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Books & Authors
White Teeth Author Zadie Smith on her short fiction experiment
Author and New York University professor Zadie Smith has just released Grand Union, her first collection of short fiction. Audio
Outrage over choice of Austrian author for Nobel prize
Critics have hit out at the decision to give Peter Handke a Nobel prize for literature because of his long-standing support for Serbs.
Book review - The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
Jessie Bray Sharpin reviews The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman. Published by Simon & Schuster. Audio
Book review - Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson
Anne Else reviews Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson, which is published by Simon & Schuster. Audio
Holden Sheppard: growing up gay in small-town Western Australia
Holden Sheppard grew up gay in a small rural town in Western Australia, where he says he felt completely invisible, as he tried to keep his thoughts and feelings under wraps. He's written a… Audio
Immediate pleasure or long-term consequences?
Instant gratification is nothing new. Ask anyone who has ever had a hangover, and they'll tell you the short term rewards of just one more won out over the long term implications of a sore head the… Audio
Finding the bells of old Tokyo
American author Anna Sherman lived in Tokyo for seven years, and became fascinated with the nine bells that would ring out over the city during the Edo period, helping to keep time for the public. In… Audio
Book review - Big Ideas for Small Houses by Catherine Foster
Phil Vine reviews Big Ideas for Small Houses by Catherine Foster, which is published by Penguin Random House. Audio
Lately Book Club: The Point
Our occasional Book Club series, Auckland author and publisher Debra Millar has almost lived at Auckland's Point Chevalier long enough to be considered a local. It's a pretty sedate place these days… Audio
Why we need insects
To save ourselves, we need to start thinking about saving creatures we have always been at war with. Bugs. They are the glue that holds nature together. Audio
Book Critic: Lisa Glass
Lisa talks about 3 Brexit novels Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss Perfidious Albion by Sam Byers Autumn by Ali Smith Audio
Book review - Bedlam by Derek Landy
Anna Daniell reviews Bedlam (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 12) by Derek Landy. The book is published by HarperCollins. Audio
The Camping Cookbook: recipes and food storage tips
When food-lovers Andrea Lo Vetere and Sara Mutande moved to New Zealand, they become passionate about camping. But one night, eating prepackaged food on the Routeburn Track, the couple (who are from… Audio, Gallery
Book review - Wildlife of Aotearoa by Gavin Bishop
Harry Broad reviews Wildlife of Aotearoa by Gavin Bishop, which is published by Penguin Random House. Audio
Who really owns New Zealand land?
Journalist, Kate Newton breaks down her investigation into land ownership in Aotearoa. Audio
Heddi Goodrich and Lost in the Spanish Quarter
Translating her own novel from Italian into English was an obvious decision for American expat Heddi Goodrich. She moved to New Zealand 20 years ago and teaches English in Auckland. But her high… Audio
Three Minutes Max - Siobhan Leachman
Wellingtonian Siobhan Leachman says she misses the Wellington central library after it was closed down because of earthquake risk earlier this year. Audio
How we read in the digital age
How does reading online affect your ability to take in what you're reading and could it have an impact on how much you read printed material? A new survey by Read NZ reveals we are losing the ability… Audio
The dark history of New Zealand's leper colony
From 1906 to 1925 Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour was the site of New Zealand's only leprosy colony. The fate of those who ended up on the Island was grim, with a lack of care and reports of… Audio, Gallery
Stephen Chbosky - The Perks of Being a Wallflower author
20 years ago Stephen Chbosky wrote the best selling novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Since then he's been writing and directing films with credits including the movie of his own novel, a live… Audio