Books and Beyond: Family matters

It’s Family History Month! This week Karen and Louisa talk family histories and stories that last through the generations.

Read on for the books mentioned in the show.

• This is me: a story of who we are & where we came from by Jamie Lee Curtis and illustrated by Laura Cornell. 

• Donald: The Book by Donald Robertson.

• Uncle Andy's by James Warhola.

• Uncle Andy's cats by James Warhola.

• Driving to Treblinka: A Long Search for a Lost Father by Diana Wichtel.

• The Hare with Amber Eyes: the illustrated edition by Edmund de Waal.

• Ethnology of Manihiki and Rakahanga by Te Rangi Hiroa (Peter H. Buck).

• Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje.

• The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes.

Diaries in the Sir George Grey Special Collections:

• Diary of Sir George Grey (1812 - 1898).

• Diary kept by J.W.Fedarb, Esq., from March,1839 to May 1852.

• Journals and letters of Felton Mathew and his wife, 1840-1847

• Sarah Mathew: explorer, journalist and Auckland's 'First lady'  by Tessa Duder, based on the above diaries.

Online databases mentioned in the show to help you with your own family history and genealogy research:

• Find My Past (Library use only. Visit us to access from any of our libraries)

• Ancestry.com (Library use only. Visit us to access from any of our libraries)

For a full list of databases, visit the Auckland Libraries' family history online resources page or use our family history research guide to help you get started.


Auckland Libraries radio show Books and Beyond explores the world of books with guest authors, recommended reads, gems from the Central City Library basement and… beyond.

Catch us on Planet FM104.6, Sundays at 9.35 pm. Listen to recent shows on the Auckland Libraries podcast.