Auckland Libraries blog

This week Karen chats with author Tina Shaw about her new YA novel Ursa, which was just launched at the 2019 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Award Day here in Auckland.  Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast. Ursa is a chilling exploration of totalitarianism set in an alternate world, inspired by Tina’s time living in Berlin for the Creative New Zealand Berlin Writer’s Residency. Tina’s YA novel Make a hard fist was an Auckland Libraries Top 100 for 2018. 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 9.35pm. Recent shows can be listened to as podcasts via the Auckland Libraries podcast .

Karen and Alison talk about the joys of reading crime fiction and recommend some favourites, while considering some of today’s tropes on the subject, such as the idea that crime novels by women are more brutal than those by men. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast and read on for the books mentioned in the show. Books mentioned in the show: Tartan noir Starting with  Report for murder ,  The Lindsay Gordon series by Val McDermid. Kiwi noir Starting with Overkill , The Detective Sam Shephard series by Vanda Symon.  LA noir Starting with When the bough breaks , The Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman. Scandi noir The girl with the dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Don’t look back by Karin Fossum. Starting with The bat , The Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. Jar city by Arnaldur Indridason. Starting with Faceless killers , The Kurt Wallender series by Henning Mankell. Smilla’s sense of snow by Peter Hoeg. Domestic noir

He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. Central City Library's current exhibition, ‘ Kīnaki: Ngā reta Māori ’, is a collection of ngā reta Māori (Māori letters) handpicked from the Sir George Grey Special Collections by Robert Eruera, Poukōkiri Taonga Tuku Iho Māori | Senior Curator Māori. For the purposes of the exhibition, Kīnaki refers to the small things that we relish and take pleasure from. These letters were chosen in the hope that our interest will be piqued by the morsels on offer. Stretching over 50 years, these letters span an era of time during New Zealand's colonial infancy and illustrate the close relationships between rangatira (chiefs or leaders) and Governor Grey. Almost all the letters are addressed either to Governor Grey or his wife Lady Eliza Lucy Grey, and many of them are surprisingly uncluttered by the kind of formalities that you might expect from letters written to the Governor of New Zealand.  Unknown photograph

The RBdigital eMagazine collection is expanding, bringing you 42 brand new titles in April.  Amongst the collection are internationally recognizable mags such as  Pip Permaculture , The Hollywood Reporter and In the Moment .  RBdigital’s expansion caters to a variety of literary tastes, whether you’re after the latest Vogue UK or a diehard Fishing World fan. Check out the list of new additions below or visit RBdigital to browse the entire collection .  3D Artist APC Australian Country Homes Australian Mountain Bike Australian Photography + Digital Auto Express Autosport Caravan World Chat Classic Bike Classic Rock Climbing Country Life Cross Stitch Crazy Cruising Helmsman Field, The Fishing World Food Heaven HELLO! Fashion Monthly Hollywood Reporter, The Homebuilding & Renovating In The Moment International Traveller Malaysia Tatler Metro Home Metro Society Period Living Pip Permaculture Magazine Practical Photoshop Prog Race Control Rhyt

Karen and Louisa celebrate April Fools' Day with a look at literary hoaxes, from Ossian , an 18th-century Scottish fabrication of a 3rd-century bard, to Go Ask Alice , passed off in the 1970s as the true diary of an off-the-rails teen. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast and read on for the books mentioned in the show. Books and authors mentioned in the show: Ossian’s Fingal 1792 by James Macpherson Go ask Alice by Anonymous The woman in the window by A.J. Finn Forbidden love by Norma Khouri Fragments by Binjamin Wilkomirski Surviving with wolves by Misha Defonseca Go ask Alice by Anonymous Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian How green was my valley by Richard Llewellyn “ Sonnet CX ” by William Shakespeare  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

Bruce Clarke, Incredible Images, for Urban Hymns, Te Atatu, spring 2018. This week on Books and Beyond, Owen Gill chats with Karen about the ideas in his new book,  Turning Point Auckland: radical policy to prepare Auckland for 2 million people . Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Te Atatu, at the time the north-western motorway was under construction, Whites Aviation from the Alexander Turnbull Library Collection . Owen is a public policy advocate who has experience in urban services and regulation in New Zealand and Australia. His change agenda aims to ensure that Auckland, where he was born and lives, will embrace three roles: productive city, city of the Pacific and city enjoyed by its population. 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 9.35pm. Recent shows can be l

This week we celebrate the success of the children’s picture book,  There's a Tui in our Teapot, with its author Dawn McMillan. Dawn's earlier book, I need a new bum , featured in a video of the famous Scottish Granny reading to her grandchild, now seen by millions. The book is a favourite around the world! Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast and read on for the books mentioned in the show. Books by Dawn McMillan: There's a tui in our teapot I need a new bum! Home child: a child migrant in New Zealand Woolly Wally Mister Spears and his hairy ears Doctor Grundy's undies Colour the stars Sea secrets 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 9.35pm. Recent shows can be listened to as podcasts via the Auckland Libraries podcast .

Karen chats with bestselling kiwi author, Catherine Robertson, about her new Gabriel's Bay novel What you wish for  and about what Catherine wishes for her readers - interested and varied characters, topical themes and lots of laughs. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast : Catherine's Gabriel's Bay novels are: Gabriel's Bay What you wish for   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 9.35pm. Recent shows can be listened to as podcasts via the Auckland Libraries podcast .

Photos compiled by Penny Howard. Happy Pasifika month! On Books and Beyond this week Louisa chats with two poets performing at the upcoming Stars of Pasifika Poetry event at Te Atat ū  Library.   Ria Masae and Doug Poole share their poetry and pride in being able to express their Pacific identity writing and performing poetry. Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast and read on for the books mentioned in the show. Doug's poetry: Mauri ola: contemporary Polynesian poems in English Niu voices Doug's online journal Ria's poetry: Manifesto Aotearoa: 101 political poems Other Pasifika poetry works mentioned in the show: Everything is here by Rob Heck Entangled Islands by Serie Barford 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 9.35pm. Recent s

This week on Books and Beyond , Peter Bland, prize-winning poet, playwright and charismatic actor ("Came a hot Friday") talks with librarian Karen about his life and poetry, and reads works from his most recent collections. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast : Read on for the books mentioned in the show. Peter read: "The stone owl" from The happy garden "Our garden is a jungle" from The happy garden "Harbours" from A fugitive presence "Living close to the border" from Voodoo Peter's memoir: Sorry, I'm a stranger here myself View Peter's poetry videos on Facebook. 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 9.35pm. Recent shows can be listened to as podcasts via the Auckland Libraries podcast .

Books and Beyond celebrates Pride this week! Alison Fitzpatrick reprises her reading for the "After-hours Storytime for Grown-ups and Other Family" (Move over Brothers Grimm, the Sisters Gay are here!) which our Grey Lynn Library hosted for the 2019 same same but different LGBTQI literary festival, and chats with Karen about rainbow writing. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast : Read on for the books mentioned in the show. Books mentioned in the show: Fairytales for lost children by Diriye Osman (includes the story, "Watering the Imagination" read by Alison The spider's house by Paul Bowles The collected works of Jane Bowles by Jane Bowles Tales of the city by Armistead Maupin Logical family by Armistead Maupin The golden gate by Vikram Seth A boy's own story by Edmund White My lives by Edmund White Arts and letters by Edmund White The swimming-pool library by Alan Hollinghurst The trauma cleaner b

In this week's Books and Beyond episode , Karen and Louisa take inspiration from the Renaissance tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day with " flirtatious entertainments ", frolicking with great and less great love stories through the ages, and sharing a selection of New Zealand love poetry. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast: Read on for the books mentioned in the show. Books mentioned in the show: The thorn birds by Colleen McCullough Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen Pride and prejudice and kitties: a cat lover's romp through Jane Austen's classic by Jane Austen, Pamela Jane, and Deborah Guyol Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet: a chooseable path adventure   by Ryan North, and William Shakespeare The French Lieutenant's woman by John Fowles Golden flower: a romance of New Zealand by Dulce Carman The first bad man by Miranda July Poems shared in the show: "The brief life o

Sharing little-known facts, talking about the weather, gossiping, pondering the big questions… What are your favourite conversation topics as you while away a weekend afternoon at the beach, or, one of our long summer evenings? Karen and Louisa recommend a selection of books which will assure you a brilliant head-start at the game! Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast . Books mentioned in the show: The Guinness book of world records    Come rain or shine: a weather miscellany by Storm Dunlop The cloudspotter's guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney A million years in a day: a curious history of everyday life: from the Stone Age to the phone age by Greg Jenner Can a bee sting a bee? and other big questions from little people compiled by Gemma Elwin Harris Is it true? The facts behind the things we have been told by Max Cryer Factfulness: ten reasons we're wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think by Hans Rosling

This week on Books & Beyond, Karen and Louisa celebrate Auckland Anniversary weekend by paying tribute to our city by choosing books of historical recollections, novelistic descriptions, and poetic odes. Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast .  Read on for the books mentioned in the show: Dove on the waters by Maurice Shadbolt The new animals by Pip Adam High hope in hard times: a history of Grey Lynn and Westmere by Kaaren Hiyama Te Atatu me: photographs of an urban New Zealand village by John B. Turner; historical essay by Grant Cole A fine prospect: a history of Remuera, Meadowbank and St Johns by Jenny Carlyon and Diana Morrow Urban village: the story of Ponsonby, Freemans Bay and St Mary’s Bay by Jenny Carlyon and Diana Morrow Auckland by the sea: 100 years of work and play by David Johnson Flowers after the sun: poems by John Pule Sonnets to Van Gogh & providence by John Pule Love as a stranger by Owen Marshall

Karen chats with Joanne Drayton about Hudson & Halls: the food of love , her new book about two television chefs who helped change the bedrock bad attitudes of a nation in the 1970s and 80s to that unspoken thing – homosexuality. They were also captains of a culinary revolution that saw the overthrow of Aunt Daisy and Betty Crocker and the beginnings of Pacific-rich, Asian-styled international cuisine. Listen to this week's episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast. Read on for the books mentioned in the show. Joanne Drayton is also the author of the New York Times bestseller,  The search for Anne Perry , about the bestselling crime novelist who left behind another identity - that of Juliet Hulme of ' Heavenly Creatures ' fame - as well as a number of critically-acclaimed biographies. 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… beyo

Mike Lee wears his scholar and author’s hat as he talks with Karen about his new book Navigators and naturalists: French exploration of New Zealand and the South Seas (1769-1824) , which weaves together geography, natural philosophy and human history, in telling the story of the great French naturalist-voyagers. Listen to this episode on the Auckland Libraries podcast . 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 9.35pm. Listen to recent shows via the Auckland Libraries podcast .