New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 5 June - 12 June

 “The crocus hour” by Charlotte Randall

In a village cafe in Crete, 1981, a young backpacker is befriended by a troubled New Zealander, Henry Davis. He reveals that his daughter Sally vanished from the island two years earlier and has come to Crete to explore the baffling circumstances of her disappearance. From the author of the award winning “The Curative” “The crocus hour” is a spellbinding journey through shifting passages of time posing questions about how well we really know those close to us. [Cover]

 “The Archimedes codex” by Reviel Netz and William Noel

This is the true story of the greatest scientific codex extant today : the Archimedes Palimpsest. Over a thousand years old, this codex survived against all odds. It travelled through crusades and world wars, from east to west and overseas. But only now - thanks to ultra-modern imaging techniques - are it’s hidden contents finally being brought to light with surprising results that will fundamentally change our understanding of the history of science.[Cover]

 “The case of the imaginary detective” by Karen Joy Fowler

What happens when readers steal your characters? Rima Lanisell is about to find out when she visits her estranged godmother, Addison Early, the successful mystery writer of the Maxwell Lane mysteries, and discovers the truth behind Addison’s novels. A wonderfully funny and touching novel about fame, fans and stalkers, about reading and the way readers appropriate their favourite books, and about beginning again when things have not gone as planned. [Cover]
 “The woman in the lobby” by Lee Tulloch

Through a series of chance encounters in hotel lobbies, Violet finds herself an object of interest to men rich enough to know the price of everything, including the privilege of bedding supremely beautiful women. As her addiction to grand hotels and haute couture takes hold, she convinces herself that she is only doing what women have done for millennia - trading sex for life’s little luxuries. [Cover]

 “Murder’s immortal mask” by Paul Doherty

In the fourth novel in Paul Doherty’s acclaimed Ancient Roman series featuring Claudia, secret agent of Empress Helena, a killer stalks the streets of Rome. [Cover]

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

Avril

Mad : How to deal with your anger and get respect by James J. Crist

      This book is aimed at teens to help them deal with anger. James Crist looks at how anger can be destructive and techniques for dealing with it. He also uses real life examples to show what makes teenagers mad and how they deal with their anger. Well worth dipping into to pick up snippets on a wide range of aspects associated with anger.

 Ngaire

New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 29 May - 5 June

 ”Kiwis in conflict” by Chris Pugsley

Kiwis in conflict is the story of New Zealand and New Zealanders at war from the mid 19th century to the present day. Originally published as “Scars on the heart”, this new revised edition examines the impact of war through the eyes of those involved using photographs, paintings, letters and diaries to give a glimpse of what these wars were like for the new Zealanders who fought in them. [Cover]

  ”Beginner’s guide to Bead Netting” by Madeleine Rollason

In this colourful and inspiring book Madeleine Rollason shows you how to produce beautiful and imaginative designs using bead netting. All the stitches and basic techniques are explained using clear, step-by-step photographs, and the eight easy-to-follow projects enable you to put your skills into practice and make gorgeous purses, jewellery and other items. [Cover]

 “The Truth Commissioner” by David Park

Henry Stanfield is pleased with his title: “Truth Commissioner”. Francis Gilroy, Minister for Children and Culture, has murky secrets that could leave him vulnerable. James Fenton is a retired RUC policeman. Danny and Ramona flick through brochures, choosing a cot for their unborn child. These four very different men hold a secret between them. Moving, insightful and utterly involving. [Cover]
 “A small part of history” by Peggy Elliott

In the summer of 1845 John Springer announces to his family his plan to go west. His third wife, Rebecca, married for just three months, has no choice but to follow him. Stoically accepting her fate, she begins preparations for her new life thousands of miles away, determined to take a small part of home with her. “A small part of history” is an epic story of remarkable courage in the face of appalling adversity, the bonds of sisterhood and, perhaps above all else, the power of love. [Cover]

 “Signs and symbols” by Mark O’Connell and Raje Airey

This stunning visual guide discusses the way signs and symbols are used by human societies as an integral and fundamental part of the way we communicate. Throughout history hundreds and thousands of icons and symbols have been developed, interpreted and reproduced through art, mythology and religion; from cave paintings and aboriginal dreamtime to computer iconography and advertising. [Cover]

 

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

Avril

Inspiring artist

   ‘How to make a watercolor paint itself’

                                  by Nita Engle

Nita Engle’s striking landscape paintings seem to radiate light and vibrancy, yet the techniques she uses are relatively simple. In this book she encourages others to have a go and in particular to discard any inhibitions and simply play with the paint, including squirting, pouring, throwing, finger painting, stamping. The results are remarkable!

Nita Engle is an award-winning American artist who originally trained in commercial design and illustration and worked in advertising for many years. After experimenting with a plethora of different media, watercolours became her passion and she developed a unique style of painting dramatic and atmospheric landscapes which still retain a large amount of realism. Her most important source of inspiration is the ever decreasing wilderness.

This book is a must-read for both experienced and budding watercolour painters as well as for anyone with an interest in the visual arts.

Sylvia

New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 22 May - 29 May

 “Noodle bible” by Jacki Passmore

A bowl of noodles is the ultimate convenience food. Noodles are inexpensive, easy to cook, remarkably versatile - and they’re healthy too. For thousands of years a staple of nearly every Asian culture, they are now an essential ingredient in most western kitchens. Noodle bible is packed with recipes - fragrant broths and one-pot meals. There are tips on storing noodles, preparing stocks and sauces, and ideas for special occasions. [Cover]

 “The rowing lesson” by Anne Landsman

A beautiful study of the jagged bond between father and daughter, rendered in prose that is by turns wild and terse, angular and lavish - and unfailingly original. Landsman is one of the few writers of our generation to have wrested from the English language a voice uniquely and searingly her own. [Cover]

 “The Beijing conspiracy” by Adrian d’Hage

From China’s western-most province, near its border with Pakistan, comes this deadly ultimatum. In the White House Situation Room, the President and his team dismiss it as one of thousands of threats made against the US every week. But CIA agent Curtis O’Connor isn’t so sure. The man making the warning is Dr Khalid Kadeer, a brilliant Muslim microbiologist. As an expert on bioterrorism, O’Connor knows Kadeer isn’t bluffing. So too does Kate Braithwaite. She works in a hot-zone laboratory, on the USA’s own top secret biological weapons. If the results of Kate’s research fall into the wrong hands, billions of people will die. As Curtis O’Connor and Kate Braithwaite work to unravel the riddles of the Kadeer’s warning and prevent a devastating attack on the world’s greatest sporting event, they begin to uncover a threat more sinister than they had imagined. [Cover]

 “Bogie : a celebration of the life and films of Humphrey Bogart”

Given his pivotal role in cinema history as the very personification of Film Noir, Bogart’s career as a leading actor was astonishingly brief. He won an Oscar for “The African Queen” in 1953 and completed “Beat the Devil” and “The Caine Mutiny” before ill-health forced his retirement. This biography is illustrated with over 200 photographs. [Cover]

 “Soul on fire” by Peter Calhoun

Soul on fire is a magical collection of stories describing the awakening of spiritual powers and the quest for “lost knowledge” of an Episcopal priest turned shaman - powers that have usually been ascribed to Eastern masters or traditional shamans. Soul on fire is an inspirational guide and must-read for both longtime seekers and those beginning their journey. [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 15 May - 22 May

 “Common ground” by Janice Marriott and Virginia Pawsey 

Janice Marriott and Virginia Pawsey, went to Gisborne Girls’ High together and met again after thirty years at a school reunion. They rekindled their friendship and began writing, discovering in the process a shared passion for gardening - despite their having created two very different gardens. Janice lives in central Wellington where her riotously colourful mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables surround her tiny house in the midst of the CBD. Virginia helps run a South Island high country farm and her garden has to feed shearers and farm labourers as well as cope with possums, runaway livestock and the challenges of rural life. Their wonderful correspondence tells the stories of their lives, their gardens, their loves and their losses, and is ultimately a book about female friendship, and a love of making things grow. As the seasons unfold, the stories of their gardens become metaphors for life. Beautifully written, their letters are funny, clever, poignant and perceptive, as two wise women provide a delightful insight into a wonderful friendship that will warm the coldest soul. [Cover]

  “Dancing backwards in high heels” by Christine Darcas

 Forty-one-year-old Madeleine Hutchinson is in a rut. From the outside, she seems pretty together: she has a responsible, caring husband, two healthy boys, and she’s starting to make a few friends after the family’s move from Chicago to Melbourne. So why does she feel like her marriage is a cage, and why does she feel so invisible? Lost one rainy Melbourne evening, she catches a glimpse of couple dancing in a warmly lit studio. The next day something is unleashed inside and she decides to start Latin American dancing. From the first lesson, she’s hooked. When she dances, she’s neither wife nor mother: she’s just herself. And when she meets Hugh, a gorgeous younger man in her class, she discovers an irresistible chemistry. Or is it? As Maddie is drawn closer to the thing she thinks she wants the most, her life begins to unravel. She’s torn: part of her yearns to be closer to Hugh; another part fights it, knowing an affair would destroy her family. Maddie is forced to work out who she really is, and what she really wants from her life. [Cover]

  “Fitness food” 

A balanced diet is the key to maximizing sporting performance, whether you jog around the block or perform competitively. This book includes a wide range of recipes that have been specially developed for active people by sports dieticians. [Cover]

 ”Julie & Julia” by Julie Powell

The author recounts how she escaped the doldrums of an unpromising career by mastering every recipe in Julia Child’s 1961 classic, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” a year-long endeavor that transformed her life. [Cover]

 “The mad keen mountain biker’s road trip” by Ruth Connor

Experienced mountain bike junkie Ruth Connor has put together 56 of the country’s best mountain bike trails - some famous, some best known to locals, and all absolutely worth the ride. This is the mountain bikers indispensable guide to getting onto this country’s most awesome single-track rides. [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 8 May - 15 May

 “Spilling the beans” by Clarissa Dickson Wright

An autobiography of one of the nation’s best-loved cooks whose life has led her from wealth and privilege to alcoholism, bankruptcy and eventually fame in “Two Fat Ladies”. A vivid and funny story, “Spilling the beans” is as moving as it is a cracking good read. [Cover]

 “The spare room” by Helen Garner

 A woman’s friend, suffering from cancer, has come to stay while undertaking a controversial Vitamin-C based treatment she believes will cure her. A story of compassion, humour and rage. [Cover]

 “Jewellery-making basics” by Nicola Hurst 

This practical and easy-to-use book enables you to start making wonderful necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings, earrings and more, even if you have never so much as picked up a pair of pliers before. [Cover]

 ”The encylopedia of surfing” by Matt Warshaw

From A to Z, 1500 entries from the world of surfing, including places, people, events, gear, culture, and terminology. Illustrated with over 300 photos, the encyclopedia also features a brief history of surfing, a comprehensive surfing bibliography, discography, and filmography, and listings of surf contest winners from the past 50 years. [Cover]

 “This charming man” by Marian Keyes

Lola Daly has just found out that her boyfriend - gorgeous, charming and powerful politician Paddy de Courcy - is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees Dublin to a cottage in the countryside. Can a new set of friends help her to get over him? Journalist Grace Gildee wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy’s engagement. Lola refuses to talk the press but Grace won’t give up. She knew Paddy a long time ago and hasn’t forgotten him …Marnie Hunter is Grace’s twin sister. With a loving husband and two gorgeous daughters, Marnie seems to have it all. But she’s haunted by memories. Memories that began with her first love - Paddy de Courcy. Can Marnie leave the past behind once and for all and move on with her life? Alicia Thornton is Paddy’s wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancé. But does she know the real Paddy? Four women. One man. And a secret that binds them all. [Cover]
 

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

Avril

“Laying the ghost” by Judy Astley

  “Laying the ghost” by Judy Astley

Have you ever wondered what your ex was up to?  When Nell was a student, she and Patrick were a serious item. But then Alex came along…the safer, more restful alternative, and she opted for him instead. Now nothing is going right. Alex has left her to live in New York with a younger, blonder woman. Returning from a recuperative holiday in the Caribbean, Nell is mugged at Gatwick and her bag is stolen. It’s crisis time - and she makes two decisions: First - she will take lessons in self-defence. Second - she will try to find Patrick again.

Meanwhile daughter Mimi is doing her best to cope with her newly-single mother while making the most of being fifteen. She has her own first-love decisions to deal with and feels that her mother does not need to know about these…

This is a funny, warm, and realistic look at the life of a recently separated wife and mother.  It is a light afternoon’s read, with the added bonus of a number of useful self-defence tips.  It will go on display in the District Library on May 1^st.

 

Alison

New books on display at Hurunui District Library from 1 May - 8 May

 “Towards Aotearoa” by David Eggleton

 A handsome hardback illustrated collection of the very best examples of art (painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography) produced in New Zealand over 100 years from 1901 to 2001. David Eggleton gives a short, informative and accessible history of NZ art to accompany his selection of 101 artworks. [Cover]
 ”A prisoner of birth” by Jeffrey Archer

Danny, an East End Cockney, leaves Clement Attlee Comprehensive School at the age of 15 to take up a job at a local garage. Spencer Craig after leaving university he becomes a criminal barrister. Their lives will never be the same again. For one of them is arrested for murder, while the other ends up as the Prosecution’s chief witness. [Cover]

 ”Hog wild” by Kim Swan

There are essentially two types of peole who enjoy the outdoors in New Zealand, those that hunt pigs and those that don’t. For those that do there exists a group of wives, girlfriends, husbands, boyfriends, partners and family who have an inkling of what motivates those that do. For many pig hunting is a way of life. [Cover]

 “Change of heart” by Jodi Picoult

One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart. Now her life is a waiting game. Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice. In short, waiting for a miracle to happen. For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises. The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world. In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him. Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June’s eleven-year-old daughter, Claire. But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child. [Cover]

 ”On the edge : My story” by Richard Hammond

On the edge is a compelling account of Richard Hammond’s life before and after the high-speed crash that so nearly killed him and a brutally honest description of his year of recovery, full of drama and incident. [Cover]

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

Avril

 

 

 

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