Latest from Books

Writing about the city of lost yarns
Boyd Tonkin talks to Victoria Hislop about being inspired by landscapes and why she is ready for passionate criticism of her new book.

Manolo Blahnik's memoir fused with fairytale
Manolo Blahnik's life story has been made into a unique memoir, blending biographical elements with fairytale.

Fiction Addiction: Five hot new novels
This month's fiction fix is one of the strongest yet, according to our book bloggers. Reviewers all over the world have been scrambling to invent new ways to effuse over literature.

PD James shows no prejudice
Jane-ites may quail at first, but should enjoy this, says Nicky Pellegrino.

Book lover: John Bridges
The producer of 7 Days shares his insight on what it's like to be a bookworm.

Travel book: <I>The Tao of Travel</I>
"The best travel," wrote Paul Theroux in his book Dark Star Safari, "is a leap in the dark".

Fiction Addiction: Q&A with Paula Morris
New Zealand writer Paula Morris has travelled the word in her novels, but the inspiration from her latest release, Rangatira, came from closer to home. It was in her blood.

Book Review: 11.22.63
When you are Stephen King, you get to use numerical date codes as titles. Because who’s going to stop you?

Book Review: Among The Islands
Parents wishing to change the attitude of their science-averse teenage boys could do worse than to drop into their Christmas stocking this account of Tim Flannery’s adventures as a young zoologist.

Book Review: Bligh
William Bligh, he of the mutiny on the Bounty, was arguably the most complex, interesting and observant of the European explorers in the South Pacific.

Book Review: Speaking Frankly
If you get past the crushingly obvious title, subtitle and cheap looking cover, you'll find a collection of provocative, insightful essays.

Peter Wells: Missionary position
Writer Peter Wells explains the process of working with Auckland artist Gavin Hurley to create the cover for his new biography of the controversial historical figure William Colenso

Fiction Addiction: Q&A with Alex Miller
Alex Miller was watching the squirrels from a bench in London's Holland Park when he first heard the opening words to his latest novel.

Fiction Addiction: Introducing Rangatira
Some of New Zealand’s leading fiction writers have been trawling the history books for inspiration lately.

Anthony Horowitz: From boy spy to classic sleuth
Prolific young adult author and television screenplay writer Anthony Horowitz talks to Stephen Jewell about penning the next escapades of the world’s most famous detective.

Book lover: Ian Rankin
Best-selling crime writer Ian Rankin is the author of The Impossible Dead (Orion, $37.99).

Hayley Tanner: Deft take on love's magic
Tapestry of dark and light are skilfully woven, writes Nicky Pellegrino.

Catholic Church faces hardcore porn shame
Germany's biggest Catholic-owned publishing house has been rocked by disclosures that it has been selling thousands of pornographic novels.

Fiction Addiction: Introducing Autumn Laing
As protagonists go, Autumn Laing and I did not get off to a great start.