Books

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Unity Books + Creative New Zealand

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Joy Cowley reveals her enthralling life story, from a difficult childhood, to getting drunk with Roald Dahl, to encountering an Arctic polar bear.

Finding Joy: The fascinating and painful life of Aotearoa’s most prolific writer

Madeleine Chapman

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Our reviewers debate a new novel about a grieving copyeditor in London.

A hater and an enthusiast review The Royal Free by Carl Shuker

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The Friday Poem: ‘Bejeweled log’ by Holly Fletcher

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The bestselling books of the year, revealed.

The Unity Books bestseller chart for 2024

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From Mansfield Park to Jurassic Park, some reading inspiration for every age.

A book for every year of your life: Part two, ages 31 to the grave

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The results of our reader survey of the best books of the year.

The best books of 2024: The people’s choice

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A love letter to my five friends

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'For its purposes we were not people, just dollar amounts representing the salary that might be returned to the university’s coffers once we no longer worked there.'

Wasteland: A response to a university restructure

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The Friday Poem: ‘Cash register ding’ by Eliana Gray

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New short stories from Owen Marshall, and the finale to a sci-fi series that fans have been hanging out for. 

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending December 13

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In which we judge this year's New Zealand books by their covers, and pick the top 10.

The Spinoff’s best NZ book covers of 2024

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The writer and professor shares some of his favourite books – and the one he'd purge from his memory if he could.

‘A sick wish fulfilment fantasy, so badly written’: Harry Ricketts’ biggest book regret

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This year's best local fiction, nonfiction and poetry for adults and children, as chosen by our panel of readers. 

The Spinoff’s best NZ books of 2024

Hera Lindsay Bird

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The suspect was arrested today. His Goodreads page sheds much light on his views of the world.

A close reading of the United Healthcare CEO suspect Luigi Mangione’s Goodreads account

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From picture books to bell hooks, some reading inspiration for every age.

A book for every year of your life: Part one, ages 0-30

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Whatever the practice, the end goal is the same: to provide connection to Māori and indigenous women in a post-colonial world.

Review: A decolonial trip through femininity in Ngahuia Murphy’s Intuitive Ritual

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The Friday Poem: ‘Lamium purpureum’ by Joel LeBlanc

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The week’s bestselling books as we hurtle towards Christmas.

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending December 6

Gabi Lardies

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A conversation about Damien Wilkins' latest novel.

What we thought about: Delirious by Damien Wilkins

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The talented siblings and authors of More Salad talk summer holidays with Ottolenghi, the life lessons of Garmus and more.

‘Her energy is as delicious as her recipes’: Two Raw Sisters on their favourite books

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How a little jar of seawater ends up as a red cross that ruins your day-at-the-beach plans – but keeps you safe from swimming in sewage.

A trip to the beach with the poo detectives

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After two decades of promised redevelopment, Johnsonville Shopping Centre remains neglected and half empty. 

Who killed the Johnsonville mall?

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Has the country changed all that much in three decades? Loveni Enari compares his two New Zealands.

Returning to a different New Zealand after 32 years away

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A dark and stormy night of mushrooms and murder, sorbet and suspicion, and more fedoras than you've ever seen in your life. 

I survived five hours on Christchurch’s first murder mystery train ride

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Speed puzzling is like a marathon for the mind – intense, demanding, surprisingly exhausting. But does turning it into a sport destroy it as a relaxing pastime?

The need for speed: What I learnt competing in an online jigsaw puzzle competition

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Presenting our full top 100 countdown for your reading pleasure.

The complete top 100 NZ TV shows of the 21st Century

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Told in one crucial moment from every year, by The Spinoff’s founder Duncan Greive.

The epic inside story of The Spinoff’s first 10 years

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'A few old boomers still think I actually am Lyn ... I choose to take this as a compliment.'

‘A curse and a blessing’: Ginette McDonald on how Lyn of Tawa changed her life

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Making a splash: Is this the most impressive select committee submission ever?

New verse by Featherston writer Sam Duckor-Jones.

 by Sam Duckor-Jones (Victoria University Press, $30) is available at 

The Spinoff

BooksSeptember 21, 2018

The Friday Poem: ‘On Intimacy’ by Sam Duckor-Jones

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BooksSeptember 21, 2018

The Friday Poem: ‘On Intimacy’ by Sam Duckor-Jones

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