if you have a soft spot for dogs or vagrant alcoholics …

well – how could one resist a picture like this?

This short novel is an interesting read – not perfect in its construction but with  enough memorable ideas to justify the time taken in reading. One such idea shows Willy doing his best to produce a symphony of smells with the help of Mr Bones so they can make their fortunes. The logic is that as dogs enjoy smells so much, there must be scope equal to that of the musical world in the olfactory one.

Paul Auster is interested in exploring many topics. The main focus of this book is the inevitability death but it is treated in an unusual and mainly palatable fashion.

recomended by Susie

Gallipoli diary

   To commemorate Anzac-Day, the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre has published the diary of Major Edward P. Cox, which he kept between October 1914 and August 1915 when he was wounded during the Battle of Chunuk Bair.  Keeping a personal diary was against Army regulations; however the ‘official’ tone of Cox’s writing suggests he perhaps considered it a regimental diary.

Cox was evecuated from Gallipoli and returned to New Zealand because of his injuries; he donated his diary to the Dominion Museum (now part of Te Papa Tongarewa). The diary provides a first-hand account of the Gallipoli campaign and life on the front line.

The complete text of the diary can be read online at:

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-CoxDiar.html

 More information about the diary is available at Te Papa Tongarewa:

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/ObjectDetails.aspx?oid=247211

Sylvia

New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 24 April – 1 May

 “Close-up & Macro” by Robert Thompson

This is a comprehensive sourcebook of photographic techniques for both film and digital users, with advice on selecting your subject, creative ideas and inspiring images. Packed with Robert Thompson’s superb pictures, the book gives expert guidance on equipment and accessories and looks in detail at the techniques for photographing all the most popular close-up subjects, from flowers and fungi to insects and patterns in nature. [Cover]

 “Looking for Enid” by Duncan McLaren

Enid Blyton gave us the Famous Five, the Enchanted Wood and the Wishing Chair. Some of us, encouraged by austere critics, have pretended no longer to want what Enid gave. We have pretended that we were not once upon a time enthralled by every book she wrote, all 600+ of them. Now Duncan McLaren offers lapsed devotees the possibility of honest redemption. [Cover] 

 “The House that Hugh Laurie Built” by Paul Challen

With a detailed guide to every episode of seasons one to three, you’ll discover what only hardcore fans have known until now. [Cover]

 “Honour thyself” by Danielle Steel

Carole Barber has come to Paris, with its rain-slick slate roofs and winding streets, to work on her novel – and to find herself after a lifetime in the spotlight. A legend of film and stage, Carole has set a standard of beauty and grace, devoting herself to her family and causes around the world. But on this cool November evening, as her taxi speeds into a tunnel just past the Louvre, a fiery instant of terror shatters hundreds of lives – and leaves Carole alone, unconscious and unidentified in a Paris emergency room. At the Ritz, they wonder where their famous, incognito guest has gone. From California to London, Carole’s friends and family begin to make inquiries. Then comes a moment of shock as they realize that Carole is in a hospital far from home, fighting for her life. In the days that follow, the paparazzi swarm….[Cover]

 ”Lessons in heartbreak’ by Cathy Kelly

Izzie Silver left the small Irish town of Tamarin behind her for life in New York. She’s big, beautiful, and dreams of her own model agency for plus-sized women (what her grandmother would call healthy). Life is good – but she’s just broken one of her cardinal rules and fallen for a married man. On the other side of the ocean, Izzie’s aunt Anneliese discovers the pain of infidelity for herself. Her husband Edward has been having an affair with her best friend, Nell. Devastated and angry, Anneliese is facing the realisation that she is now alone. [Cover]

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 17 April – 24 April

 “The miracle at Speedy Motors” by Alexander Mccall Smith

It has never occurred to Precious Ramotswe that there might be disadvantages to being the best-known lady detective in Botswana. But when she receives a threatening anonymous letter, she is compelled to reconsider her unconquerable belief in a kind world and good neighbours. While she ponders the identity of the letter-writer Mma Ramotswe has a further set of problems to solve, both professional and personal. There is an adopted child’s poignant search for her true family, and Mr J. L. B. Matekoni’s pursuit of an expensive miracle for their own foster daughter Motholeli. With these latest developments on Tlokweng Road, Alexander McCall Smith reveals with all his brilliant storytelling skill that there are very few troubles that cannot be solved with kindness, and very few dry seasons that do not end with welcome rain. [Cover]

 ”Tracing your Irish family history” by Anthony Adolph

The authoritative and comprehensive guide to tracing your Irish ancestry. [Cover]

 ”Going Dutch in Beijing” by Mark McCrum

In China the concept of splitting the bill can be offensive. If you are invited out to a restaurant, your host will pay : you should politely demur and offer to pick up the tab yourself (up to three times). To suggest a contribution would cause him or her to seriously loose face. A funny and fascinating reminder that the British way is definitely not the only way. [Cover]

 ”Julie Andrews” by Richard Stirling

In My Fair Lady, Julie Andrews had the biggest hit on Broadway. As the title character in Mary Poppins, she won an Academy Award. And, in 1965, The Sound of Music made her the most famous woman in the world and rescued Twentieth Century Fox from bankruptcy. This is the first completely new biography of Julie Andrews as artist, wife and mother in over thirty-five years. It is a frank but affectionate portrait of an enduring icon of stage and screen. [Cover]

 “Get fresh” by Dennis Greville

Whether you live on a lifestyle block or you have a couple of planters in the back yard, you’ll be surprised to find how easy it is to raise fresh, tasty vegetables and herbs for the table, especially with Dennis Greville’s new book on hand to guide you. Illustrated with his superb photos, many taken at his own thriving plot in Christchurch, Get Fresh first lays the groundwork for all you’ll need to know, from preparing the site and soil to cloche and greenhouse gardening, controlling pests and diseases, and other topics. It then provides the ‘how to’ on growing more than 60 individual vegetables and herbs. Though there’s plenty of interest to green-fingered gardeners, Dennis also keeps the beginner in mind, so the emphasis is on realistic solutions and helpful tips. Plants are also rated on whether they suit the North or South Island climate, making this the only book you’ll need, wherever you live, for growing great produce. [Cover]

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 10 April – 17 April

  “Love, death, washing-up etc.” by Joe Bennett

As well as being one of our funniest and most original travel writers, as evinced by his recent “A land of two halves” and “Mustn’t grumble”, Joe is an award-winning columnist in his adoptive home, New Zealand. “Love, death, washing-up etc.” brings together over 80 examples of his work from the last five years. [Cover] 

 

 “The burnt-out town of miracles” by Roy Jacobsen

Based on a true historical event, comes this psychologically gripping tale, full of heart and humanity, about one man who stands against the system. A man who, by his unusual wits, survives a winter war with the help of a group of unlikely friends, all of whom want to find the path home. Reminiscent of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Out Stealing Horses and The Tenderness of Wolves. [Cover]
 ”Little theories of life” By Peter FitzSimons

Why does the dominant partner in any sexual relationship usually sleep on the side of the bed nearest the door? Is there a direct relationship between the length of hemlines and the state of the national economy? And why do drivers with hats drive 40 km per hour slower than those without? These are the big questions of life, and it takes a brave man to tackle them. The Italian versus Australian theory of traffic lights; who gets the spare armrest between the seats; why do men fall asleep after lovemaking . . . Author, broadcaster and columnist Peter FitzSimons is your ideal guide to the weird world of the popular theory, the urban myth, and the land of ‘did you know . . .’. [Cover]

 ”The big picture” by Hamish Keith

Since the first artist drew a New Zealand image 365 years ago, New Zealand art has been the two-dimensional expression of a place where cultures mixed, matched, fought, loved and developed a unique cultural history, one that continues to evolve. In six taut, provocative and passionate essays, Hamish Keith surveys New Zealand art and brings together the various strands of our cultural history, showing that they are never separate or unrelated but rather that together they tell the story of who we are. Based upon the six-part TVNZ series The Big Picture, and with over 300 illustrations, this book is an indispensible survey of New Zealand’s remarkable artistic heritage. [Cover]
 “Teach yourself thrifty living” by Barty Phillips

Thrifty living will help you to cut back on your spending and make your money go further. Whatever your budget, it shows you how to make economies in every area of life, from clothes shopping to cleaning products, with plenty of helpful hints, practical common sense and easy to follow advice. [Cover]

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 3 April – 10 April

 “Daughter of the desert” by Georgina Howell

At a time when women were still largely excluded from both education and the workplace, Gertrude Bell was an archaeologist, spy, Arabist, linguist, author, poet, photographer and mountaineer, but until the Iraq War of 2003 few people had heard her name. [Cover]
  “The outcast” by Sadie Jones

It’s 1957 and Lewis Aldridge is travelling back to his home in the South of England. He is straight out of jail and nineteen years old. His return will trigger the implosion not just of his family, but of a whole community. A decade earlier, his father’s homecoming casts a different shape. The war is over and Gilbert reverts easily to suburban life–cocktails at six-thirty, church on Sundays–but his wife and young son resist the stuffy routine. Lewis and his mother escape to the woods for picnics, just as they did in wartime days. Nobody is surprised that Gilbert’s wife counters convention, but they are all shocked when, after one of their jaunts, Lewis comes back without her. Not far away, Kit Carmichael keeps watch. She has always understood more than most, not least from what she is dealt by her own father’s hand. Lewis’s grief and burgeoning rage are all too plain, and Kit makes a private vow to help. But in her attempts to set them both free, she fails to predict the painful and horrifying secrets that must first be forced into the open. [Cover]

 “Hunger for the wild” by Al Brown & Steve Logan

Based on the award-winning television series Hunger for the wild, this book follows restauranteurs Steve Logan and Al Brown as they travel to the far corners of the country to chase down some of New Zealand’s finest, freshest, and tastiest food. It’s a journey of adventure and discovery as they learn about the local produce, the land that grows it and the people who harvest it. Each chapter includes mouth-watering recipes and provides insights into the region’s history and colourful local characters. [Cover]

 “Mixed-media and memory jewelry” By Tammy Powley

If you love making beaded jewelry, but are looking for exciting new materials to add to your designs, then this is the book for you. Learn clever ways to integrate photos, collectables, souvenirs, found objects, shells, wood, and more into your signature pieces. Recycle old jewels, make your own charms, use fibres and ribbon and explore all the fun ways you can personalize your own unique jewelry. [Cover] 

 ”The Drivers” by Tim Nevinson

This book traces the careers of the extraordinary individuals who cut their teeth in New Zealand, then went on to prominence in world motorsport. These include: Chris Amon, Craig Baird, Scott Dixon, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, David Oxton, Aaron Slight, Paul Radisich, Greg Murphy, Mike Thackwell. [Cover]

To reserve any of these items please contact your local library or email info@hurunuilibraries.govt.nz

Avril