Blog Archives

Parrots and paintings, Tom Fitzgibbon

The Story of the Kakapo: Parrot of the night Philip Temple and Chris Gaskin, Hodder and Stoughton, Auckland, $9.95 Matarawa House Rhondda Greig, Hazard Press, Christchurch, 1991, $21.50 For the many summertime trampers such as myself, the name of Philip…
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Posted in Art, History, Non-fiction, Review

The Dictionary in retrospect, John Roberts

The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Volume One, 1769-1869,  Allen and Unwin (Bridget Williams Books) and the Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 1990, $120 Christendom is essentially a construct of biography. The Gospels relate the temporal genealogy, life and death…
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Posted in Biography, History, Non-fiction, Review

Natural World, House Notes, June 1992

The World of Albatrosses and The World of Penguins Chris Gaskin, and Neville Peat, with photographs by Kim Westerskov, Hodder and Stoughton, Auckland, 1991, each $19.95 Those who have visited the Taiaroa Head Royal albatross colony and been fortunate enough…
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Posted in Natural History, Non-fiction, Review

Glowing with insight and honesty, Alison Parr

You Are My Darling Zita Glenn Busch, Godwit, Auckland, 1991, $44.95 Glenn Busch has created an extraordinary book. Through the stories of six ‘ordinary people’ he has crafted a revealing and deeply moving account of the process of ageing. Hours…
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Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Issues of shared identity, Peter Beatson

Pakeha: The Quest For Identity in New Zealand Michael King (ed), Penguin Books, Auckland, 1991, $24.95 I came to this book already blooded from a remarkably bad-tempered review by Maurice Shadbolt, in which he variously described the contributors as numb…
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Posted in History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Publisher Profiles 3, Geoff Walker of Penguin Books, Kevin Ireland

Penguin’s Geoff Walker is an easy person to talk to; he puts himself out to be available for seminars and panel discussions, book launchings and other literary events. Many of his writers are close friends. He is a committed publisher…
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Posted in Imprints

Twenty-five women spanning two generations, Rosemary du Plessis

Minding Children: Managing Men: Conflict and Compromise in the Lives of Postwar Pakeha Women Helen May, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 1992, $34.95 Did Pakeha women after the Second World War happily retreat into their home – tying on their aprons,…
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Posted in Gender, History, Non-fiction, Review, Sociology

Poem — Michael Harlow

No problem, but not easy   This is the Green Man He lives at the corner of Hello Street and Goodbye. He lives in a house. Alchemy House. When you stand close to him He is surely a man, you…
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Posted in Poem

1992’s reviewer of the year and the best review pages, Fiona Kidman

We are delighted to be able to publish a condensed version of Fiona Kidman’s invaluable report on the 1992 competitions: Having been both reviewer and reviewed over many years, I have a fair idea of the importance of reviews, rejoicing…
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Posted in Literature

Recurring images from diverse sources, Charles Croot

From The Word Go Murray Edmond, Auckland University Press, 1992, $16.95 Small Stories of Devotion Dinah Hawken, Victoria University Press, Wellington, 1991, $19.95 Murray Edmond’s fifth collection is an uneven performance. This poet’s strength lies in his powers of observation…
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Posted in Literature, Poetry, Review
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