Blog Archives

Chronicling the near present, Joe Atkinson

Posted on August 29, 2014 by NZ Books

Changing Times: New Zealand Since 1945
Jenny Carlyon and Diana Morrow
Auckland University Press, $45.00,
ISBN 9781869407827

Whoever coined the title for this new history of New Zealand’s recent past clearly did not want to give anything away. It is hard to think of a blander, less committal title than Changing Times. Isn’t all history about changing times? Such a title might be taken to reflect our populist and relativist age where conclusiveness or the attribution of historical progression are widely considered to be culturally insensitive. Can history be written in such an age?

Tagged with: Auckland University Press, Diana Morrow, Issue 107, Jenny Carlyon, Joe Atkinson, Spring 2014
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Scots collective and singular, Kirstine Moffat

Posted on May 30, 2014 by NZ Books

Unpacking the Kists: The Scots in New Zealand
Brad Patterson, Tom Brooking and Jim McAloon
Otago University Press, $70.00,
ISBN 9780773541900

I have always enjoyed the inventiveness of collective nouns, favourites being an exaltation of larks and a worship of writers. If these are extended to national groupings, what springs to mind in relation to the Scots? In spite of my Scottish birth, I have to confess that my initial musings were decidedly stereotypical: a frugality of Scots; a dourness of Scots; a tartan of Scots; a presbytery of Scots. I am not alone. In the 1486 Book of St Albans, there is a reference to “a disworship of Scots”, while Google offers “a filth of Scots”. It is precisely these limited kinds of national stereotypes that Brad Patterson, Tom Brooking and Jim McAloon seek to challenge and complicate in their thoughtful, authoritative Unpacking the Kists: The Scots in New Zealand. Throughout, the authors argue that the history of Scots in New Zealand is one of complexity and diversity.

Tagged with: Brad Patterson, Issue 106, Jim McAloon, Kirstine Moffat, Otago University Press, Tom Brooking, Winter 2014
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

What are ya, mate? Hugh Roberts

Posted on May 30, 2014 by NZ Books

Pacific Highways (GriffithREVIEW 43)
Julianne Schultz and Lloyd Jones (eds)
Griffith University, $35.00,
ISBN 9781922182241

Is New Zealand peculiarly burdened with the curse of national introspection? Even to pose the question is to succumb to that curse; or perhaps to reduce it to its hall-of-mirrors core: “the defining characteristic of the New Zealander is to be endlessly preoccupied with discovering the defining characteristic of the New Zealander.” Can we ever stop worrying about “who we are now” and just start being it? Well, not yet, if the latest edition of the GriffithREVIEW is anything to go by.

Tagged with: Griffith University, Hugh Roberts, Issue 106, Julianne Schultz, Lloyd Jones, Winter 2014
Posted in Essays, Fiction, Literature, Non-fiction, Poetry, Review, Short stories, Sociology

The stories told by spaces, Zachary Athfield

Posted on May 30, 2014 by NZ Books

New Zealand’s Lost Heritage: The Stories Behind our Forgotten Landmarks
Richard Wolfe
New Holland, $50.00,
ISBN 9781869663872

New Zealand’s Lost Heritage: The Stories Behind our Forgotten Landmarks discusses 20 formerly intact New Zealand buildings, dating from the early 1800s to the early 1900s. From the outset and throughout, this book is a lament and a commentary on what a shame it is that these buildings are not now preserved and still with us. The introduction is philosophical to some degree and points out that buildings must, at times, perish, and also that developments may, in their turn, be thought worthy by future generations. But the pervasive tone is that these buildings are lost and that we should mourn and regret their passing, even be punished for permitting their demolition.

Tagged with: Issue 106, New Holland, Richard Wolfe, Winter 2014, Zachary Athfield
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

The rise, fall and rise of the state house, Ian Lochhead

Posted on May 30, 2014 by NZ Books

Beyond the State: New Zealand State Houses from Modest to Modern
Bill McKay and Andrea Stevens (Simon Devitt photographs)
Penguin Books, $75.00,
ISBN 9780143570653

In the catalogue of the exhibition, Homebuilding 1814-1954: the New Zealand tradition, held at the Auckland City Art Gallery in 1954, James Garrett deplored the “loss of individuality and difference for the sake of difference” that he saw reflected in the housing programme of the New Zealand Department of Housing Construction. According to Garrett, these houses “ACHIEVED A UNIFORM SUBURBAN STYLE BASED ON MINIMUM STANDARDS AND SOCIAL, NOT PERSONAL, QUALITIES. LACKING INDIVIDUAL OR REGIONAL VARIATIONS, THE OVERALL PATTERN IS MONOTONOUS”. Garrett’s insistent capitals stand alongside an elevation and plan of a standard state house, its foursquare geometry, high-set windows, weatherboard walls and tile roof all instantly recognisable to anyone familiar with New Zealand’s domestic architecture.

Tagged with: Andrea Stevens, Bill McKay, Ian Lochhead, Issue 106, Penguin Books, Simon Devitt, Winter 2014
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Dear familiars, Helen Curran

Posted on May 29, 2014 by NZ Books

Creature Comforts: New Zealanders and their Pets: An Illustrated History Nancy Swarbrick Otago University Press, $55.00, ISBN 9781877578618 A New Zealand Book of Beasts: Animals in our Culture, History and Everyday Life Annie Potts, Philip Armstrong, Deidre Brown Auckland University…

Tagged with: Annie Potts, Auckland University Press, Deidre Brown, Helen Curran, Issue 106, Nancy Swarbrick, Otago University Press, Philip Armstrong, Winter 2014
Posted in History, Natural History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Refugees and New Zealand compassion, Verica Rupar

Posted on February 27, 2014 by NZ Books

Refuge New Zealand: A Nation‘s Response to Refugees and Asylum Seekers Ann Beaglehole Otago University Press, $45.00, ISBN 9781877578502 Andris, Where are You? From Latvia to New Zealand: The Family Story of Andris Apse Ron Crosby Craig Potton Publishing, $40.00,…

Tagged with: Andris Apse, Ann Beaglehole, Autumn 2014, Craig Potton Publishing, Issue 105, Otago University Press, Ron Crosby, Verica Rupar
Posted in Biography, History, Non-fiction, Politics & Law, Sociology

The life of Brian, Paul Morris

Posted on February 27, 2014 by NZ Books

Destiny: The Life and Times of a Self-Made Apostle Peter Lineham Penguin Books, $38.00, ISBN 9780143568919 A Rising Tide: Evangelical Christianity in New Zealand 1930-65 Stuart Lange Otago University Press, $40.00, ISBN 9781877578557 Recently, the International Association of Religion…

Tagged with: Autumn 2014, Issue 105, Otago University Press, Paul Morris, Penguin Books, Peter Lineham, Stuart Lange
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Religion, Review, Sociology

Theatre for life Lisa Warrington

Posted on February 27, 2014 by NZ Books

Rebellious Mirrors: Community-based Theatre in Aotearoa/New Zealand Paul Maunder Canterbury University Press, $45.00, ISBN 9781927145456 Twenty New Zealand Playwrights Michelanne Forster and Vivienne Plumb Playmarket, $40.00, ISBN 9780908607471 Though differing in approach, tone and content, there are strong connections between…

Tagged with: Autumn 2014, Canterbury University Press, Issue 105, Lisa Warrington, Michelanne Forster, Paul Maunder, Playmarket, Vivienne Plumb
Posted in History, Non-fiction, Plays, Sociology

Grogzone, Charlotte Macdonald

Posted on February 27, 2014 by NZ Books

Wanted, a Beautiful Barmaid: Women Behind the Bar in New Zealand, 1830-1976 Susan Upton Victoria University Press, $50.00, ISBN 9780864738943 Conrad Bollinger famously dubbed New Zealand “Grog’s Own Country”. It was 1957. Bollinger was writing under the dark cloud of…

Tagged with: Charlotte Macdonald, Susan Upton, Victoria University Press
Posted in Gender, History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology