Books & Authors

It was considered the Holy Grail of the art world, a portrait of Christ by Leonardo da Vinci painted in the 16th century, then lost to history. But is it really a da Vinci original? Audio

Book and publishing organisations have come together to create The Coalition of Books, an umbrella agency for New Zealand books and writers. Audio

It's hard to find a more maligned animal than the rat, but a new book examines whether Australia's native long-haired rat deserved to be caught up in the rodent bias settlers often brought with them… Audio

Louise O'Brien from New Zealand Review of Books Pukapuka Aotearoa reviews Whatever it Takes by Paul Cleave. This book is published by Upstart Press. Audio

Long before Oscar winning Bohemian Rhapsody, comedian, writer and director Ben Elton knew there was incredible power in the music of Queen.  Audio, Gallery

Jessie Bray Sharpin reviews Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane, which is published by Penguin Random House. Audio

There was a time when best selling novelist Paullina Simons was world famous in New Zealand. Nearly 20 years later, Simons has fans in 23 countries and is shaking up the book reading world with the… Audio

Catriona Ferguson has been reading Do Not Feed The Bear by Rachel Elliot, which is published by Hachette New Zealand. Audio

The role of gaming and online games is often questioned in instances such as mass murders and terrorism acts, but Dr. Pete Etchells has a different take on why people play video games and what they… Audio

Forgiveness shouldn't be forced, but even an imagined apology can be transformational, says American writer and activist Eve Ensler. In her latest book The Apology, Ensler writes an apology to herself… Audio

Tilly Lloyd of Unity Books reviews Out of Our Minds: What We Think and How We Came to Think It by Felipe Fernández-Armesto. Published by Oneworld Publications.  Audio

Sarah Pepperle's book Art-tastic won the Elsie Locke award for non-fiction AND best first book at the New Zealand Book Awards last night. Video, Audio

Bronwyn Wylie-Gibb of University Book Shop in Dunedin reviews 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak. Published by Viking.  Audio

Journalist Adele Ferguson helped to expose the shocking practices of the big four banks in Australia, the parent companies to the big four banks here, well as the insurer AMP.  Audio

Chronic pain has become a new epidemic and the man who treats elite athletes and even Elton John when they're suffering has a message; pain is in your brain. Audio

Stella Chrysostomou of VOLUME Books reviews All My Goodbyes by Mariana Dimópulos. Published by Giramondo Publishing. Audio

Sports journalist Alex McClintock made a foray into boxing as way to get fit and lose some weight, and it quickly became an obsession.  Audio