New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 27 Aug – 3 Sep

   “Miss Dahl’s voluptuous delights” by Sophie Dahl

Sophie Dahl, one of the most glorious women on the planet, shares delicious secrets from her slinky kitchen, funny stories and favourite recipes in a beautifully illustrated hardback. With delectable recipes for each season, this luscious abundant take on food will delight women everywhere. In this beautifully colour illustrated cookbook, Sophie shares 100 of her favourite recipes that show that healthy can be delicious and indulgent. Sophie lived out the latter part of her adolescence under the public spotlight as the first anti-waif model. Flirting with every food fad from Atkins to raw food, she experienced both misadventures and victories in her quest to have a healthy relationship with food. Now she reveals the recipes that allowed her to eat what she wants while being sylphy as a sapling. Sophie cooks with gusto and passion and here she takes us on a delicious journey through a wonderful collection of her favourite recipes for every meal and every season – from her Grandmother Gee-Gee’s ginger parkin, to her dad’s amazing chicken curry to what she serves her boyfriend for breakfast. Try out her mama’s baked acorn squash and the delicious student-days favourite ‘Paris Mash’, plus childhood-fun puddings like Carnation milk jelly or decadent desserts like Chocolate chestnut souffle. Sophie reveals compassionate common sense about food, and serves up a lashing of healthy recipes that celebrate the joy of eating so you’ll never want to diet again. Original, funny, intimate, and quirky with a bit of whimsy, this glorious book is full of wonderful anecdotes and delicious recipes, scattered with Sophie’s own lovely Matisse-like line drawings that slope off the page. [Cover]

 “The girl with the dragon tattoo” by Stieg Larsson

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared off the secluded island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger family. There was no corpse, no witnesses, no evidence. But her uncle, Henrik, is convinced that she was murdered by someone in her own family – the deeply dysfunctional Vanger clan. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomqvist is hired to investigate, but when he links Harriet’s disappearance to a string of gruesome murders from forty years ago, he needs a competent assistant – and he gets one: computer hacker Lisbeth Salander – a tattooed, truculent, angry girl who rides a motorbike like a Hell’s Angel and handles makeshift weapons with the skill born of remorseless rage. This unlikely pair form a fragile bond as they delve into the sinister past of this island-bound, tightly-knit family. But the Vangers are a secretive lot, and Mikael and Lisbeth are about to find out just how far they’re prepared to go to protect themselves – and each other. [Cover]

 “Starting over” by Tony Parsons

This is the story of how we grow old – how we give up the dreams of youth for something better – and how many chances we have to get it right. George Bailey has been given the gift we all dream of – the chance to live his life again. After suffering a heart attack at the age of 42, George is given the heart of a 19 year old – and suddenly everything changes. He is a friend to his teenage son and daughter – and not a stern Home Secretary, monitoring their every move. And suddenly he wants to change the world, just as soon as he shakes off his hangover. But George Bailey discovers that being young again is not all it is cracked up to be – and what he actually wants more than anything in the universe is to have his old life back. [Cover]

 “Security” by Stephen Amidon

There isn’t much crime in Stoneleigh, Massachusetts. It’s a college town, a mountain getaway for the quietly rich, where the average burglar alarm is set off by wildlife. So when Edward Inman, owner of Stoneleigh Sentinel Security, gets a late-night alarm from the home of Doyle Cutler, one of his wealthiest clients, Edward thinks nothing of it – until a local student claims that she was sexually assaulted that same night at Cutler’s house. [Cover]

  ”The art of the slow cooker” by Andrew Schloss

For the Art of the Slow Cooker best-selling author Andrew Schloss has developed 80 recipes for soups, stews, succulent braises, vegetarian dishes, even desserts that bring slow-cooked meals to new heights. Slow cooking gives a wonderful velvety texture to meatloaf an incredible richness to Osso Buco Milanese and bold and complex flavors to Curried Vegetables and Dal simmered in Indian spices. Each chapter offers recipes for both simple everyday meals and spectacular dishes perfect for entertaining. With cooking charts to help with timing advice on finding the right slow cooker for every kitchen and glorious color photographs throughout the Art of the Slow Cooker will delight readers looking for easy and amazing meals. [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 20 Aug – 27 Aug

  ”Albatross : their world their ways” by Tui De Roy

The albatross is a creature of legend, of poetry and of dreams. It is the ultimate nomad, whose sailplane wings – the longest of any living bird – harness the shrieking winds of the southern ocean as it glides around the globe. But today, over three-quarters of albatross species are edging towards extinction. This book is a celebration of these amazing birds, featuring photographs by award-winning wildlife photographer Tui De Roy, the latest research by leading international experts and a factual natural history. [Cover]

  ”We are all made of glue” by Marina Lewycka

The madcap world of Marina Lewycka is now familiar to millions of readers as a kind of formula. An engagingly quirky narrator takes us on a journey in which serious themes such as family quarrels, age, war and genocide are given a comic gloss. It more or less ends well. Fans of Woody Allen movies have long been familiar with this kind of thing, but Lewycka’s debut, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, became the British equivalent. After her Two Caravans, We are All Made of Glue continues the themes of love, hate and odd titles. Georgie, enraged by her husband’s indifference and lonely after swapping Leeds for London, strikes up a friendship with her ancient, rancid Jewish neighbour Mrs Shapiro. [Cover] 

 “Keeping ducks and geese” by Chris Ashton

This is a comprehensive and attractive lifestyle guide to keeping ducks and geese – from what to consider before buying them, how to house them, their welfare and even egg selection. It includes a detailed section on all of the common breeds of duck and goose, enabling you to make the right decision about which ones to choose. It features extensive information on planning and welfare, helping you to ensure that you have the right type of space and housing, and guidelines on how to deal with any eventuality, such as telling the neighbours, going away on holiday and cleaning. A lavish lifestyle section provides recipes for using the rich eggs, together with activities for all of the family including quill making, fairy stories and folklore and how ducks can help with sheepdog training. “Keeping Ducks and Geese” fuses contemporary lifestyle design and an authoritative text, to appeal not only to those who already keep waterfowl, but also to those who are thinking of having them or even just aspire to the self sufficient lifestyle they represent. [Cover]

 ”The children’s book” by A.S. Byatt

Olive Wellwood is a famous writer, interviewed with her children gathered at her knee. For each of them she writes a separate private book, bound in different colours and placed on a shelf. In their rambling house near Romney Marsh they play in a story-book world – but their lives, and those of their rich cousins, children of a city stockbroker, and their friends, the son and daughter of a curator at the new Victoria and Albert Museum, are already inscribed with mystery. Each family carries its own secrets. Into their world comes a young stranger, a working-class boy from the potteries, drawn by the beauty of the Museum’s treasures. And in midsummer a German puppeteer arrives, bringing dark dramas. The sons rebel against their parents’ plans; the girls dream of independent futures, becoming doctors or fighting for the vote. This vivid, rich and moving saga is played out against the great, rippling tides of the day, taking us from the Kent marshes to Paris and Munich and the trenches of the Somme. Born at the end of the Victorian era, growing up in the golden summers of Edwardian times, a whole generation grew up unaware of the darkness ahead. In their innocence, they were betrayed unintentionally by the adults who loved them. [Cover]

 “Come Sunday” by Isla Morley

A wonderful new storyteller unleashes a soaring debut that sweeps from the hills of Hawaii to the veldt of South Africa. “Come Sunday “is that joyous, special thing: a saga that captivates from the very first page, breaking our hearts while making our spirits soar. Abbe Deighton is a woman who has lost her bearings. Once a child of the African plains, she is now settled in Hawaii, married to a minister, and waging her battles in a hallway of monotony. There is the leaky roof, the chafing expectations of her husband’s congregation, and the constant demands of motherhood. But in an instant, beginning with the skid of tires, Abbe’s battlefield is transformed when her three-year-old daughter is killed, triggering in Abbe a seismic grief that will cut a swath through the landscape of her life and her identity. As Isla Morley’s novel sweeps from the hills of Honolulu to the veldt of South Africa, we catch a hint of the spirit of Barbara Kingsolver and the mesmerizing truth of Jodi Picoult. “Come Sunday” is a novel about searching for a true homeland, family bonds torn asunder, and the unearthing of decades-old secrets. [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 13 Aug – 20 Aug

 ”No time to cook” by Donna Hay

If you love to eat delicious, simple food, but have no time to cook, Donna Hay′s sumptuous new book is the answer to your prayers. Time poor and tired from a busy day – but don′t want take away? No problem, look at the yummy options of Assembled Dinners. Nothing much in the pantry, no time to do a proper shop? Take heart from the simple combinations in Donna′s Fast Flavours chapter which needs a few ingredients, a grill pan or a barbecue, and a few minutes to let intense flavours unfold. Hate the thought of washing up pans and pots? The One Pot chapter lets you prepare gastronomic delights in one pan, and One Dish serves up flavour combinations for dinner in a single dish. No good at planning for later? Turn to Donna′s chapter on Freezing with Flair, something she′s re-discovering as working mum. There′s all this plus cheat′s notes, hints on styling which still let you make simple special, plenty of short cuts and of course the mouth-watering photography you expect from the world′s leading cookbook writer. [Cover]

“People of the thunder” by W.Michael Gear

By 1300 AD, the Sky Hand people had crushed and enslaved the Albaamaha people and built their high-walled capital, Split Sky City, to dominate towns up and down the Black Warrior River. But a violent wind is brewing that may topple the city’s mighty walls. Great armies are on the march and a cunning new leader, Smoke Shield has risen.[Cover]

 “Black hills” by Nora Roberts

Lil Chance fell in love with Cooper Sullivan pretty much the first time she saw him, an awkward teenager staying with his grandparents on their cattle ranch in South Dakota while his parents went through a messy divorce. Each year, with Coop’s annual summer visit, their friendship deepens – but then abruptly ends. Twelve years later and Cooper has returned to run the ranch after his grandfather is injured in a fall. Though his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something – or someone – has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks escalate into heartless killing, the memory of an unsolved murder in these very hills has Cooper springing to action to keep Lil safe. They both know the dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. And now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey … [Cover]

 “The painted garden in New Zealand art” by Christopher Johnstone

From James Busby on, European settlers made gardens from the moment they set foot on New Zealand soil, and of course Maori had extensive cultivations of kumara around their kainga. Many settler gardens were matters of survival – kitchen gardens on which families were reliant – but as individual circumstances allowed and prosperity spread, many gardens became increasingly ambitious and extensive. It is hardly surprising that artists were drawn to depicting them, as they have from the 1820s right through to the present day. This collection of 100 delightful works, selected by Christopher Johnstone, author of the highly successful Landscape paintings of New Zealand : a journey from North to South, tells the story of our gardening history as it intersected with our cultural and artistic development. Beautifully packaged and carefully researched, it is a treasure trove of magnificent images, many of gardens now lost to the passage of time. [Cover]

 “Return to sender” by Zoe Barnes

Holly Bennett has always known she was adopted, and finding her real parents has never been an issue for her. She regards her mum and dad as – well, her real mum and dad. But at 29, two things happen to make Holly change her mind: losing her beloved adopted mum, and a sudden desire to have a baby of her own. [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 6 Aug – 13 Aug

  ”Made in Morocco : a journey of exotic tastes and places” by Julie Le Clerc

Made in Morocco will take you on a journey of visual and sensual pleasures. Food writer Julie Le Clerc was totally beguiled by the sensual harmony of traditional Moroccan food. Dishes that are savoury yet sweet, enigmatically spiced and intricately aromatic to the nose; tagines, b’stilla, delicate breads infused with spice, honeycomb pancakes and myriad couscous dishes. While Julie immersed herself in researching authentic cuisine to create a wonderful collection of new recipes, intrepid traveller and photographer John Bougen captured the spirit of this vibrant country with images that are unforgettable. [Cover]

“ “The boy from nowhere” by Rosie Goodwin

Alex never stood a chance. After one ‘accident’ too many, he’s taken into care aged four. His mum promises to get him back, but he’s adopted by a childless couple and renamed Franky. It should be a fresh start, but he soon discovers his new dad has a twisted idea of fatherhood. Abused and alone, Franky finds freedom – but at a price. And it doesn’t last long. The runaway is caught and sent to a series of foster homes, but no one can get through to him now. He’ll always say he’s ‘the boy from nowhere’. But deep down he’s still waiting for his mum to take him home. As Franky grows up, it seems inevitable he’ll end up on the streets of London, slipping into a dangerous world, earning a living the only way he can. One day he might find a way out, but can he ever trust again? [Cover]

 “Handboek : Ans Westra photographs”

Both an exhibition and publication Handboek:Ans Westra Photographs provides an in-depth insight into the 45 year photographic journey by one of New Zealand’s most persistent documenters. Handboek comprises a gallery of Westra’s most revealing and challenging documentary images. The 130 + photographs reproduced here in full plates and essay illustrations include many images not seen or published before. While the bulk of the photographer’s images have appeared in the many publications she has contributed to, this comprehensive survey, accompanied by some of the best writing yet on the photographer, provides the reader and viewer with a rare insight into Ans Westra’s achievements. [Cover]

 “Choral society” by Prue Leith

Three women in their fifties – one widowed, one divorced and one never married – meet when they join a choir. Lucy, a food journalist, is obeying her bossy daughter who prescribes singing to assuage her grief. Joanna, the successful businesswoman for whom failure is not an option, is tackling her inability to sing a note. And much-divorced Rebecca is unashamedly looking for another mate. When they decide to combine their talents to restore a run down hotel on the Cornish coast and turn it into a spa offering holiday courses, conflict is bound to result. Lucy, Joanna and Rebecca are a sympathetic and engaging trio, very different women, each with private demons to confront. We feel for them as they cope, or fail to cope, with the pain of the past and fear for the future. Prue Leith makes their intertwined journeys riveting and ultimately satisfying, even uplifting. The choir teaches them a good deal more than how to sing. [Cover]

 “Denniston’s incline : cola from the clouds” by Bill Prebble

The complete history and operation of Denniston’s Incline. With much new information and many previously unpublished photographs, this work details the incline and its supporting industries. Chapters include the history, functional operation of the incline, operation of the Conn’s Creek branch railway, the people that made it work, rolling stock, Westport wharves, and the current attractions at Denniston today. [Cover]

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

 Avril