Latest fromBooks
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Her dark materials
Charlotte Grimshaw's new novel stars a National Party leader tipped to be the next Prime Minister. Does this man resemble anyone we know? Linda Herrick reports
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Cultural immersion or imitation?
What do Maori haka, Fijian firewalking and yoga have in common? According to a book by Canadian writer Andrew Potter they are all part of an authenticity hoax.
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Book review: <i>Solar</i>, by Ian McEwan
That Ian McEwan, what a comedian. It's not a phrase you come across often.
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US couple's embryo implanted in wrong woman
The Morells' son on was the result of a mix-up at a fertility clinic in which another woman was implanted the couple's embryo.
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Next Big Thing hits NZ
A book for teenagers by an unknown Australian tipped to be the next J.K. Rowling goes on sale here on Monday.
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Book review: <i>Beatrice and Virgil</i>
Books about authors who are struggling to write can be overly indulgent and introspective.
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A vine upbringing
Kati Kasza's father instilled in her a love of plants and the importance of seeking quality.
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Celtic odyssey
Dame Fiona Kidman is back with a new volume of poetry that traces her Irish roots.
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Travel book: <i>Destination Saigon</i>
Being a large man taking up a space usually occupied by three Vietnamese, writer Walter Mason was obviously an easily noticed foreign visitor in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon).
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Lessons from a grim war
Wellington teacher and author Leon Davidson tells Rebecca Barry what inspired him to delve into Anzac history on behalf of younger readers.
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Book review: <i>The Anzac Book</i>
An artistic diversion from bloody reality, writes Steve Scott.
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Book review: <i>The Gallipoli Letter</i>
The historical preoccupation with Gallipoli becomes easily comprehensible when you remember that 8141 Australians and 2721 New Zealanders died during the brief campaign.
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Season for Anzac tales
Another Anzac Day remembered (this is the 95th anniversary) and another clutch of books with military themes have appeared...
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Zombies and flesh-eaters
After making a name for himself in the children's book market as an action writer with the Young Bond series, Charlie Higson has moved on to futuristic horror. He talks to Stephen Jewell about the undead.
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Book Review: <i>Americans in Paris</i>
For historic and emotional reasons many Americans have always had a love affair with France.
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Book Review: <i>Psycho Too</i>
Self is a profoundly anti-romantic writer, which is to say that he's a romantic with his back turned and his buttocks bared, so naturally he begs to differ.
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Review: This is Where I Leave You
Few books make me laugh out loud but there was a point where I laughed so hard while reading this one I had to put it down.
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War and peace
I finished writing a book this week. There are 74,945 words assembled into 12 chapters, which should leave me with a nice sense of achievement, but there is nothing nice about it.
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Lionel Shriver: Hard copy
Mass murderers, mothers who hate their children, and now cancer ... is there a difficult topic Lionel Shriver won't tackle? Nigel Farndale finds out.