Latest from Books

Book of the day: Chameleon by Robert Dessaix
Memoir is an insight into the man many Australians regard as face and voice of literature.

Book of the day: The Body Next Door
Suburban thrills aplenty in wry latest from award-winning Aussie crime-writer.

Top 10 bestselling NZ books: March 8
Beloved picture book character propels new story into top three local bestsellers.

Book of the day: Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Statinery Shop by Kenji Ueda
Customers are encouraged to tell their stories in a welcoming Tokyo stationery shop.

Book of the day: Twist by Colum McCann
Ambitious novel exploring modern calamity loses its way in the telling.

No regrets: Richard Dawkins on science, culture wars and his legacy
Evolutionary biologist has made his swansong tour but he’s not yet ready to make his peace

Book of the day: Better Days by Claire Zorn
Music is the backdrop to this enjoyable novel of ambition, love and loss.

Book of the day: The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji
Exile and cultural disconnection are at the heart of this edgy saga.

Wagner’s world: Author James Borrowdale on getting into the mindset of Black Cap Neil Wagner
The dynamic between ghostwriter and author has been likened to a counsellor and patient.

Book of the day: Stranger Than Fiction by Edwin Frank
A legendary editor’s survey of the 20th-century novel and how it shaped future fiction.

Not another book on resilience? Why cancer survivor Jake Bailey’s The Comeback Code is a must read
Teens will benefit but in this day and age adults need Jake Bailey's resilience guide too.

Book of the day: Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam
A tried-and-true romance formula with a satisfying plot offers escape from the real world.

Book of the day: Playworld - A Novel by Adam Ross
Coming-of-age tale set in 1980s Manhattan unfolds at its own pace.

Book of the day: The Secrets of Maiden’s Cove by Erin Palmisano
Erin Palmisano’s latest novel once again has food and romance at its heart.

Pong or pleasant? Why smell is highly personal
Psychology professor Jonas Olofsson on why there’s more to the nose than meets the eye.

The virus that stole all the smells
Pong or pleasant? Jonas Olofsson traces the rise in Covid-induced loss of smell.

Top 10 bestselling NZ books: February 22
The local books New Zealanders have been buying this week. Photos / supplied

Book of the day: Hum by Helen Phillips
Helen Phillips' novel asks how to raise children in a dying world.

The long & short of it: Best new NZ poetry collections
Three very different collections stretch the sense of what might be called poetry.

Book of the day: The Book of George by Kate Greathead
Intensely unlikeable main character makes you grateful he is a work of fiction.

The new science giving new hope after strokes, trauma & dementia diagnosis
Modern neuroscience is helping those with brain injuries to find a new sense of self.

Book of the day: Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
Glorious Exploits is that rare thing: a debut of genuine freshness, verve and ambition.

Palestinian writer Samah Sabawi on Gaza’s devastation and the strength of enduring spirit
Now in NZ, Samah Sabawi brings a message of hope and resilience amid chaos.

Two new crime reads for the weekend
Aussie domestic drama and a crime story from Sheffield zero in on class, race and history.

Book of the day: Black Woods Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey
Love is found in the most surprising circumstances, suggests this folklore-inspired novel.

Book of the day: My Year of Psychedelics by Sarah Napthali
When it comes to psychedelics, Sarah Napthali has sampled what the world has to offer.

Book of the day: Life Hacks For A Little Alien by Alice Franklin
The neurodivergent are often caricatured but this insightful novel is more understanding.

Book of the day: Star Gazers by Duncan Sarkies
Alarming allegory about a bunch of alpaca fanciers recalls Barry Crump.

Book of the Day: The Grand Scheme of Things
Warona Jay's debut tale of author connivance lays bare race and gender bias in the arts.