Blog Archives

Coups and kava, Ian Johnstone

Posted on December 27, 1999 by NZ Books

Kava in the blood Peter Thomson Tandem Press, $24.95, ISBN 1 877178 54 3 Peter Thomson is passionate about the country where he was born, Fiji, and compassionate towards his countrymen – much more so than they deserve, when you…

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Posted in Autobiography, Non-fiction, Review

“Plant imperialism”, Lydia Wevers

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

Lady Painters: the flower painters of early New Zealand Bee Dawson Penguin, $69.95, ISBN 0 670 88651 3 In 1981 the Royal Commonwealth Society disposed of 40 “exquisite” watercolours, found bound into a volume of New Zealand Company papers entitled…

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Posted in Art, History, Non-fiction, Review

The virtues of style, Peter Hawes

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

Losing Alice Noel Virtue Vintage, $24.95, ISBN 1 86941 370 9 I saw a TV interview with Noel Virtue while writing this review. Fortunately he got everything right. He spoke about personal redemption in his work, and how it comes about…

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Posted in Fiction, Literature, Review

Minding your “R’s” and “Q’s”, Michael Morley

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

Letter from Australia It is one of the oddities in the history of Australian drama that over 200 years of writing for the stage have produced few political plays of either substance or wit. This is all the more intriguing…

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Posted in Review

Myths and Legends of Aotearoa, Richard Smith

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

Myths and Legends of Aotearoa Annie Rae Te Ake Ake, illustrated by New Zealand secondary school artists Scholastic, $34.95, ISBN 1 86943 388 2 The publication of Myths and Legends of Aotearoa is an interesting story in itself. This book…

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Posted in Children, Literature, Review

Obituary – John Mansfield Thomson

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

John Mansfield Thomson (1926-1999) John Mansfield Thomson, founding editor of New Zealand Books, died in Wellington Hospital on September 11, 1999. From the very first issue he gave this journal its authority and character, bringing to it his great skills…

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Posted in Obituaries

James Joyce meets Front Lawn, Chris Knox

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

Stray Thoughts and Nose Bleeds Duncan Sarkies Victoria University Press, $19.95, ISBN 0 86473 382 8 Since the huge success of Scarfies, the Sarkies name has become almost mainstream. The exceedingly popular film, based in the student flatting subculture of…

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Posted in Literature, Review, Short stories

Still in the ascendant, Anne French

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

The Lark Quartet Elizabeth Smither Auckland University Press, $19.95, ISBN 1 86940 216 2 Now here’s a curious thing. The Elizabeth Smither who burst fully formed out of the New Zealand literary forehead 25 years ago, back in 1975, turns…

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Posted in Literature, Poetry, Review

Poem – Elizabeth Smither

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

The moon “If you have time tonight” says the TV hostess “Look at the moon. It’s full and particularly beautiful.” So I do. After preparing a meal and washing the dishes, settling myself for evening I pay a call from…

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Posted in Poem

Neighbourhood watch, L E Scott

Posted on December 26, 1999 by NZ Books

The Usefulness of Singing Helen Jacobs Sudden Valley Press, $16.95, ISBN 0 9583684 1 4 Legend of the Cool Secret Graham Lindsay Sudden Valley Press, $16.95, ISBN 0 9583684 6 5 Stone Moon Dark Water John Allison Sudden Valley Press,…

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Posted in Literature, Poetry, Review
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