Auckland Libraries blog

To spark your reading inspiration this summer, we’ve rounded up a legacy of best-sellers to bring you the best books from over the decades. Thanks to the Auckland Libraries Top 100 , we all know the best books of our most recent decade. But what about the many decades before? After much deliberation, we've chosen our top reads from the 1950s right through to the 2010s.  Agree?  Visit our website to start requesting!  Disagree? Let us know your favourites via Instagram , Facebook or Twitter .  The 50s East of Eden by John Steinbeck East of Eden was considered by Steinbeck to be his magnum opus. Its epic scope and memorable characters explore universal themes of love and identity, and it remains one of America's most enduring novels. Set in California's Salinas Valley, two families find their destinies fatefully intertwined. The 60s To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Lee explores the issues of race and class in the Deep Sout...

For many Aucklanders, reading has been a top priority in 2020. People have told us that they have read to learn and discover, and to escape into the pleasures of a good book. Read on for the  books that have been the most popular with Aucklanders in 2020: Adult fiction Blue moon by Lee Child The night fire by Michael Connelly The giver of stars by Jojo Moyes Grown ups - Marian Keyes Past tense - Lee Child Adult non-fiction Becoming - Michelle Obama Lady in waiting: my extraordinary life in the shadow of the crown by Anne Glenconner Veg by Jamie Oliver The body: a guide for occupants by Bill Bryson Jacinda Ardern: the story behind an extraordinary leader by Michelle Duff Children's fiction The missing movie by Geronimo Stilton The getaway by Jeff Kinney The test of time: the sixth journey through time by Geronimo Stilton The hunt for the Colosseum ghost by Jeff Kinney The island of dragons: the twelfth adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy by JKRowling Children's no...

Love it or loathe it, it's Valentine's Day again! Whether you’re whipping up a romantic dinner or having a quiet night in with your Beamafilm subscription , we have put together our top seven reads for whatever the occasion. This year we are celebrating all types of love – from self-love to diehard romance, there’s something for everyone! Princesses behaving badly: real stories from history without the fairy-tale endings by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie You think you know her story. You've read the Brothers Grimm, you've watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn't be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders - but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Eat your heart out: love stories from around the world by Peta Mathias Peta Mathias has encountered many a ...