Books Archive
When will New Zealand fiction get over itself?
An essay by novelist Kirsty Gunn, who claims New Zealand fiction remains besotted with dreary issues of national identity.
On being sectioned on Friday the 13th
A personal essay by Paula Harris: "I was admitted, under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, to the secure unit of the psychiatric ward just after noon on Friday the..."
The Friday Poem: ‘A new song of allegiance’ by Murray Edmond
New verse by Auckland writer Murray Edmond.
Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 26
Only 60 shopping days till Xmas! Get in early and peruse the week’s biggest-selling books at the Unity stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.
Papercuts: A spooky pile of recommendations
Welcome back to Papercuts, our monthly books podcast hosted by Louisa Kasza, Jenna Todd and Kiran Dass.
Threesomes (and foursomes) in Titirangi: Fleur Adcock reviews a biography of Maurice Shadbolt
Fleur Adcock reviews Philip Temple's vividly presented biography of the great Titirangi author Maurice Shadbolt - and sets the record straight about a phone message that provoked his wife to throw a chicken at him.
Feminism for men and women: Alex Casey on the furious, phenomenal Clementine Ford
'I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more succinct summary of the way that sexual violence lives in the air that we breathe.'
A portrait of Wellington’s literati, minus the art
Charlotte Grimshaw endures a novel full of 'knowing and coy references to real people' in New Zealand literature.
The Friday Poem: ‘1’ by Courtney Sina Meredith
New verse by Auckland writer Courtney Sina Meredith.
Unity Books best-seller chart for the week ending October 19
Only 67 shopping days till Xmas! Get in early and peruse the week's biggest-selling books at the Unity stores in Willis St, Wellington, and High St, Auckland.
Book of the Week: ‘Karori Confidential’ by Leah McFall
The always hilarious and brilliant Leah McFall, who releases her new book of selected columns this week, pays her respects to five of the most hilarious and brilliant women writers of all time - Jane Austen, Nancy Mitford, Sue Townsend, Erma Bombeck, and Nora Ephron.
Roses are red, violets are fucken blue: Poetry Slam is coming to a stage near you
Slam poetry! It's raw, it's rough, and it's also a wildly popular live entertainment, writes Ben Fagan, who is masterminding slam events across the country this month.
Salmon on pikelets, and $60,000 in loot: the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards
Three writers pocketed $60,000 last night at the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement. Spinoff Review of Books literary editor Steve Braunias was there, apparently.
The Monday Excerpt: Maurice Gee on the boy who played rapist
Maurice Gee - recently named the author of the best New Zealand book of the past 50 years - writes a memoir of the boy who had a dark, terrifying idea for a game.
The Friday Poem: ‘Lamb stew with bonus’ by Kevin Ireland
New verse by Devonport writer Kevin Ireland.
Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 12
Books, books and more books. No captions because our esteemed Braunias, Steve Braunias is away this week, but still, here are the best-selling books from the Unity stores on Willis Street, Wellington and High Street, Auckland.
Man Booker Prize Fight Week, third and final round: Anna Burns vs Daisy Johnson
The 2019 Man Booker prize is announced next week. Scarlett Cayford reviews two of the shortlisted novels, Milkman by Anna Burns and Everything Under by Daisy Johnson.
Man Booker Prize Fight Week, round 2: Esi Edugyan vs Rachel Kushner
The 2019 Man Booker prize is announced next week. Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews two of the shortlisted novels, Washington Black by Esi Edugyan and The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner.
Man Booker Prize Fight Week, round 1: Robin Robertson vs Richard Powers
The 2018 Man Booker prize is announced next week. Philip Matthews reviews two of the shortlisted novels, The Long Take by Robin Robertson and The Overstory by Richard Powers.
The Monday Excerpt: Mika stars in I Have Loved Me a Man
We could have chosen some text from the new biography of the phenomenal Mika but yeah nah let the pictures do the talking.
Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 5
Only 81 shopping days till Xmas! Get in early and peruse the week's biggest-selling books at the Unity stores in Willis St, Wellington, and High St, Auckland.
The Friday Poem: ‘The invisible years’ by Mary-Jane Duffy
New verse by writer Mary-Jane Duffy.
Book of the Week: Inside the tidy, inscrutable mind of David Lynch
Philip Matthews reviews a new memoir of genius director David Lynch, who emerges from the book as a 'happy neurotic'.
‘Maybe Lloyd Jones is trying to kill me.’ Selina Tusitala Marsh goes swimming
Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh tells of the time she went swimming in deep, deep water with novelist Lloyd Jones at Byron Bay.
