The Book of Wooden Boats - 20th Dec 2016

Irresistable - beautiful wooden boats
Photography by Benjamin Mendlowitz & text by Maynard Bray
The Book of Wooden Boats in two volumes

These two beautiful books combine some marine history with marine photography which is an irresistable combination for anyone who likes beautiful old wooden boats - and who doesn't?

This is a celebration of traditional wooden boats, including sailboats, powerboats, working boats, open boats and yachts - and all built in wood (of course).

I think you will enjoy many a happy hour looking through this book whether you are a sailor, a boatbuilder, a boat renovator, a professional or just an interested landlubber. As one of the latter, I can honestly say that I could dream a weekend away just looking at these photographs. Get yourself a copy or buy one for any keen sailor you know. They are a must.

Double dose of excitement & gift-giving solved in one - 16th Dec 2016

The Julian Lenon Collection of BEATLES MEMORABILIA (and new music room to visit)

Julian Lennon is the owner of a unique collection of memorabilia, including guitars, clothing, letters, postcards, photographs, gold discs and much more.  In this book he explains the sentimental value of many of these articles and shares the memories that they carry for him. Here is his complete collection beautifully presented and fascinatingly discussed.  

The book is brand new and priced very reasonably (under $20.00 per copy). With the festive season approaching very fast, it would make a great Christmas present for any Beatles' fan. You can't buy a brand new copy anywhere else so why not come on into the shop and have an enjoyable browse in our lovely new music room (definitely a work in progress) and then depart clutching a couple of copies of the Julian Lennon book. You can't go wrong.

If you're one of the unlucky ones who don't live in Dunedin, you can still order a copy of the book from our online stock.
 

Music room open!!!!! - 9th Dec 2016

New music room is open at last - but it's still a work in progress and will be improving with every day that passes.

We have sections of books on rock & pop, blues, jazz & soul, country, classical & opera. There is a large collection of vinyl to browse through. We also have a large array of CDs that you can peruse. And........

....the biggest news for musician is that we have just started displaying our sheet music collection. It is definitely a work in progress at the moment but at least we have made a start.

Come on into the shop and have a look. There is even a nice comfy rimu rocking chair to rest in and a corner with a guitar.
 

The Ghost Railways of New Zealand - 8th Dec 2016

Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways
by David Leitch and Brian Scott

Anyone travelling around New Zealand will benefit from a copy of this book. Whether you are a railway enthusiast, a historian, a tramper, a weekend walker or a tourist, get a copy of this and put it in your car or your backpack or your panniers.

The book sets out a detailed history of each ghost line and covers its construction, its use, its operation & decline, and what is left that you can see now. The authors provide a very clear guide so that you can easily find the line and explore what remains. They also helpfully include a rough estimate of how long the walk will take and their opinion of how worthwhile the visit will be. 

David Leitch and Brian Scott's book will inspire you to get out and about in the fresh air and explore the bygone world of New Zealand's railways, stations, tunnels and bridges.  You'll have a great time while learning a lot about New Zealand's past.

Come in and get a copy before you go on holiday.
 

Travel writing - 7th Dec 2016

Travel writing has always been a very popular genre. For some people it is vicarious pleasure, for others a chance to learn about somewhere they are planning to visit, and for many it is to do with reading about places they will never go. Occasionally customers have told us they read the travel books to discover what countries or areas to cross off their lists forever!

Whatever your reasons for enjoying travel writing, the personal observations interwoven with insights into local culture and history can provide humorous, heart-rending, enthusiastic and sometimes grim and harrowing reading.

If you haven't yet made any forays into the travel writing genre, why not pop into the shop and peruse the shelves or browse on our website.

We have a huge selection of travel writing from authors such as Paul Theroux, Bill Bryson, Dervla Murphy, Eric Newby, Jan Morris, Lawrence Durrell, Michael Palin, Bruce Chatwin, Peter Mayle and many, many more.

Maybe you are hoping to become a travel writer yourself? We can help with books on how to become a travel writer and tips on how to get started.

Trains, trains, glorious trains - 5th Dec 2016

We have a wide array of books about steam engines, trains, stations, railways and related transport history. In fact, we bought yet another train enthusiast's complete collection yesterday to add to the many we already have. If you haven't yet been in to peruse our stock, now is a good time to pop in. If you are a regular already, then it's worth another visit to check out the new additions. Here is just one which arrived yesterday:

Fire & Steam: A New History of the Railways in Britain
by Christian Wolmar

This book is a wide-ranging history of the rail network from the rise of the steam train to electrification, including the contribution of railways to World War One and World War Two. Wolmar covers the social and economic importance of rail and how it has contributed to the Britain of today. He talks interestingly of the rail network's role in such varied fields as industrialisation, fish & chips, professional football, daytrippers, investment and more.  

Come and have a look or browse through our online catalogue.


 

Motorsport Madness - 3rd Dec 2016

Motorsport enthusiasts are in for a treat with the D1NZ Drifting Championships being held at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin this weekend. While rugby fans may be cringing at the thought of the ground being turned into a concreted drifting track for the competition, the transformation is impressive and bound to bring a lot of excitement over the next few days. 

If you've been agonising over Christmas gifts for someone who is out watching tonight we may have just the thing you are looking for - loads of great books about cars from biographies of racers and histories of famous models to a massive selection of repair manuals. 

You can browse online or come in and have a look around (if you're not too dizzy from the fumes after tonight!). We may not be installing a racetrack any time soon but it's still well worth a visit. 

End of exams - 2nd Dec 2016

Today is the last day of NCEA exams - in case you hadn't noticed - and with the end of the school year looming, the mind turns naturally to holidays, time off and relaxation.

Why not grab a copy of the Bumper Crossword book? It's a great way to relax and pass a pleasant few minutes or hours. You can take it to the beach, complete a couple on a bus or car journey, fill in a few while waiting for a friend, or puzzle through one while sipping your evening cocktail.

It is not only fun and rewarding but you can count it as self-improvement as you expand your vocabulary and reinforce your spelling at the same time. This particular book has an interesting selection of different kinds of crosswords from the standard quick crossword to story crosswords and rhyming crosswords and missing link crosswords to anagrams and cryptic crosswords.

Pop into the shop and get a copy of this jumbo selection of crosswords or peruse the other books in our puzzles &games section where you're bound to find something to suit you. They make great presents too.