Mountains of the South John Gordon and John Rundle, Random Century, $49.95 There was a time when big “glossies” were of real significance to the book trade. Large-format pictorials with high production values which showed beautiful New Zealand at its…
Patrick White Mark Williams, Macmillan, 1993, $45.95 During the early 1960s Patrick White wrote an admiring letter to Janet Frame; she replied 22 years later. The Tasman is often wider than it looks, but this belies some more direct correspondences…
The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Volume Two 1870‑1900, Bridget Williams Books/ Department of Internal Affairs, $130.00 Te Timatanga ‑ Tatau Tatau: Early Stories from Founding Members of the Maori Women’s Welfare League, Maori Women’s Welfare League/ Bridget Williams Books,…
Gadfly: The Life and Times of James Shelley Ian Carter, Auckland University Press, $39.95 Many who know him thought that Professor James Shelley was the most unforgettable man they had ever known. Gwen Somerset recalled him as a comet lighting…
Undiplomatic Dialogue: Letters between Carl Berendsen and Alister McIntosh, 1943-52 Ian McGibbon (ed), Auckland University Press in Association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Historical Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs, $29.95 When Sir Carl…
New Zealand Can be Different and Better Wolfgang Rosenberg, New Zealand Monthly Review Society Those who wish to challenge Wolfgang Rosenberg’s policy prescriptions must confront the outstanding performance of the New Zealand economy in the first part of the postwar…
Unfinished Business Roger Douglas, Random House, $29.95 The Tragedy of the Market Mike O’Brien and Chris Wilkes, Dunmore Publishing, $27.95 I remember the first time I set eyes on David Lange. The then recently elected member for Mangere had long,…
Top of the Greasy Pole Neale McMillan, McIndoe, $29.95 The record of political leadership in New Zealand is not inspiring. Out of 37 Premiers and Prime Ministers since 1854 only two could be called outstanding, rather than merely memorable. There…
Sir Joseph Ward: A Political Biography Michael Bassett, Auckland University Press, 1993, $39.95 There is a paradox in the 6 November election. Voters objecting to the trend of the past 10 years toward less and weaker government have, in their…
Writing a New Country: A collection of essays presented to E H McCormick in his 88th year James Ross, Linda Gill and Stuart McRae (eds), privately published, James Ross, 495 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland Of Pavlova, Poetry and Paradigms:…