NZ Non Fiction

Out of print, advised Oct 2006. An invaluable source of information about Epsom's fascinating past. This is a full-scale, reputable and lavishly-illustrated history, with the basic research being undertaken by a wide number and range of interested local enthusiasts. There are over 250 entries, some 400 illustrations and 110 biographies of prominent 'Epsomites". There are extensive references and an exhaustive index.

The Duncans have been farming Otiwhiti in the Turakina River valley since the 1880s, when they purchased the land from the local iwi. The backstory of this station is rich and fascinating. The remarkable, generous family that has farmed this unforgiving Rangitikei hill country has also directed the farm's profits towards charitable projects, most notably the Duncan Hospital, which pioneered treatment for polio patients in the 1940s and 1950s. Centering on Tom (T.A.) Duncan, and his wife Jeannie, the founders and driving forces behi... read more

Disasters happen quickly and without compassion, disrupting thousands of lives every year. During a disaster emergency services may not be able to respond to every call immediately, and this means you must be ready to provide your own shelter, food, first-aid, water and sanitation for at least three days. Are you ready? This is your complete guide to what to do before, during and after disaster strikes, covering all possible situations and eventualities including: what to do in specific emergencies such as an earthquake or t... read more

One day, when he was contributing to the Tax and Welfare Working Group, economist Gareth Morgan made an off-the-cuff remark that the solution to all of New Zealand's tax and welfare woes lay in abolishing the present welfare system and radically overhauling the tax system. He called this idea 'the big kahuna'. In this book, Gareth and economist and former finance writer for Consumer NZ, Susan Guthrie take the base assumption that we don't, as a society, accept that huge differences in income are acceptable and that we therefore cho... read more

In How to Watch a Game of Rugby, Zavos shares his love and knowledge of the sport with wit and warmth, and passes on some illuminating pointers. Anyone who has ever wondered what the difference is between a ruck and a maul, or a fly half and a fullback, will find this book illuminating. But if you already know the answers - and believe, like the author, that 'the good watcher of rugby is the one who is passionate about the game' - prepare to be indulged.

Do you know that Hataitai is named after one of the taniwha which lived in Wellington Harbour? Or that Mystery Creek was named after an unsolved murder in the Waikato region?The meanings and stories behind the major place names of New Zealand are contained in this handy book. All the top tourist destinations are covered,inlcuding the unusual, the quirky and the historical. Symbols denote towns, rivers,mountains and other natural features, and a basic Maori vocabulary and pronunciation guide is included.

Tupaia, lauded by Europeans as 'an extraordinary genius', sailed with Captain Cook from Tahiti, piloted the Endeavour about the South Pacific, and interceded with Maori in NZ. Until now his story has never been fully told. Tupaia, a gifted linguist, a brilliant orator, and a most devious politician, could aptly be called the Machiavelli of Tahiti. Being highly skilled in astronomy, navigation, and meteorology, and an expert in the geography of the Pacific, he was able to name directional stars and predict landfalls and weather thr... read more

Citizen soldiering has been part of our history since the first years of colonial settlement. From the early militias set up in the 1830s, primarily for internal security, right up to the current day, everyday men and women have been trained and ready to serve in the Boer War, the Great War, World War II and many other military engagements. The shape and purpose of the volunteer and territorial armies has changed over the years, but is marked throughout by bravery, adventure and initiative. This extensive and authoritative history ... read more

Content includes: * Prelude to a disaster - What Christchurch was doing on February 22. How the debate of the September 4/Boxing Day quakes was continuing, how those events had shaped lives. *The Event - First hand accounts, the effect on buildings/people. How different areas of the city were affected - Lyttelton/Sumner/Redcliffs. CTV/Forsythe Barr/Pyne Gould Buildings. *An overview of the first hours after the main tremor, extending it into the first night. The official response. The international response. *The science ... read more

The brutal, premeditated murder of Honorah Parker in 1954 in a lonely park by her 16-year-old daughter Pauline and Pauline's 15-year-old friend Juliet Hulme made shock headlines around the world. International media flocked to New Zealand to follow the trial. Still today, the murder remains one of the most interesting criminal cases of all time, and a source of intense public fascination throughout the world - especially since one of the murderers was revealed to be the murder-mystery writer Anne Perry, whose books sell in the mill... read more

This witty, clever, mind-expanding and original book is destined to become a classic.
A professor for over 40 years, Jim Flynn found fewer and fewer of his students were in love with reading. However, they were willing to try if he gave them lists. This inspired him to create the definitive list: books so wonderful to read, and so revealing about times and places, that they make learning enjoyable and effortless. The title is in honour of the author's 'uneducated' Irish-American family, who made him love reading - includi... read more

This is the first definitive history of infantry units in the Auckland and Northland region spanning 160 years starting with the formation of the first militia volunteer units in the early 1840s right through to the current structure in 2010 of the 3rd (Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) and Northland) Battalion Group. Over this period of time, volunteers from Auckland and Northland saw service in peace and in war. The early militia units first saw active service in the Maori wars starting with the campaign in Northland ag... read more

The highest Commonwealth military decoration for gallantry is the Victoria Cross, and this book examines the history of the award, telling the stories of those New Zealanders (or those with strong New Zealand associations) who have won it. This includes awards made to British soldiers serving in New Zealand during the New Zealand Wars, the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. (No New Zealander has been awarded a VC since 1943.) Also covered are some of the controversies and political machinations surrounding those whose n... read more

RSA Country opens the door to the many New Zealanders who have served in the armed forces over the years. Its pages reflect many past sacrifices, it proudly records the present, and it looks, with hope, to the future. In 2008, the 90th year since the end of World War I, Rachel Teen travelled the length of New Zealand with her camera visiting as many of the operating Returned Service Association clubs in the country as possible. This photographic journal is the result. A snapshot of the RSA in that year, her travels brought her into... read more

Since the Rugby World Cup tournament began in 1987, its powerful players, speed-charged runs, soaring kicks, brutal scrums and controversial refereeing decisions have gripped billions of people around the world. In 2011, the tournament returns to its birthplace, New Zealand, where teams from 20 qualifying nations will battle to win rugby's most coveted prize. For players and coaches, this is the ultimate test. • Will Robbie Deans bring the Wallabies to glory? • Can Graham Henry's All Blacks break their 20-year jinx? &b... read more

From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, 'birds of a feather flock together' and 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', but these sayings are so familiar that we are scarcely aware they are proverbs. It has been so for thousands of years, in every culture. It is only when someone like Max Cryer takes the time to look at them that we can see how these 'pearls of wisdom' have played such a key role in the moral guidance of every society. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctl... read more

Another edition to this sumptuous historical series. A beautifully produced book showcasing the history of the region through superb historic photographs, many not published before, and informative extended captions. Over 140 photographs tell the story of Auckland and Northland.