|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Book Reviews412 results 50 facts you need to know : Europe - Hartley, Emma.Community and People / Non-Fiction
From the railway in Hungary run entirely by children to the British comedy sketch, unknown in the UK, but watched by millions across Europe every New Year’s Eve, Emma Hartley reveals the inequalities and absurdities of Europe today. Covering everything from poverty to pop music via politics and pirates, 50 Facts You Need to Know: Europe paints a picture of an astonishingly varied continent. 50 jobs worse than yours - Racz, JustinJobs and Careers / Non-Fiction
If you’re having a bad day at work, this little book is the ultimate pick-you-up. Actual jobs listed, accompanied by photographs, include Neuroscience Technician (job description: cutting off heads of baby rats, mice….for neuroscience medical research); Hazardous Materials Remover (job description: identify, remove, pack, transport and dispose of…..asbestos, lead-based paint, and radioactive materials) and maggot wrangler (handle larvae and put them on corpses in movies). Hilarious, guaranteed to put a spring in your step as you head to the office on Monday mornings. A boy and the sea - Kirsty GunnFiction / Fiction
Set during the summer at a beach where the same families have gathered for years. Ward is a sensitive fifteen year old exploring his place in the world and struggling under the shadow of his very charismatic Father. The sea, and its changing moods, pervade throughout this poetic and exquisite coming of age novel. VS A country wife: farms, families and other foolhardy adventures - Pinney, LucyCommunity and People / Non-Fiction
When I started reading this book, my heart sank – I thought it would be another whimsical tale of a townie adapting to life in the English countryside. It is, but it is also more than that – it is about a woman learning to accept what she is, learning to accept the ways of other people, and learning to adapt to her environment and find peace within herself. Country life is not always the idyll it seems, and marriages and relationships are not always stronger for being away from town pressures. I found myself cheering for the author towards the end of the book for having the courage to face up to her situation and not run away from it to somewhere “safer”. A Day on Grandad's Boat - Rachel Lees/ Picture book (Ages 3-8)
Grandad takes William and their two dogs on a boat ride to the family bach. William's dog, Prince, hasn't been on a boat before, but Grandad's Maggie knows all the rules. On the way they see a ferry and some birds. A plague of rats and rubbervines : the growing threat of species invasions - Yvonne BaskinDinosaurs, Animals, Plants / Non-Fiction
Baskin provides an authoritative overview of the problem of harmful invasive alien species, describing the troubles caused by exotic organisms that run amok in new settings. She offers potential solutions and profiles individuals who work tirelessly to protect places and creatures. Includes sections on New Zealand conservation and quarantine measures. A quiet adjustment - Benjamin MarkovitsFiction / Fiction
The second novel in a trilogy about Lord Byron A respectable girl - Beale, FleurAdventure, War / Teen Fiction
Hannah and her twin brother Jamie live with their father, Maori stepmother, and half brother in New Plymouth in 1859. A round-heeled woman : my late-life adventures in sex and romance - Jane JuskaIdeas and Feelings / Non-Fiction
Inspired by Eric Rohmer's film "Autumn Tale", a smart, energetic divorcee, decided she'd been celibate too long, and placed a personal ad in "The New York Review of Books". The response was overwhelming, and Juska took a sabbatical from teaching to meet some of the men who replied. A short history of nearly everything - Bill BrysonSpace, Science, Experiments / Non-Fiction
Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely in his own study at home, he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. This book is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization A spot of bother - Haddon, MarkFiction / Non-Fiction
This eagerly-awaited novel by the author of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” does not disappoint. The main character, George, is a mild-mannered man approaching retirement, who discovers he has a lesion on his body. His reaction to this, and his wife’s preoccupation with his daughter’s impending marriage, as well as his son’s homosexuality, prompt George to take drastic action. The plot races along, the dialogue is spot-on, and the denouement perfect. This novel deserves to do as well as its predecessor. FM After me came the Berlin Wall: lies, spies and journalism - Cull, MervynNews and Media / Non-Fiction
A fascinating and very readable account of the author’s life as a journalist on the New Zealand Herald, and his overseas postings, the Soviet Union, China and others. Nearly retirement age, he was offered the position of David Lange’s Press Secretary, which opened up all kinds of new opportunities for him. The memoirs are light and do not attempt to make political comment, which is a refreshing change from many journalistic memoirs. Agatha Raisin series - M.C. Beaton.Adventure, War / Fiction
Agatha Raisin series Agnes the sheep - William TaylorAdventure, War / Junior Fiction (Ages 8-13)
Belinda and Joe are forced to work together on a school project for which they must interview an older person to learn about the town's past. They are in for more than they anticipate when they interview Mrs. Carpenter and meet her omery pet, Agnes. This story is set in New Zealand. Alan Rickman : the unauthorised biography - Maureen PatonBiographies / Non-Fiction
Widely known for his portrayal of Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films, Alan Rickman is also one of Britain's greatest stage actors, embracing everything from Shakespeare, Chekov and Noel Coward, to directing Ruby Wax on stage. He has also appeared on television in shows as varied as "Rasputin", "The Barchester Chronicles" and "Victoria Wood with all the Trimmings", though global fame came with his move to the big screen. His first part was as terrorist Hans Gruber in "Die Hard" and has gone on to star in such diverse movies as "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", "Sense and Sensibility", "Dogma" and "Galaxy Quest". Yet behind the glamour lies the west London working-class socialist with strong political principles. Hollywood is the dream factory, yet Rickman's heart is often within the theatre of London. His reputation suggests a man difficult to work with, so is he similar to the characters he plays? Or is that the mark of this great actor - that he is nothing like them? In this revised and updated biography, the author encompasses the private, professional and political life of this enigmatic, charismatic and intensely private actor. -- Amazon Alex Delaware series - Jonathan KellermanMystery / Fiction
Alex Delaware series American Bee: the National Spelling Bee and the culture of word nerds: the lives of five top spellers as they compete for glory - Maguire, JamesSchools and Learning / Non-Fiction
Spelling bees have never been more popular in the States. With contestants limited to eighth-grade and under, regional bees regularly feature nine year olds competing against thirteen year olds. Many of the national finalists are second generation immigrants, which makes their successes even more remarkable. Despite the camaraderie, the seriousness of the contests is all too evident – memorising word lists may not be enough, as the contest includes several foreign terms, so a measure of luck is necessary. American Born Chinese - Gene Luen YangFiction / Teen Non-Fiction
American Born Chinese is a creative examination of the migrant experience. A Chinese boy experiences racism from others and also from within himself as he tries to fit his cultural background with the expectations of others. An angel at my table - Janet FrameBiographies / Non-Fiction
In a career spanning over forty years, Janet Frame created such successful works as The Lagoon, Scented Gardens for the Blind, Owls do Cry and To the Is-Land. As a gifted wordsmith and an acute observer of life hungry to express herself, it was no surprise that she chose to write about her own remarkable life. With her autobiography, An Angel At My Table, her unique artistry and strength was only further in evidence, as she managed to turn seven years of a harrowing, personal nightmare into a work of beauty, compassion and subtle humor. An Asian at my table - Raybon KanComics, Jokes, Funny Stories / Non-Fiction
Known for his witty newspaper columns and stand-up comedy, Raybon Kan is a New Zealand born Chinese, the only one in his family, being the youngest son of immigrants. In this collection of musings, many of which have appeared in print before, he looks at the eccentricities and frustrations of Kiwi Life through a wry and colourful lens. From having his prose featured on a Bursary English paper for analysis, rating higher than Shakespeare in that it was a compulsory, rather than optional questions, to pondering Auckland's dire transport situation. No subject is too sacred or controversial for him, yet he agues his point in a gentle, pondering way, which is a treat after the diatribes of so many other columnists. 412 results Note: this list represents only a fraction of what is available in the library. If you are looking for something specific, try searching our catalogue. Top | Feedback | Site Map | Site Search North Shore Libraries is funded by North
Shore City Council rates and supported by Friends
of the Libraries and the North
Shore Libraries Foundation. |
||||||||||
