New Zealand Books

History has yet to produce a full account of the British Empire. One of the reasons for this shortfall is the lack of voices of the invaded. Nowhere in the former British Empire is the silence more deafening than Australia. Touched by Europeans for over a century before the Port Jackson convict settlement was founded, Australia was the most enigmatic outpost of Empire. Although the first Governor was enjoined to deal with the scattered Aborigines fairly, it wasn't long before the true Australians were driven from their lands, murdered or made into domestic servants. Henry Reynolds, noted historian of the Australian scene, richly chronicles the attempts by white humanitarians to give these displaced people some level of resistant voice.

Reynolds chooses one issue, occupation of the land, as his major theme. There are, he admits, many other issues that might have been considered, but the land question remained fundamental to European-Aborigine relations. Australia was the sole colony of the Empire declared "terra nullius" - unoccupied by human beings, therefore open to unrestricted invasion. The island continent and all its resources were at the disposal of the Crown.

Australia, of course, had occupants when the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay, and it wasn't long before they began resisting invasion. Reynolds shows that the Aborigines had allies among the white invaders, people who urged at the very least, that the "natives" be offered remuneration or protected reserves on which to live. He reviews the careers of these humanitarians with sympathy and applause, but recognizes the futility of their efforts. Not a few failed simply because their personalities were unsuited to the task of inhibiting the rape of the continent.

Resistance to white oppression of the Aborigines began as early as the first penal settlement. William Dawes objected to the first of a multitude of punitive expeditions launched to revenge the spearing of a servant. Reynolds notes these "expeditions," which continued into the 20th Century, followed a consistent pattern - unselective killing in revenge for Aborigine defense of their homeland. From Dawes, Reynolds traces the course of objections to wanton slaughter of Aborigines through the notable figures trying to stem the flood of settlement and its attendant conflict. He cites George Augustus Robinson's work to isolate Aborigines in Victoria and Tasmania from white settlement - a career which ended disastrously. Reformers in Western Australia were driven into exile by irate settlers, and Queensland earned its unsavoury reputation with the creation of the Native Police, an unrestrained paramilitary force. Reynolds intersperses his own text with supportive sources of personal journals, letters, government documents and newspaper articles. The result is a descriptive potpourri of opinions, accounts, policy making and, most important, a struggle for justice.

This book, by the celebrated historian Henry Reynolds, describes the efforts of some of the early settlers in Australia in support of the Aborigines.

At times, the book is profoundly moving. It recounts appalling atrocities committed against Australia's indigenous communities by the "civilized" British.

Its main focus, though, is the efforts of a number of people who tried to ensure that the Aborigines were treated fairly and with compassion. It provides an insight into their struggles in aid of the Aborigines, their perseverance in the face of rejection and the hardships they often suffered.

Despite being a history book, the text is quite readable!

In summary, this is a moving and enlightening book about some of Australia's "forgotten" humanitarians.

Witi Ihimaera is on of my favourite authors and this book does not disappoint. OK, so perhaps it is a little sterotypical and a little dramatic in places but it grips you. Sam and Cliff are vibrant characters and I empathize with them completely. The backdrop of the Vietnam war is a fitting context and the battle scences detailed. I really enjoyed this book, Witi Ihimaera is a master storyteller.
If you liked this, you may wnat to read "Nights in the Garden on Spain" also by Witi. Also very very good.

The opening pages of Uncle's Story suggest a twist that the reader may guess.. but after the first few pages, all bets are off... as Witi Ihimaera takes the reader on a wild and action-packed ride of plot twists and character development. Similar to Whale Rider, in that it's a coming of age (coming out of the closet?) story of a young Maori fighting against the bias and proud traditions of one's tribal family. Uncle's Story has additional drama with it's backdrop being the Vietnam War.

If you saw the movie Whale Rider and loved it, then you owe it to yourself to read Uncle's Story. You won't be disappointed!!!

Under Wraps: One Soldier's Hidden Diary of WW II is collected diary of Jay Coffman, recorded during his service in the US Army Infantry in the South Pacific throughout World War II. Since keeping a diary in combat zones was a court-martial offense, Coffmen hid his diary among his personal effects until the war ended. Though he survived the war, his untimely death at age 48 was partly due to the malaria he had contracted on Guadalcanal. Editor Tom Fulks has added notes to Coffman's diary, clarifying passages or mentioning appropriate historic references. Fulks also contributes a seventy-page overview of World War II, to refresh the reader's familiarity of the war and the politics surrounding it. Under Wraps is not only a hands-on first-person account of the war, but also a love story, and a fond remembrance of home and family. A welcome addition to firsthand testimonies of the Pacific conflict, and an absorbing true story that will appeal to readers of all persuasions.

Jay Coffman was an ordinary foot soldier who voluntarily served his country in World War II, delaying the start of his career and married life for some four years. His recorded his acitivities, thoughts, and feelings in his diary, and those observations that the censors would not allow him to mail home in letters. It reveals how different that war was from all the wars that followed. Only a handful of people have ever seen or known about the diary until now; Jay's lifelong love Dot did not want it published during her lifetime as it was "too personal." Parts of the diary are as slow-moving as certain periods of Coffman's service but, due to his comfortable writing style, it is always very easy to read. As editor, I researched the diary and added information to clarify it and put Jay's observations in their historical perspective.

Roger Douglas was the finance minister of New Zealand Labor government in late 1980s. He envisioned famous deregulation process at that time. That policy frame was called as Rogernomics. It was comparable to Thatcher's reform. This book is not about that politics but the program on what should be done to New Zealand to prosper. To that end, the author propose various policies based on hard numbers. But those figures are not that interesting to foreigners. What seduce foreigners are his looking back on deregulation process in late 1980s which he initiated. He depicts clearly what is deregulaton of reform: reform is the process to achieve public interest against vested interest. New Zealand had and has suffered economic inefficiency from decades of government's overintervention into private sector under Labor Party ruling since 1940s. Most policieswhic had been put into effect under the name of welfare state, eventualy proved to be populist pork barrel politics. New Zealand economy has suffered from good politics but bad policies over decades. in effect populist politics could not be carried on with a few hundreds % of deficit. in 1980s every politicians admitted the need of reforming public sector. But it was not easy task at all. "I know the reform is needed. But constituencies don't want it" What did Roger Douglas to his country is propose the vision in the face of constituencies. He insists that once you could ensure them with the vision, you could carry on reform against the jungle of vested interest. In this book, you can get the clear idea of what is reform and how it should be put into effect.

Roger Douglas, former finance minister for the Labor Party in New Zealand, writes an insightful book arguing for transparency in government. Argues for accrual based accounting, consumption taxation, school vouchers, etc. Should be required reading for any government official or politician. The numbers make it a bit dry but a must read book

Vietnam ANZACs - Australian & New Zealand Troops in Vietnam, 1962-72 is the latest Vietnam War-related volume in Osprey Publishing's Elite Series. For years Osprey has been known for its excellent treatment of a wide variety of military history topics and this volume is no exception. Kevin Lyles has written and/or illustrated more than a dozen books on military history, most particularly on the Vietnam War, his area of special interest. Lyles does double duty as both the book's author and illustrator, allowing for a greater coordination between the photographs and artwork than is possible when different individuals perform the roles of author and illustrator.

It is only fitting that Lyle, a member of the British Commonwealth, should turn his attention to the contributions of Australia and New Zealand during the Vietnam War. The term `ANZAC' originally referred to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of World War I, but has remained in use for Australian and New Zealand troops. While these nation's troop commitments to South Vietnam may seem small (only 8000 at their peak in 1968), the population of both nations combined was approximately the same as New York state by itself.

Lyles begins by discussing the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV), which would serve in Vietnam for more than ten years and became the most decorated (including four Victoria Crosses) unit of its size in the Australian Army. These men, mostly from the infantry and SAS, were professional soldiers, many of whom had already seen combat in Malaya in the 1950s and who worked closely with the South Vietnamese. Lyles then discusses the actions of the regular army units from Australia and New Zealand.

While the majority of the regular army troops were trained in conventional warfare, they employed a radically different style from American soldiers. The U.S. Army employed large, conventional forces and took advantage of their tactical mobility and heavy firepower over the Viet Cong. The ANZACs, on the other hand, widely dispersed their forces and used stealth to hunt the enemy - a tactic used by some more elite formations of the American military. Lyles concludes this section by discussing the most well-known ANZAC battle - Long Tan. On 18 August 1966 at the rubber plantation of Long Tan, D Company, 6th Royal Australian Regiment, with the fire support from American and New Zealand artillery defeated the Viet Cong 445th Battalion and 275th Regiment, who outnumbered them more than 10-1.

The remainder of the book includes a chronology, an order of battle, and a discussion of uniforms and equipment. In fact, more than half of the book is taken up by photos, artwork, and the discussion of uniforms and equipment. All of these are of the highest quality, but it is important for readers to understand that this is not a comprehensive history. With that one caveat in mind, I wholeheartedly recommend this book for those interested in Australian and New Zealand military history and/or the Vietnam War.

Given that Vietnam War uniforms is a pet subject of Kevin Lyles and knowing that he has devoted a number of years to this project, I had high expectations of this book. I am happy to report that these have largely been fulfilled.

I'll admit this is not exactly an objective review - firstly the author, Kevin Lyles, is my favourite military artist; secondly the title covers a subject which I myself have done an extensive amount of reading and collecting into over the years.

Lyles starts off with a brief political and military background and then describes the gradual build up of ANZAC forces. The text continues on to include differences in warfighting doctrine between the Allies and a brief description of the Battle of Long Tan.

The author illustrates and describes very well the genesis of the ANZAC uniform from the first combat troops to the pull-out 10 years later. In dealing with the complexity of the subject he has logically divided the subject matter into chapters dealing with Australian uniforms; Australian webbing; NZ uniforms & equipment; and finally SASR/NZSAS field dress.

Some of the photos are pics that have appeared in other publications but all illustrate quite well points that the author desired to stress.

The colour plates are simply stunning and illustrate well the uniform genesis from early to late war and covers not only the average 'digger' but also includes special forces, advisors and other corps.

In summary this book is an absolute gem in that it covers quite comprehensively a niche subject that has been largely ignored or simply been wrongly reported by other less-informed publications. The text is packed full of precious tidbits of information and the colour illustrations are .. well, it's Lyles!

Although aimed primarily at the collector/modeller I have to say that if you have any interest at all in the Australian military or the Vietnam War then this book should sit on your bookshelf.

I am of Australian origin and was recently in Australia, among other things, looking for Aussie wines to start my own cellar. His book was well written, and, unlike most other wine critics, does not rate his own wines as a mark of his integrity. We found many good, medium priced wines and reccomend this book for anyone interested in Australian wines.

Because they offer a fantastic diversity of flavors and represent great value in today's glutted wine market, the best wines of Australia and New Zealand are in high demand world-wide. Mr. Halliday is today THE authority on these wines, one of the most reliable wine critics out there, and this book further establishes his reputation with the most up-to-date information available. Here he has selected the best wineries, organized alphabetically, with statistics and tasting notes following. He is unabashedly biased towards these wines, but his notes are exceptionally well written without sounding stuffy or flowery. If you're into Australian wines, this book will be an INVALUABLE resource and will point you towards some really memorable and iconoclastic wines. If there's a flaw, I'd say it could be better indexed, allowing you to more easily compare, say, Australian shirazes or wineries of New South Wales. But if you're an adventurous wine drinker, you're certain to make some excellent discoveries with this book.

Ian Wright is not like any other Footballer. Ian Wright more than loves the Game, he is the Game. This book is full of real emotion. Cliché as it may seem, this book is of a man that has and scores goals to fulfill his dream. It is supurbly written. Ian really talks to you! The most sensational read about an undescribable talent. Treat yourself to this book

IAN WRIGHT IS FOOTBALL! IAN WRIGHT IS THE MAN !

Capturing Ian Wright on paper is no mean feat. Ghost-written though this may be, it is so open, genuine and believable it made no difference. This is such an unashamedly blatant account of the highs and lows of a thus far glittering career as a footballer, and more importantly, a person. This book provides a clear insight into just how much there is behind the showman who also doubles as one of Englands' greatest (ever) strikers. You'll, as I did, finish it in no time.

Sophie's World is a trite and ploddingly written textbook trying to masquerade as a novel of meta fiction. Mr. Gaarder writes with a pedantic style when he presents the philosophy lectures/letters in the novel. The dialogue of the characters is trite and unrealistic at best. Usually I am little more kind in book reviews, but I do not understand all the fuss about this one.
I think many people praise it because of its cutesy story arc of fictional characters living in perpetuity outside of the world of their texts. Sorry folks, but this is not a very original idea. For a far superior take on the same themes look to Pirandello's masterful play Six Characters in Search of an Author.
Mr. Gaarder barely connects his two storylines about a philosophy course, and a man writing a book about a philosophy course, and when they do intersect one is hard pressed to find the thematic relevance. It is almost like he expects the reader to be impressed by the intertwining story lines and their subject matter, and to forget that he does a terrible job of bridging the two.
Take a philosophy course, or read some meta fiction. This text is a poor example of both!

This is a brilliant book sweeping you through history and introducing highly inspirational characters from different periods of time around the world. Even though it is described as 'A Novel About The History of Philosophy', it is barely that. To me a lot of excerpts from the words of legends such as Plato or Socrates made a lot of sense and seemed to run on logic. The novel features a girl called Sophie who receives letters from an unknown philosopher who teaches her a lot about life and the way things work. She learns and absorbs as much as she can, and soon you find that you are indeed the 'Sophie' in the story, and the book is indeed the 'Unknown Philosopher'! This book is a masterpiece that will keep you thinking till the end and after. Its a timeless wonder."

I agree with other reviewers that the book is fun, fascinating, and informative. My only objection is that the ending is a bit over the top. I felt that the author could not quite figure out how to wrap up the story and the effect seems a little wild and crazy. Some will probably love it for that reason.

Sophie's World is a fine book, but this recording has a couple of mixed up tracks (tracks recorded correctly, but apparently put on the CD in reverse order) and one part where either the reader (Simon Vance) accidentally skipped a couple of paragraphs or, more likely the recording was accidentally cut. I sent a letter to Macmillan explaining the problem. They politely thanked me for the input; but, a year later, nothing has happened.

This was a good book to read and the story line showed an interesting and unraveling plot twisting its way through major contents of philosophical knowledge. It is a pleasant read and one that is relaxing and kind to the mind. It is worth buying if you want to know philosophy in a simple and historical way and it will give you some basic understanding on how philosophy evolved. The author has written it in his unique perspective and it has many creative moments making it very special and memorable.

We all need to learn healthy bouderies to let good people in & keep unhealthy people out. Good "how to" book.

Great explaination of the constant struggle to maintain a healty border in your life. Let the good in and the bad out. Detailed explaination and easy read. Like any other book, not a instant life "fixer" but does have application to a better you.

the beginning was kinda slow, but once you get passsed it, it had really helpful and pertinent information in a much easier format.

for those like me who think God left it up to me to do his work and for others who just don't know how to keep someone out of their space, this book is perfect. it was a life changer for me. now i just remind myself "boundries" and know that God didn't leave me in charge down here, that he is in charge and working on al situations. it let me know that i am interfering with his work. i can now sleep at night knowing that he is in charge and that it's not up to me to fix up everyones lives

Written by psychologists and incorporating a Biblical perspective, Cloud and Townsend offer anecdotal, clinical and spiritual evidence as they explain the need for limits in our lives. Individual chapters address specific relational areas, e.g. family, marriage, children, workplace. The language and terminology are easy to understand, and the overall tone is encouraging.

Few admit that, when they were children, they scorched ants with the sun's rays under a magnifying glass, or tossed insects into spider webs to be eaten alive. We own up to flushing bugs down the toilet, and smashing flies with newspapers, books, and fly swatters.

In The Wasp Factory, Frank Cauldhame takes things a bit further. He tortures wasps, shoots and bombs rabbits, and kills and displays other small animals as needed to power his Sacrifice Poles and the Wasp Factory.

He's also killed three children, including a younger brother. These deaths occurred when Frank was a child himself. Although he rationalizes later as a young adult (the story takes place when Frank is almost 17) that he knew what he was doing, it is clear he was malicious then, not necessarily evil.

I'm no expert in the autism spectrum, but I'd say he was a functional autistic. Frank just didn't see the world the way others did. And in his life, he experienced abandonment by his mother, an atypical father, gender identification issues, homeschooling, limited interaction with other children, little supervision, and, eventually, the madness of his older brother, Eric. Eric, specializing in putting maggots in the mouths of children and setting dogs on fire, has escaped from a prison hospital, and Frank and his father await his arrival.

Iain Banks didn't write a horror story, or a mystery, or a medical thriller. He wrote about a short chapter in Frank's life, a life most would never see since Frank was raised and lives on a nearshore island in Scotland. Bank's descriptions of Frank's activities, from the making of sand villages that he destroys with dam collapses, to Frank's drunkenness in town, and his collection of animal parts for his Sacrifice Poles, is described in a matter of fact style, not embellished, and certainly not glorified. Frank is very, very different. Iain Banks simply describes him and his immediate family. They are very strange people. Poor Frank. Or is it bad Frank? Ah, that's where Banks gets the reader... he makes you come to your own conclusion.

I read the 1990 paperback edition by Abacus, printed in England. The first three pages after the cover contain snippets from reviewers, some scathing and others more kind, from literary sources in Great Britain. If you get the opportunity, don't miss these reviews. Here's a sample:

" There is no denying the bizarre fertility of the author's imagination: his brilliant dialogue, his cruel humour [sic], his repellent inventiveness. The majority of the literate public, however, will be relieved that only reviewers are obliged to look at any of it." -- Irish Times

You gotta love a story that brings out that in the reviewers!

This is the one and only book out of the thousand or so that I have read that I have ever thrown in the trash. Literally thrown in the trash bin after reading. This is not genre horror, it's out-and-out sadism. And reading it makes you masochistic. It is just blood-curdlingly awful. I picked it up based on its supposed "controversy" and the blurbs on the back cover. It sounded intriguing and dark, and I do like a dark narrative every once in a while. But this was just sick, and it was sick just for the purpose of being sick. There was no greater message, there was no inner revelation. I don't require a moral to every story, but I'd like a bit more than just one sick image after another, with no rhyme or reason other than "Oh, this kid's a psychopath AND a sociopath." There's always more to the story than just blood and guts (and more blood and guts). Avoid at all costs.

I picked up this book based on the similarities I've heard it shares with American Psycho, which is one of my favorite novels. The reviewers were correct and I must say that this was quite the page-turner for me, albeit a short one. It is certainly not for the squeamish; it can be very graphic and cruel at times, made all the more disturbing with the matter-of-factly writing style. It was structured loosely and didn't have a particularly driving plot, but I found the insight into the main character's everyday life fascinating. I'm torn on the ending. As you may have heard, there is a twist, and although I found it exciting to read at the time, upon reflection it seems a little jarring when compared to the rest of the novel. I almost would have preferred a little more ambiguity at the end rather than have a conclusion spoon-fed to the reader. However, overall I think it is a very worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys transgressive fiction.

A disturbing story of growing up in a home where dysfunctional would have been seen as a major improvement. Surprise ending. Murder and sadism pass by constantly . . . gripping. Avoid if you like dogs . . . well timed . . . secure structure (in the face of chaotic minds). As times outstandingly comical.

THE WASP FACTORY is the well written 1984 debut by Ian Banks, who has since written both literary and SF novels. This is pretty much a "shock" novel about a young boy with strong psychopathic tendencies. It caused quite a scandal when it was first released, and I can understand why: much of the novel is devoted to the main character torturing animals and murdering his young playmates. These scenes are initially quite capitvating (and darkly humorous) in a shocking sort of way, but become rather repetitive and over-the-top as the book progresses.

This novel does have a rather surprising twist, which the reader will either love or hate. It borders on schlock, but I liked it well enough to ultimately recommend the book.

Still, THE WASP FACTORY is nihilistic to an extreme, almost like a grade-B horror film. In the end, it really wasn't my cup of tea, although the quality of the prose was definitely first-rate. If you like dark humor, you will probably enjoy this one more than I did.