Literary criticism
James K Baxter as Critic: A Selection from his Literary Criticism
by Frank McKay
We all know James K Baxter as one of New Zealand's foremost poets but we are not all so familiar with his work in the field of literary criticism.
In this volume, you can read a great selection of his reviews of various writers and poets. You will find reviews of the work of New Zealanders Allen Curnow (At Dead Low Water), Alistair Campbell (Mine Eyes Dazzle), Eileen Duggan (More Poems), Denis Glover (Arawata Bill) and Sylvia Ashton-Warner (Incense to Idols) to name but a few.
And it's not just New Zealanders' work that is reviewed.
Handmade Houses
Handmade Houses: A Century of Earth-Friendly Home Design
with photography by Lucy Goodhart & Kodiak Greenwood
This is a veritable feast for the eyes. You definitely don't need to be an architect, builder or designer to enjoy looking through this book. However, if you are a professional, you will get just as much pleasure out of reading through it.
The houses in the book are from all over the world and feature cost-cutting, improvisation and eco-awareness ideas in beautiful designs. These are works of art. As well as that, they will provide inspiration, beauty, practical solutions and environment-friendly home design.
Don't live without a copy.
Photographs of New Zealand
Forty-five Degrees South: Panoramic Images of Southern New Zealand
The photography of Roger Wandless
In his book, Roger Wandless presents some really stunning photographs of the lower South Island of New Zealand (hence the title). He spent years travelling in pursuit of these perfect images.
You will find New Zealand's natural beauty is done proud in this collection. You will also see our special quality of light superbly highlighted in these photographs which show both the iconic and the obscure. A feast for the eyes.
Worms
Everyone knows about Charles Darwin and his biological theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest but not everyone knows that Darwin devoted the last years of his life to the study of the earthworm. Why would he do that? Because the humble earthworm has a profound role in the ecosystem. It tills the soil, destroys microscopic organisms which cause plant disease, breaks down toxins and turns waste into rich compost.
Charles Darwin was not alone in his fascination with the creature. Amy Stewart has written a book called The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms
Reading it is not only an enlightening educational experience but it is also enjoyable and knowing something more about the creatures on which the rise - and possibly the future - of civilisation may depend is definitely worthwhile
Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language
"Every day we are confronted with debased, depleted sludge: in the media, in companies, in the public service, from government, at work...... This new public language ....... is a dead language: devoid of lyric or comic possibility and incapable of emotion, complexity or nuance"
If that strikes a chord with you, then you will want to read this book:
Don Watson's Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language
His book is part diatribe, part reflection on public language and part an attack on those who use these weasel words and thus kill joy, imagination, wit and clarity.
Christchurch earthquake
Martin Van Beynen
Trapped: Remarkable Stories of Survival from the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake
This book documents the experiences of 30 survivors of the Canterbury earthquake in February 2011 in their own words.
"I had a very definite feeling of forty-nine years on the planet and felt it was a significant amount of life." David Horsley
"There's no good reason why I'm alive today. By all the odds, I should be dead." Tim Cronshaw
"I just started to laugh because the church was trying to kill me." Sue Spigel
"I thought,'Hell, I'm stuck; I'm going with the building.'" Lyn Reid
"I remember more and more pressure coming on and thinking, I don't know how much more I can take." Ann Brower
A satisfied customer maybe?
We have just received this lovely collage from Di Lewis. She was in the shop a couple of weeks ago and must have been inspired by what she saw. Afterwards, she created this lovely collage and she has generously sent it to us. We are posting on our website and on our Facebook page so you can all enjoy her creativity and so hopefully she can see how grateful we are. Thank you to Di.
New Zealand myths & legends
Myths and Legends of Aotearoa
Retold by Annie Rae Te Ake Ake
Fifteen Maori stories are retold in this book by Annie Rae Te Ake Ake. The stories are illustrated by secondary school pupils from all around New Zealand. These timeless tales hold the interest whether you're a first-time reader of the legends or you're reading myths you learnt about as a child to your own children.
Learn about Rangi, Papatuanuku, Tane, Tangaroa, Rongi and many other gods. Fascinating stories whose aim is to strengthen awareness of Maori wisdom and spirit. As Witi Ihimaera said, "If the children of the present are not involved in the telling of the stories of the past, New Zealand will have an incomplete future."
