them are extremely difficult to get to, he decided to attempt to visit them all, relying on the goodwill and skill of an array of fisherman, pilots and locals. Here, he recounts his efforts, the people he meets along the way and the extraordinary flora, fauna and landscapes he finds. [Cover]
”Visions of nature” by Trevor Penfold
Visions of Nature -New Zealand’s Wild in the West’ takes a closer look at the wildlife with which we share our environment. It’s a high quality ‘coffee table’ style book that brings together some wonderful photography from wildlife and nature photographer Trevor Penfold – an inspiring book that can be enjoyed on many levels by people of all ages. Although concentrated in the North Island on the west coast, it encourages you to take a closer look at what’s all around us and shows that, no matter where you live, there are amazing creatures to be found – many of which are struggling to survive in our ever-changing world. Trevor goes one step further by explaining some of the techniques and decisions he makes while capturing these images, not only to give some insight into the challenges of wildlife photography, but to help and encourage people in their own photographic exploits. [Cover]
“Australia : story of a cricket country” by Christian Ryan
A surprised old-timer was quoted saying, ‘Why, they beant black at all; they’re as white as wuz.’ More than a comprehensive history, this ground-breaking volume is a colourful, insightful and affectionate portrait of Australian cricket. A selection ofAustralia’s best writers share their thoughts on different aspects of the game and its place in our national culture; from bowling, captaincy and scoring, to alcohol, media and literature. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
”Maeve Binchy’s treasury” by Maeve Binchy
“Shelter” by Harlan Coben
“A day in the life of a smiling woman” by Margaret Drabble
“The River Cottage family cookbook” by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
“The silent girl” by Tess Gerritsen
“The cold eye of heaven” by Christine Dwyer Hickey
“Toys” by James Patterson
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 12 Jan – 19 Jan
”Sweet as” by Garth Cartwright
“I come from Mt Roskill. Somebody has to.” So says Garth Cartwright of growing up in New Zealand’s largest suburb. It had acres of rugby fields and more churches than anywhere else in the country – but there were no cinemas, music venues or pubs. In search of a little more culture, a young Garth up and moved to London. Twenty years after leaving he returned to revel in a Kiwi summer. That summer was spent travelling the country from top to bottom and observing New Zealand and its citizens in all their eccentric glory. Taking to State Highway 1, he met old friends, cult rockers, aspiring politicians, potters, bikers, visionary artists, hunters, undercover cops and all manner of other Kiwi characters. Surfing, hitching, driving, sailing and tramping across New Zealand allowed him to reflect on how much New Zealand has changed in the last twenty years – and how much it hasn’t. [Cover]
”Whispers” by Rosie Goodwin
Sometimes the past really does come back to haunt you…The old manor house has stood empty for years, left to rot since the last master of the Fenton family died. Until Jess Beddows steps inside, and feels she has come home. Against her family’s wishes, she buys the house, promising to bring it back to life. Upstairs, in an attic room left untouched for a century or more, she finds a journal. It holds the heartbreaking tale of Martha, and of the cruel, entangled lives of the house’s servants and masters nearly two hundred years before. As Jess is drawn into their tragedy, the whispers begin. Before long, everything she loves will be threatened by violent emotion and long-kept secrets. Can she survive the echoes from the past? [Cover]
”Huggable crochet” by Christine Lucas
This delightful book is the perfect guide to making huggable-sized, stuffed crochet animals, featuring a wide variety of creatures from the farm to the jungle and even the sea. Catering for all imaginations, “Huggable Crochet” shows you how to make each adoreable animal with its traditional colours and then as a vivid and vibrant alternative. Featuring illustrations and patterns for both basic crochet stitches and crochet animal construction techniques, this book makes it quick and easy to make the ideal cuddly for children of all ages. [Cover]
“Tiger men” by Judy Nunn
‘This town is full of tiger men,’ Dan said. ‘Just look around you. The merchants, the builders, the bankers, the company men, they’re all out for what they can get. This is a tiger town, Mick, a place at the bottom of the world where God turns a blind eye to pillage and plunder.’Van Diemen’s Land was an island of stark contrasts; a harsh penal colony, an English idyll for its landed gentry, and an island so rich in natural resources it was a profiteer’s paradise. Its capital Hobart Town had its contrasts too; the wealthy elite in their sandstone mansions, the exploited poor in the notorious slum known as Wapping, and the criminals and villains who haunted the dockside taverns and brothels of Sullivan’s Cove. Hobart Townwas no place for the meek. Tiger Men is the story of Silas Stanford, a wealthy Englishman; Mick O’Callaghan an Irishman on the run; and Jefferson Powell, an idealistic American political prisoner. It is also the story of the strong, proud women who loved them, and of the children they bore who rose to power in the cut-throat world of international trade. Tiger Men is the sweeping tale of three families who lived through Tasmania’s golden era and witnessed the birth of the Commonwealth of Australia, only to watch its young men consumed by the fires and horror of the First World War. [Cover]
“The tribal imagination” by Robin Fox
We began as savages, and savagery has served us well–it got us where we are. But how do our tribal impulses, still in place and in play, fit in the highly complex, civilized world we inhabit today? This question, raised by thinkers from Freud to Levi-Strauss, is fully explored in this book by the acclaimed anthropologist Robin Fox. It takes up what he sees as the main–and urgent–task of evolutionary science: not so much to explain what we do, as to explain what we do at our peril. Ranging from incest and arranged marriage to poetry and myth to human rights and pop icons, Fox sets out to show how a variety of human behaviors reveal traces of their tribal roots, and how this evolutionary past limits our capacity for action. Among the questions he raises: How real is our notion of time? Is there a human “right” to vengeance? Are we democratic by nature? Are cultural studies and fascism cousins under the skin? Is evolutionary history coming to an end–or just getting more interesting? In his famously informative and entertaining fashion, drawing links from Volkswagens to Bartok to Woody Guthrie, from Swinburne to Seinfeld, Fox traces our ongoing struggle to maintain open societies in the face of profoundly tribal human needs–needs which, paradoxically, hold the key to our survival. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“The pregnant widow” by Martin Amis
“The Somme” by Peter Barton
“How to build animal housing” by Carol Ekarius
“The breakers” by Claudie Gallay
“Table of contents” by Judy Gelman
“The birthday party” by Veronica Henry
“The Ares Decision” by Kyle Mills
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 5 Jan – 12 Jan
“Summer houses” by Simon Devitt
This book showcases New Zealand houses at their best – in the heat of summer, when doors and windows dissolve to embrace the sun and outdoors, and a more casual style of living prevails. Step inside more than 20 of this country’s most stunning houses, ranging from simple island baches to luxurious city homes and inland retreats, all of which embrace the indoor-outdoor style of living that comes to the fore during summer months. [Cover]
“The year after” by Martin Davies
New Year 1919: Before the War, when Margot broke his heart, Tom Abbott swore he would never return to Hannesford Court. Now though, the ritual certainties of a country house party seem tempting. But did Tom ever really understand what was going on in that closed circle at Hannesford? When Tom begins to think about the death of a guest in 1914, he begins to question his whole world. [Cover]
“Pippa Blake journey” by Pippa Blake
On 5 December 2001 New Zealand sporting and adventure hero Sir Peter Blake was killed by bandits at the mouth of the Amazon River. In this intimate account, Pippa Blake offers a private view of Sir Peter the husband and family man. Unpublished photographs from her personal albums, behind the scenes stories of Sir Peter’s sailing adventures and Pippa’s own journal entries and artworks provide a moving insight into a life shared with one of this country’s greatest sporting legends. [Cover]
“The German boy” by Patricia Wastvedt
In 1947, Elisabeth Mander’s German nephew comes to stay: Stefan Landau, her dead sister’s teenage son, whom she hates and loves before she’s even set eyes on him. Orphaned by the war and traumatised by the last, vicious battles of the Hitler Youth, Stefan brings with him to England only a few meagre possessions. Among them a portrait of a girl with long copper hair by a young painter called Michael Ross – and with it the memory, both painful and precious, of her life and that time between the wars. Spanning decades and generations, “The German Boy” tells the moving story of two families entangled by love and friendship, divided by prejudice and war, and of a brief encounter between a woman and a man that touched each of their lives forever. [Cover]
“Casual living” by Judith Wilson
Many of us live stressful lives, so we deserve a home that delivers no-fuss style for comfortable living. “Casual Living” puts such a goal firmly within reach. In the first section, Casual Style, Judith maps out the three facets of the look – Country Casual, City Casual and Seaside Casual – so you can identify the style that suits you best. Next, Casual Elements focuses on the different ingredients that come together to create the perfect home. In part three, Casual Rooms, Judith shows how the style translates to every room in the house, from Relaxed Kitchens to Soothing Bathrooms and Cosy Sitting Rooms to Tranquil Bedrooms, taking in Children’s Spaces along the way. We can’t all achieve the perfect, stress-free life, but in “Casual Living” Judith Wilson will inspire you to create a practical, welcoming and comfortable home that you’ll enjoy and appreciate every day. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“A boy from Amberley” by Basil Campion
“Edward’s legacy” by David Elworthy & Ros Henry
“The beloved of Isis” by Christian Jacq
“Unbound” by Dean King
“Girl on the Orlop deck” by Beryl Kingston
“Wrapped up in you” by Carole Matthews
“The kindness of your nature” by Linda Olsson
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
Boomerang
”Boomerang : the meltdown tour” by Michael Lewis (2011)
Markos has worked as a qualified baker most of his working life in Athens. Yet here he is standing in the line of a soup kitchen. If you asked Markos five years ago if he would now be destitute and standing in this line, he would have laughed at the suggestion.
Greece today is one of many countries in financial difficulty, e.g. Ireland Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Portugal and New Zealand. The global financial crisis translates into individual and family financial hardship for millions in countries around the world.
Michael Lewis explains in “Boomerang, the Financial Meltdown”, what is taking place in an informative, instructive and entertaining way. He travels to Iceland, Ireland, Greece, Germany and the United States as a financial disaster tourist to get a high and low view of how each culture is meeting the crisis at hand.
His insightful, non-technical, clever, and humorous appreciation of the situation means the 220+ pages are quickly covered and the reader is left with the question, what about New Zealand? We have borrowed more money to escape the cost of our sovereign and personal debts to date, but the piper will come calling here one day, too. Suggest you start with this book as preparation for what you personally need to do.
Daniel Crossen
To reserve this item please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 29 Dec – 5 Jan
“Beyond the front line” by Mike McRoberts
When news is often confined to sound bites and brief backgrounders, some of the best stories behind the news go largely untold. Here, without those constraints, Mike is able to give full, truthful and honest portrayals of these event. Admired for his credibility and willingness to go to the hot spots, in a reporting career spanning 25 years, Mike is best known for his work in some of the world’s most dangerous places, covering conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, East Timor and the Solomon Islands. He has also covered some of the world’s worst natural disasters from tsunamis, to wildfires and earthquakes, including the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and then, close to home, his informative and compassionate coverage of the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. [Cover]
“The Scottish prisoner” by Diana Gabaldon
In this highly-anticipated new novel, Diana Gabaldon brings back one of her most compelling characters: the unforgettable Lord John Grey – soldier, gentleman, and no mean hand with a blade. Set in the heart of the eighteenth century, Lord John’s world is one of mystery and menace. Diana Gabaldon brilliantly weaves together the strands of Lord John’s secret and public lives. Capturing the lonely, tormented, and courageous career of a man who fights for his crown, his honor, and his own secrets, Diana Gabaldon delivers breathtaking human drama, proving once again that she can bring history to life in a way few novelists ever have. [Cover]
“Round the bend” by Jeremy Clarkson
What’s it like to drive a car that’s actively trying to kill you? This and many other burning questions trouble Jeremy Clarkson as he sets out to explore the world from the safety of four wheels. Avoiding the legions of power-crazed traffic wombles attempting to block highway and byway, he: shows how the world of performance cars may be likened to Battersea dog’s home; reveals why St Moritz may be the most bonkers town in all of the world; reminds us that Switzerland is so afraid of snow that any flakes falling on the road are immediately arrested; and argues that washing a car is a waste of time, Funny, globe-trotting, irreverent and sometimes downright rude, “Round the Bend” is packed with curious and fascinating but otherwise hopelessly useless stories and facts about everything under the sun (and just occasionally cars). It’s Jeremy Clarkson at his brilliant best. [Cover]
“My hollywood” by Mona Simpson
A wonderfully provocative and appealing novel, from the much-loved author of “Anywhere But Here”, her first in ten years. It tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood. Claire, a composer and a new mother, comes to LA so her husband can follow his passion for writing television comedy. Suddenly the marriage once a genuine 50/50 arrangement changes, with Paul working long hours and Claire left at home with a baby, William, whom she adores but has no idea how to care for. Lola, a fifty-two-year-old mother of five who is working in America to pay for her own children’s higher education back in the Philippines, becomes their nanny. Lola stabilizes the rocky household and soon other parents try to lure her away. What she sacrifices to stay with Claire and William remains her own closely guarded secret. In a novel at turns satirical and heartbreaking, where mothers’ modern ideas are given practical overhauls by nannies, we meet Lola’s vast network of fellow caregivers, each with her own story to tell. We see the upstairs competition for the best nanny and the downstairs competition for the best deal, and are forced to ask whether it is possible to buy love for our children and what that transaction costs us all. We look into two contemporary marriages one in America and one in the Philippines and witness their endangerment, despite the best of intentions. “My Hollywood” is a tender, witty, and resonant novel that provides the profound pleasures readers have come to expect from Mona Simpson, here writing at the height of her powers. [Cover]
”Billy Connolly’s Route 66″ by Billy Connolly
The best-loved comedian in Britain heads off on the most famous highway in the world on an unforgettable journey. Having always dreamed about taking a trip on the legendary Route 66, Billy Connolly is finally heading off on the ride of a lifetime. Travelling all 2,488 miles of this epic road, known as ‘The Main Street ofAmerica’, the Big Yin will share the experiences of the countless travellers who have taken the journey before him. The tales he’ll gather on the way, from the skyscrapers of Chicago through the Wild West badlands of Oklahoma and Texas, and on to the beaches of the Pacific coast, will tell the story of modern America. And they might just inspire a few readers to get on their bikes as well. With his unrivalled instinct for a good story, and the affability that has endeared him to millions of fans, Billy is the ultimate companion for the ultimate road trip. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“The art of Footrot flats” by Murray Ball
“The camera never lies” by Tess Daly
“Explosive eighteen” by Janet Evanovich
“Casper the commuting cat” by Susan Finden
“Knitted fairies” by Fiona McDonald
“Dead centre” by Andy McNabb
“Initiate’s trial” by Janny Wurts
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 22 Dec – 29 Dec
”The haunting” by Alan Titchmarsh”
How can the mysterious disappearance of Anne Flint in 1816 and the drowning of a young girl in a chalk stream so long ago possibly affect the life of schoolteacher Harry Flint some two centuries later? Having left his job and with a failed marriage behind him, Harry begins to research his ancestors. The deeper he digs, the more he realises that the past is closer than he had ever imagined. The Haunting is a story of love and betrayal, intrigue and murder. Where people are not what they seem, and the past is no more predictable than the future…[Cover]
“All fall down : Christchurch’s lost chimneys” by Geoff Rice
A house without a chimney doesn’t really look like a home. Yet thousands of Christchurch houses no longer have a chimney after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The streets look strangely different without their familiar vertical accents. While this book was prompted by the Christchurch earthquake of September 2010, its author has long had a fascination with chimneys. He grew up in the smoggy Christchurch of the 1950s, not far from the Gasworks, and brick chimneys were all around him, both industrial and domestic, silhouetted against the red winter sunsets. He then noted the variety of British and European chimney pots seen on his travels, and realised that Christchurch had its own unique type, the Homebush pot. The book was first written over the summer of 2010, but then came the devastating February 2011 earthquake, with serious loss of life, and text and photographs alike had to be revisited. Many of the chimneys photographed after September were destroyed in February. This book is a visual history of Christchurch chimneys – domestic, commercial and industrial, most of which no longer exist. While noting the quirky and unusual, it also attempts to document the typical styles of successive periods, from late Victorian to Art Deco and the latest versions on new houses that serve as reminders of the diverse heritage of the European chimney. [Cover]
“11.22.63.” by Stephen King
What if you could go back in time and change the course of history? What if the watershed moment you could change was the JFK assassination? 11/22/63, the date that Kennedy was shot – unless …King takes his protagonist Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, 2011, on a fascinating journey back to 1958 – from a world of mobile phones and iPods to a new world of Elvis and JFK, of Plymouth Fury cars and Lindy Hopping, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life – a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time. With extraordinary imaginative power, King weaves the social, political and popular culture of his baby-boom American generation into a devastating exercise in escalating suspense. [Cover]
“Summits and shadows” by Graham Langton
Mountaineering in New Zealand has a long and proud history of discovery, endeavour and success. One of its most significant pioneers was Jack Clarke, who from 1893 to 1914 climbed, guided, explored and organised trips into the mountains. Just a youngster when he made the first ascent of New Zealand’s greatest peak, Aoraki Mt Cook, Clarke’s activity encompassed the full breadth of mountaineering. This humble, quietly spoken man was one of our foremost alpine guides before the First World War, and as the first Chief Guide at the Hermitage he set the pattern of guiding for many years to come. As a climber he made many first ascents, and while working on the Geological Survey and leading other expeditions he also explored uncharted valleys and ranges throughout the South Island. This mountain man played a major part in the development of New Zealanders’ knowledge of their own country, and of mountaineering as a magnificent pursuit. [Cover]
“I am half-sick of shadows” by Alan Bradley
With the family finances in a parlous state, Colonel de Luce has, with deep misgivings, rented Buckshaw to a film company for a location shooting. Naturally enough, director, crew and stars do nothing to endear themselves to the household – especially the servants – until, when a heavy snowfall cuts off Bishop’s Lacey from the rest of the world, the actors are talked into staging a benefit performance in the parish hall. But old jealousies surface, and the leading lady is murdered. Flavia, who has been enlisted to help out behind the scenes, finds herself up to her knees in snow – and murder! [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“The broken book” by Fiona Farrell
“The NZ flower garden” by Rachel Vogan
“The house of silk” by Anthony Horowitz
“Letter from a stranger” by Barbara Taylor Bradford
“Christmas magic” by Cathy Kelly
“Awakening” by William Horwood
“Coming of the storm” by W. Michael Gear & kathleen O’Neal Gear
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 15 Dec – 22 Dec
“Fleur : the life and times of pioneering restauranteur Fleur Sullivan” by Fleur Sullivan
Fleur Sullivan is a South Island legend, the culinary maven responsible for not one but two iconic local restaurants – Olivers in Clyde and the eponymous Fleurs Place in Moeraki – and now at the age of 72 she’s running a third, The Loan and Merc in her hometown of Oamaru. Her eventful career has spanned more than 40 years, during which time she’s transformed two sleepy towns into international destinations. Fleur is brimming with great stories, anecdotes, reminiscences, the conversations had round her table and friendships formed in her establishments. This memoir chronicles her early life cooking in a pub on the West Coast, through to setting up Dunstan House in Clyde and on to the heady days of the restaurant scene in the 1970s in Queenstown. Drawing on this range of influences, Fleur then returned toClydeand embarked on the 20-year journey that was Olivers, using local produce and products at a time when no one else was doing so. From there she went to Moeraki and opened her world-renowned fish restaurant Fleur’s Place. Everything Fleur does is touched by her warmth, vision and enthusiams, making her places the place to be. IIlustrated with new photography by Aaron McLean, plus Fleur’s own photographs and ephemera. [Cover]
“That woman : the life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor” by Anna Sebba
This will be the first serious yet sympathetic book by a female biographer to explain the story of how an American divorcee became a hate figure for allegedly ensnaring a British King from his throne. It focuses on the core conflict of her life in the 1930s, with particular reference to her impoverished American childhood as a motivation for her ambition. ‘That woman’, so called by her sister-in-law the new Queen Elizabeth, was born Bessie Wallis Warfield in 1895 in Baltimore, and she endured a childhood of relative obscurity which sharpened a burning desire to rise above her circumstances. To win in the game of life was her unequivocal aim. ‘That woman’ was not only one of the most talked about women of her generation. In death she has become one of the most written about and reviled. But she has also become a symbol of female empowerment as well as a style icon. And yet Wallis Simpson remains an enigma. A witty woman who lived on her wits. ‘A woman can never be too rich or too thin’ – one of her aphorisms – is all that some people know of her. Neither beautiful nor brilliant, both her assumed as well as her known moral transgressions add to her aura and dazzle. Accused of fascist sympathies and Nazi friends, she is an object of fascination that has increased with the years. [Cover]
“So brilliantly clever : Parker, Hulme and the murder that shocked the world” by Peter Graham
The brutal, premeditated murder of Honorah Parker in 1954 in a lonely park by her 16-year-old daughter Pauline and Pauline’s 15-year-old friend Juliet Hulme made shock headlines around the world. International media flocked to New Zealand to follow the trial. Still today, the murder remains one of the most interesting criminal cases of all time, and a source of intense public fascination throughout the world – especially since one of the murderers was revealed to be the murder-mystery writer Anne Perry, whose books sell in the millions. Lawyer and true crime writer Peter Graham writes of the secrets and lies that permeated the girls’ families, the bizarre lead-up to the murder, the girls’ conviction and imprisonment, and their lives following their release. He also examines Parker’s and Hulme” actions in the light of modern psychology. In the 1950s the two girls were suspected of lesbianism, and judged and imprisoned as inherently evil. Would this happen today? [Cover]
”River Cottage veg every day’ by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Why don’t we eat more veg? They’re healthy, cost-effective and, above all, delicious. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall believes that it is time to put this to rights, as he explains in this brilliant new book. He’s come up with an abundance of veg-tastic recipes, including a warm salad of grilled courgettes, lemon, garlic, mint and mozzarella, a winter giant couscous salad with herbs and walnuts, radishes with butter and salt, lemony guacamole, linguine with mint and almond pesto and cherry tomatoes, baby carrot risotto, new potato gnocchi, a summer stir-fry with green veg, ginger, garlic and sesame, a winter stir-fry with Brussels sprouts, shiitake mushrooms and five-spice, a cheesy tomato tart, a spring onion gallette, roast jacket chips with merguez spices and spiced yoghurt, curried bubble and squeak, scrambled eggs and asparagus with lemon, tomato gazpacho, pea and parsley soup, roast squash wedges, baba ganoush, beetroot houmous, spinach pasties and barbecued corn on the cob. With over 200 recipes and vibrant photography from Simon Wheeler, River Cottage Veg Every Day is a timely eulogy to the glorious green stuff. [Cover]
“Beat till stiff : a woman’s recipe for living” by Peta Mathias
Razor-witted, wise and just a touch scandalous, Beat till Stiff covers topics that Peta considers important, entertaining, naughty or personal. With chapters on why redheads have more fun, how egg whites provide a metaphor for living and how Peta stopped strangling her mother, the eagerly awaited follow-up to Can We Help it if We’re Fabulous? and Just in Time to be too Late, is a book about the universal themes that affect all women. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“The christmas angel” by Marcia Willett
“Hotel Vendome” by Danielle Steel
“Dublin dead” by Gerard O’Donovan
“The next always” by Nora Roberts
“More than bombs and bandages” by Kirsty Harris
“Zero day” by David Baldacci
“Before the storm ” by Peter Robinson
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 8 Dec – 15 Dec
“Riverstone kitchen : recipes from a chef’s garden” by Bevan Smith
Riverstone Kitchen, the Cuisine New Zealand Restaurant of the Year in 2010, embodies seasonal cooking, with simplicity the key, using the best produce available. The restaurant is located on the Waitaki Plains, 12 km north of Oamaru in North Otago, where cold, crisp winters and hot, dry summers make it the perfect place for cultivating a good range of produce. Riverstone Kitchen is organized along seasonal lines and is designed to inspire both cooks and gardeners to make the most of their local seasonal produce. Short of booking a table at Riverstone Kitchen, the Riverstone Kitchen cookbook offers the next best way of sharing in the unique Riverstone experience. [Cover]
“Ghastly business” by Louise Levene
1929. A girl is strangled in a London alley, the mangled corpse of a peeping Tom is found in a railway tunnel and the juicy details of the latest trunk murder are updated hourly in fresh editions of the evening papers. Into this insalubrious world steps Dora Strang, a doctor’s daughter with an unmaidenly passion for anatomy. Denied her own medical career, she moves into lodgings with a hilarious, insecticidal landlady and begins life as filing clerk to the country’s pre-eminent pathologist, Alfred Kemble. Dora is thrilled by the grisly post-mortems and the headline-grabbing court cases and more fascinated still by the pathologist himself: an enigmatic war hero with bottle-green eyes and an air of sardonic glamour – the embodiment of all her girlish fantasies. But Dora’s job holds more than a few surprises, not least of which is finding herself frequently under the watchful gaze – and occasionally wandering hands – of the distinguished Dr Kemble. As things take a distinctly ghastly turn, both in one of the department’s major cases and in Dora’s own life, the newspaper reporters sharpen their pencils in morbid anticipation …But can the impressionable Miss Strang emerge unscathed? “Ghastly Business” conjures the world of interwarLondonwith gleeful vigour: a time when a woman’s body was only mentioned if someone had dismembered it; when the scars of the Great War were still fresh and when a pretty young bluestocking needed to tread very carefully in order to avoid becoming yet another of its casualties. [Cover]
“The kiwi man cave” by Steve Hale
Every Kiwi bloke either has a man cave, or craves one. And there are all kinds of man caves out there – from large sheds, full of tools or memorabilia, to blokes-only private enclaves, to nothing more than an armchair in the corner of a room. This books invites you in, in full colour, to over 50 man caves from all around New Zealand. [Cover]
“The litigators” by John Grisham
The Partners at Finley & Figg – all two of them – often refer to themselves as “a boutique law firm.” “Boutique,” as in chic, selective and prosperous. They are, of course, none of these things. What they are is a two-bit operation always in search of their big break, ambulance chasers who’ve been in the trenches much too long making much too little. Their specialties, so to speak, are quickie divorces and DUIs, with the occasional jackpot of an actual car wreck thrown in. After twenty plus years together Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple, but somehow continue to scratch out a half-decent living from their seedy offices in southwest Chicago. And then change comes their way. More accurately, it stumbles in. David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks out of his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender and finds himself literally at the doorstep of our “boutique firm”. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he’s suddenly unemployed, any job – even one with Finley & Figg – looks OK to him. With their new junior partner on board, F&F are ready to tackle a really big case, a case that could make them rich without requiring them to actually practice much law. An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx , the no. 1 cholesterol reducer for the dangerously overweight, produced by Varrick Labs, a giant pharmaceutical company with annual sales of $25 billion, has recently come under fire as several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. Wally smells money. A little online research confirms Wally’s suspicions – a huge plaintiff’s firm inFloridais putting together a class action suit against Varrick. All Finley & Figg have to do is find a handful of people who had a heart attack while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won’t even have to enter a courtroom! It almost seems too good to be true. And it is. [Cover]
“Lady Almina and the real Downton Abbey” by Fiona Lady Carnarvon
Lady Fiona Carnarvon became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle – the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey – eight years ago. In that time she’s become fascinated by the rich history of Highclere, and by the extraordinary people who lived there over the centuries. One person particularly captured Fiona’s imagination – Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Almina was the illegitimate daughter of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild. She was his only daughter and he doted on her. She married George, the Earl of Carnarvon, at 19 with an enormous dowry. At first, life at Highclere was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff – many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere changed forever. History intervened and Almina and the staff of Highclere were thrown into one of the most turbulent times of the last century. Almina was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived. This is the remarkable story of a lost time. But Highclere remains and in this book, Fiona weaves Almina’s journey into the heritage and history of one of England’s most exquisite Victorian castles. [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“Devil’s gate” by Clive Cussler
“Daughters of Erebus” by Paul Holmes
“Horncastle’s suitcase” by Graeme Horncastle
“Absolutely” by Joanna Lumley
“Second nature” by Jacquelyn Mitchard
“The price to pay” by Lynda Page
“Hereward” by James Wilde
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 1 Dec – 8 Dec
”The yellow duster sisters” by Susan Kennaway
1939. Nine-year-old Susie and her sister Gyll live in Watford and all week look forward to their Saturday shopping expedition to Woolworths, accompanied by their nanny Alice, to buy something nice for Mummy. But as war breaks out across Europe, Susie and Gyll are evacuated to Africa. Alone on a dusty continent, the sisters find little to like about their new way of life and get no sympathy from their guardians, especially devout Aunt Geraldine (or ‘Dor-dor’) who forces them to wear patched-up clothes and be in bed by six o’clock. Feeling increasingly abandoned as the years pass and letters from home stop arriving, the sisters dream desperately of escape and cling fervently to their memories of idyllic England. When they do finally reach British shores, only a few weeks after D-Day, there is no one to meet them at Liverpool Docks. After getting to their father’s new home in Gloucestershire, they find a strange woman living with him and gradually learn that their mother has moved away and joined the Polish army. Life only gets stranger when they are sent to Cheltenham Ladies College, where English boarding school life is possibly even worse than their years of exile in Africa. Wonderfully evocative, funny and charming, Susan Kennaway writes about the difficult challenges of growing up during the Second World War with rare honesty and insight. The Yellow Duster Sisters is a moving and unusual exploration of the often ignored, and often destructive, nature of shifting war-time family relationships. [Cover]
“The apothecary’s daughter” by Charlotte Betts
Susannah Leyton has grown up behind the counter of her father’s apothecary shop, surrounded by the resinous scents of lavender, rosemary, liquorice and turpentine. More learned than any apprentice, she concocts soothing medicines and ointments with great skill. Content with her life, Susannah is shocked when her widowed father announces his intentions to marry again, and later becomes caught in a battle of wills with her new step-mother. When she receives a proposal of marriage from handsome and charming merchant Henry Savage, she believes her prayers have been answered and resolves to be a good wife to him. But Henry is a complex and troubled man, haunted by his memories of growing up inBarbados. As the plague sweeps through the city, tragedy strikes, and the secrets of Henry’s past begin to unfold …[Cover]
Taking her inspiration from her cook school in beautiful Umbria, Jo Seagar shows us how to make classic Italian recipes the easy way. In her inimitable way Jo teaches us that authentic doesn’t have to mean difficult. She demystifies gnocchi, risotto, making your own pasta and pizza bases, and many other classics of Italian cooking through simple step-by-step instructions. The book takes you through an Italian feast: antipasto (eg crostini with gorgonzola and tapenade); small first courses (eg fava beans with mint, garlic and prosciutto); salads and vegetables (eg aubergine involtini); gnocchi, risotto and polenta (eg bacon, sage and butternut risotto); pasta (eg farfalle with tomato, basil and broccoli butter); breads and pizza (eg focaccia); meat, chicken, game and fish (eg chicken saltimbocca); desserts (eg mama’s tiramisu); baking (eg florentines); and drinks (eg papa’s limoncello). With over 100 mouth-watering recipes, this is THE Italian cooking bible for New Zealanders. The divine photography taken on location at a wonderful villa in a small town in Umbria means that this cookbook is also wonderful armchair travel. It’s a delight to savour, and the recipes are ones you’ll return to again and again. [Cover]
“Snuff” by Terry Pratchett
According to the writer of the best-selling crime novel ever to have been published in the city of Ankh-Morpork, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday would barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse. And Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on holiday in the pleasant and innocent countryside, but not for him a mere body in the wardrobe. There are many, many bodies and an ancient crime more terrible than murder. He is out of his jurisdiction, out of his depth, out of bacon sandwiches, and occasionally snookered and out of his mind, but never out of guile. Where there is a crime there must be a finding, there must be a chase and there must be a punishment. They say that in the end all sins are forgiven. But not quite all…[Cover]
“The last jump” by Elizabeth Benney
Author Elizabeth Benney was a brat of a child. She’s completely candid about it – self-centered, perverse, willful, obstinate …living for her one passionate obsession – horses. It’s a life-story that at last faces up to what we must all confront, that’s if we’re lucky enough to live long enough. What will it be, in our own advancing years, which we will be forced to give up, forever? Will she ever learn to say ‘No more’? Liz Benney portrays her day-to-day life running of their New England horse farm, and the many return visits to her own country,New Zealand. Then there are her accounts of her girlhood, her forays into the Antarctic and into deepest China, and her extraordinary capacity for attracting memorable characters. Throughout it all is the foundation of her marriage to ‘rock solid’ Kiwi mathematician Dave, her family and friends and the undying ‘can do’ spirit of her pioneering New Zealand forbears. Michael Korda, publisher, editor and bestselling author (his biography of T.E. Lawrence) has said: ‘I enjoyed reading this story very much. It is funny, sometimes sad, and full of great stories, exactly what a memoir should be.’ [Cover]
Other titles on display this week :
“Ed King” by David Guterson
“The hummingbird and the bear” by Nicholas Hogg
“The trader’s wife” by Anna Jacobs
“Kill Alex cross” by James Paterson
“Econned” by Yves Smith
“Sleeping with the enemy” by Hal Vaughan
“The department store” by Jan Whitaker
To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz
Avril
