Books & Authors

Quentin Johnson reviews Fracture - Stories of How Great Lives Take Root in Trauma by Matthew Parris, published by Allen and Unwin. Audio

Mary Fawcett of Schroedinger's Books in Petone reviews Egg Marks the Spot by Amy Timberlake. Second in the Skunk & Badger series for 7-11 year olds, published by Allen and Unwin. Audio

The rarest postage stamps, the fabled Plate 77 Penny Reds, are at the heart of the latest Detective Dan Calder crime novel by Ian Austin. You can throw in a terrorist bombing plot at Auckland Airport… Audio

Harvard professor of human evolutionary biology and author of the new book, Exercised, Daniel Lieberman explains how we evolved to be physically active, but we never evolved to do physical activity… Audio

In 2018, N.K. Jemisin became the first author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel in three consecutive years, each award going to a book in her widely-heralded Broken Earth series. As a child the New… Audio

Oxford mathematician Marcus du Sautoy says humankind's laziness might just be its saving grace. Despite being frowned upon, du Sautoy says our inherent reluctance for hard work can often lead us to… Audio

Briar Lawry from Unity Books Auckland reviews Wild Pets by Amber Medland, published by Faber & Faber. Audio

Taranaki-based clinical animal behaviourist Mat Ward specialises in positive reinforcement training, for new pups and throughout their life. It's never too late to teach an old dog a new trick, says… Audio

Listen in to hear New Zealand's brightest scientific minds discuss the merits of pop culture plot-drivers. From Wolverine's adamantium-fused skeleton to Star Trek's dilithium crystals. Audio

Jenna Todd from Time Out Bookstore reviews Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit, published by Penguin Random House Audio

American author Marissa Meyer has spent much of the past decade reimagining the classic fairy stories we think we know so well, and turning them into smash hits. Her first novel, Cinder, became a New… Audio

We talk to Michelle Hurley, Publisher at Allen & Unwin, about their major new commercial fiction writing prize with a $10,000 publishing contract for the winner. Audio

Anne Else reviews Middle Distance: Long Stories of Aotearoa New Zealand edited by Craig Gamble, published by VUP Audio

Catherine Ross believes that books start conversations. She reviews her latest picks with Jesse. Audio

Louise Ward of Wardini Books in Havelock North reviews Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee, and Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket. Audio

Yorta Yorta woman Dianne O'Brien was raised in the era of the White Australia policy, a child of the stolen generation. Her memoir Daughter of the River Country - is a story of survival and triumph… Audio

Author Renée Hollis admits she was a bit overwhelmed by the response she received when she put out a call on RNZ National for listeners to send her untold stories, letters, diaries and photographs… Audio, Gallery

12 short stories accompanied by 12 original paintings... Katy Soljak combines two of her passions - she's also a musician by the way - in her new book My First Real Pash and Other Stories. Katy's… Audio

Master storyteller Ken Follett is one of the best-selling authors of the past 50 years, with over 178 million sales of his 32 books in print. The Welsh writer's latest book, Never, marks a return to… Audio

When Scott Guy was shot dead at the gate of his family farm in Feilding 11 years ago, and his brother-in-law was charged with his murder (later acquitted), six of Jo Guy's grandchildren were made… Audio