New Zealand Books

This novel won the Goncourt Award in 1930 (This is the French equivalent of the Literature Pulitzer Award). It focus on the life of a former French Soldier of the First World War who after a conversation which one of his fellow comrades in arms feels the paradox inherent in everyone of life's conflicts. The conversation is broken to be retaken ten years afterwards when the meet in Malaya at a country club. Now his mate is the owner of a rubber plantation and he works in the administrative post with another company involved in the same type of business.

Helped by his friend, he will slowly but surely develop a wider perception of life, boosted by the fact that the customs of the locals allow him to relax his usual frame of mind. It is a novel of self discovery written at a time when such type of travel was not hype, so it feels very authentic.

Soundings is a collection of heartfelt poems and simple yet evocative black-and-white drawings by Cilla McQueen. The brief yet poignant free-verse lyrics evoke scenes of life, history, and the best and worst of human nature, focusing especially on conflicts engendered between colonists from the New World and Native American civilizations. Rakiura, 1823: At Poti Repo, Ebenezer Denton/died defending the stores--//the last thing he saw/was the patu//that struck like a shark/in the dreamy dark//where silent figures/cast and puffed//white flour about, bit soap/and spat it out,//scattered tobacco,/spurning the gunpowder,//throwing it down/on the ground, on the fire,//gyrating/through violent explosions.

The number of people thirsting to learn the primevel history of animal studies in New Zealand could not be large, but "The Southern Ark" will find its readers, nevertheless, because of the pictures.
J.R.H. Andrews' book, originally published in New Zealand in 1986 and now brought out by the University of Hawaii Press, is filled with glorious color pictures from the golden age of zoological illustration. By way of comparison, you could pay the same price for a poster (by one of Maui's high-priced animal painters) and not have anything half as good.
New Zealand is superficially like Hawaii -- a group of remote, temperate islands settled first by Polynesians. Neither had any land mammals, except bats, before humans arrived, but New Zealand had frogs, which Hawaii never did, and, maybe, a gecko two feet long.
Readers who turn to the text will learn that in the Marseille museum, in France, lie the bones of the world's largest gecko. Nobody knows how they got there or where they came from, and there are no bones like them anywhere, and nobody has ever seen the animal that once enclosed them.
The best guess is that the bones rightfully belonged to King Louis XVIII but were purloined from the cargo of an expedition that visited the French colony in New Zealand in the 1840s.
Andrews' text is too specialized to interest anyone who isn't committed to natural history, and even then it brings to mind the little girl who wrote a book report on a volume about penguins: "This book told me more about penguins than I wanted to know."
However, it is thought-provoking. What does a 2-foot-long gecko eat? Six-inch mosquitoes?

This book is a must read, must do for every woman. It is like a mentor that you will turn to when you are lost and confused. Lot of things you will yourself realise as you go thru life, but this book will consciously focus on them and help you to sort out things.

During the 1990's, Philip Holden wrote and published his best-selling 'Station Country' trilogy. In "Station Life", he travels through New Zealand visiting sheep and cattle stations (farms). Among the many stations he visits was Mataka, in the Bay of Islands. It was here, in 1814, that the Reverend Samuel Marsden was responsible for liberating cattle, horses and, significantly, Merino sheep. Philip Holden also links up with the colourful Molesworth stockmen as they muster cattle on the biggest station in New Zealand. Further south, he delves into the legend of the sheepstealer, James MacKenzie.

It's well written, interesting and well-illustrated profusely with a good collection of stunning colour photographs. Another fascinating insight into the New Zealand farming lifestyle of decades passed.

This is a very learned book on this wonderful French woman who came to New Zealand in the 19th Century. Working as a nun in several areas of New Zealand, she was fluent in written and spoken maori, and cared for all people regardless of race or creed. Highly recommended.

Wonderfully organised book covering a wide range of topics pertaining to the conservation of temperate marine environments through scientific research and understanding. Chapters cover ecological assessments, analytical aspects of sampling design, reef fishes, subtidal assemblages of soft substrata, planktonic assemblages, gastropods and the indentification and treatment of specimens. Easy to read and a pleasure to the eye with many black and white diagrams and colour plates. Huge reference section will help in any further research.

Swirly World features the exploits of Andrew Fagan solo sailing his 18-foot pocket cruiser about the SouthWest Pacific. It is a terrific read and I heartily recommend it. Andrew and his boat Swirly World hold the record for sailing the smallest yacht, solo from New Zealand to Australia (and back again).

An accomplished wordsmith, Andrew writes with flare and style. His book will be an inspiration to any sailor contemplating a solo voyage. In fact anyone looking to have an adventure which pits your wits and skills against that venerable old lady; Mother Nature will enjoy this book.

Andrew was a rock star in small time New Zealand during the eighties. I must confess I expected arrogance and extravagance in his attitudes. I also anticipated the `I did this' and `I am so darn good' type of language that you often find in celebrity biographies. However, after reading his book I am impressed! Not only by his exploits and adventure, but his thoughtfulness and humility. In simple terms, he goes about the business of telling his story without gloating or boasting. best of all it is a great story.

In the typical style of solo sailors writing a book, he expresses his views on life, the universe and everything. Moreover, Andrew Fagan has pondered much.

Of particular interest to yachties, the book would have a wide appeal. It is easy to read, full of surprises. And if you sail or aspire to sail single-handed, then this book is a real must. As well as explaining the problems, worries and joys of sailing a solo trans ocean race, Andrew details his simple voyages to remote little islands just for the fun!

And some of those problems! Food, weather, storms, seasickness, safety and dreams are all discussed. Not sure if I needed the detail on constipation on the high seas, but very funny all the same.

Swirly World is written in a style similar to Shane Acton's `Shrimpy Sails'. Although they are very different stories one can't help but make the comparison. Both tiny yachts sailing across huge oceans. Both authors accepting the difficulties presented and the reality that only oneself can overcome the problem at hand. Self-reliance, lack of resources, and the wonder of nature.

A great book, and well worth the 20 bucks. This book is available at Amazon UK.

Reviewed by Grant McNamara located in Wellington, New Zealand at [website]August 2003

The book by Michael King, Revised Edition of a photography and social history, which submission all the facts of life among Maori before the Euporean time of settlements in NZ, what are the Maori like in past and today are totally different

Gaelyn Gordon's quirky humour and wonderful story-telling skills are nowhere near as widely appreciated as they should be. Children all over the world should enjoy this book. Although it makes gentle fun of New Zealand's politicians and New Zealand's big weekly lottery, Lotto, I suspect things are much the same in their own countries.