New Zealand Books

When did Australia first show a distinctive foreign policy? This is the question that has troubled historians for some time. Meaney's book, however, appears to have settled the issue. The book is chronological in style and sets out the history of Australian defence and foreign policy, from the colonial administrations of the late 19th Century, through to the start of the First World War. It appears to be the first of a series of three which, if the first is anything to go by, will be the definitive account of Australia's foreign relations and defence planning in the early 20th century. Meaney's scholarship is meticulous, and the book is written in a style that will satisfy both the scholar and the lay reader with an interest in the history of this formative period. I highly recommend the work as a valuable (almost invaluable) contibution to our understanding of Australia and its place in the world.

An unprecedented story - a comprehensive dissection of an anti-environmental PR campaign based on an almost complete set of leaked public relations files. The tactics exposed are in common use - especially in North America, but rarely see the light of day until many years have passed. Shandwick, one of the top 10 environmental "greenwashers" helped Shell manage bad publicity over it's role in Nigeria. They were hired in 1997 to build support for Timberlands, a state-owned logging company in New Zealand. For two years 5 full time employees ran a comprehensive campaign to discredit the environmentalists, who initially had majority support, and build a positive picture of their logging plans in the eyes of the public. The exposure of these plans, by the initial publication of this book in the fall of 1999 , led in part to the downfall of the NZ government and the cancellation of the Timberlands old growth logging plans.

The book makes use of the leaked documents to illustrate how environmental groups were infiltrated, and attempts made to neutralize them. Details of how sources of funding were targeted, and the use of legal threats or "SLAPP suits". It documents the people who actively assisted the company, as well as those who were unknowingly recruited in support. The setting up and methods of control of supposedly independent front groups is revealed in the leaked PR documents. In North America the "wise use" groups fit this model. The manipulation of the media is detailed. Friendly press were given all-expense paid tours of model logging areas, for which positive publicity was expected. Complaints were sent to the employers of journalists who wrote stories unfavorable to logging.

"Dirty tricks" are exposed. The planting of a fake bomb and the destruction of a tree-sitting platform with a log slung from a helicopter are exposed through subsequent cover ups and attempts to influence an investigation by aviation authorities.

I rate this book highly because of the unique portrait of an anti-environmental campaign, and it's relevance to campaigns in North America.

Almost impossible to find. This book tells how to build everything you need to set up a pottery studio including detailed plans for a treadle wheel and kilns. It tells how to make your equipment on a budget -- an important consideration these days.

I checked this book out of the library years ago. Since then, someone has stolen the library's copy. I have been looking for a copy for years. If you find a copy, I strongly urge you to buy it.

This book is the first of its kind to focus on the identity of Scots migrating to colonial Western Australia between 1829 and 1850.
It is captivating, informative and is a great contribution to Scottish and Australian history, especially in its focus on individual, migrant histories.
The author has captured the true essence of the Westralian Scots, and illustrates that whilst they were small group of migrants, their passionate and strong sense of Scottish idenity was not lost or absorbed, but rather, celebrated. Whilst the book focuses on personal histories, it also has a sense of fun, delving into the lives these Scots with excerpts relating to their songs, drinking and reading. This book is perfect for anyone with any Scottish roots or an interest in Scottish migration. It's well developed, alluring, and the best history book I have ever read.
I highly recommend this book.

This is the first book about the alien "Oppy" who comes to Earth to study its "primitive" species and takes up residence in Alfred Brown's head. Gaelyn employed all her wonderful story-telling skills and the quirky humour that was her special stamp in this book, which should be enjoyed by children the world over.

It is not often that a book, especially a work of non-fiction, moves and excites me enough to make me want to send its author fan mail. While reading Jennifer Deger's Shimmering Screens, I had to resist the urge to do so at the conclusion of each chapter; only the rush to discover what insights and delights awaited me in the next installment kept my fingers from the keyboard. Deger, who is a research fellow in anthropology at Macquarie University in Sydney, has written a brilliant book that offers an analysis of the ways in which one man, Bangana Wunungmurra, took up the challenge of making video from the community of Gapuwiyak in Arnhem Land in order to reinvigorate Yolngu rom (Law) and to pursue a personal redemption. It is a study of the impact of Western technology in (and not necessarily on) a remote community, a memoir of how fieldwork changes the anthropologist, and a meditation on the ways in which Yolngu and whitefellas can interpenetrate each other's worlds. If anthropology in recent years has questioned the possibility of continuing to write conventional ethnography along the lines of Lloyd Warner's classic study of the Yolngu,A Black Civilization: A Study of an Australian Tribe, then Deger's Shimmering Screens achieves a new model for ethnography in the 21st century.

The Ship brings to life Captain Cook's famous voyage of exploration to the South Pacific aboard the square-rigged ship Endeavour. Between August and October 2001 a volunteer crew, sailing an exact replica of Cook's ship, retraced the most perilous stretch of the original voyage from the Great Barrier Reef (off the east coast of Australia) to Indonesia. This book tells the story of Cook's journey through the experience of the modern crew. Featuring original drawings, maps, and artworks, plus spectacular new photographs. I promise you'll enjoy it!

The opening story tells of a partyat her house with a group of friends of all persuasions-social-ist,communist,technocrat etc. andher cousin, a businessman. After the guests all explain how theirbeliefs would cure the ills of theworld her cousin tells his storywhere his protagonist realizes "There aren't enough smart peopleto go around."

This really made me think about being a New Z ealand Male. When you consider what these guys went through and how they were expected to get on with life is it any wonder they were "distant" from their children and found it difficult to show affection?

Alison Parr does a great job of showing just how deep the scars run still from the Second World War.

Jackie Huggins is a powerful writer and a real deadly tita, black aussie slang for phat sistah, and if you don't know what that translates to... you better ask somebody! But on the serious tip, I really related to Sister Girl because I am an African American female. Jackie writes about how race and gender blend and how they also have a tendency to collide. Moreover, I went to study abroad in Australia, which was supposed to be the most multi-cultural society-you know the mixed salad bowl theory. Well, after a couple of weeks I realized how white and culturally insensitive this exotic land was, at least it was at the University of Queensland, where I studied. I was in the city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia and well I guess you could sort of compare it with an American southern town. Anyway, my most cultural experience was being enrolled in a class entitled Black Australian Literature, where the class read books written by Aboriginal women and men and also engaged in discussions about the social and political construction of race. Sister Girl was one of those books we read. I enjoyed it because it was not like most historical books you read. Jackie masterfully weaves "herstory" within the context of the social issues. I was almost in tears when I read the conversation between Jackie and bell hooks. "Wow, now that's racial solidarity and true sisterhood," I thought. Here we have an Aboriginal woman and an African American woman-two black women from two distinct parts of the world making a conscious effort to embrace each others unique concerns and identities as well as laugh and shout out a "right on sister!" or a "real deadly tita!" at their similarities. Reading this book was an eye opener to current political and social issues in the Aboriginal community and Australian multi-culturalism as a whole.It also gives a context and a history to racism and sexism on a personal and historical level. This book is an interesting read for Americans, regardless of gender or ethnicity, because Australian racism and sexism is so parallel to social issues in the U.S., and these issues effect both male and female/black and white. Jackie also has a way of connecting with the reader, and I'm not so sure if I felt this way because my identity is so closely related to Jackie's. Nonetheless, when I finished the book I felt that I knew who Jackie was, like I had made a personal connection with history. While reading the book I felt like I had gone on a journey with Jackie; I had laughed with her and experienced some of her pain, or at least came to an undersatnding of why a particular experience was painful to her and her people. Through the imagery she so vividly writes in, all of these feelings and understanding were achieved. I had a good time reading the book-and wouldn't you know it, I actually ended up meeting and speaking casually with Jackie Huggins at the end of the semester get-together my professor Sam Watson, another talented Aboriginal author, planned for our entire class. Jackie Huggins' Sister Girl is a real deadly read! I strongly recommend it to all those interested in decolonization, history,feminism and education. And Jackie if your reading this "Write on sister girl, write on!"