Books
Book Reviews and Columns published by The Lumičre Reader, grouped by standalone reviews and event-related content, indexed alphabetically.
Writers and Readers event coverage; The Book That Got Me Into Books guest column; related interviews, essays, and articles (see Special Features for more reading).
Reviews
» 84-484
Geoff Cochrane, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Abandoned Novel
David Beach, VUP/$25 | By Imogen Neale
» After Dark
Haruki Murakami, Penguin/$35 | By Jennifer Wittig
» After the Dance
Michele Amas, VUP/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» Amazing Alphabetical Adventures
Tony B. Anderson, Random House/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» Are Angels OK?
Edited by Paul Callaghan and Bill Manhire, VUP/$30 | By Kate Orgias
» As Far As We Know
Paul Callaghan and Kim Hill, Penguin/$30 | By Amy Brown
» Auguries Of Innocence
Patti Smith, Virage/$36 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Best New Zealand Fiction, Vol. 4
Edited by Fiona Farrell, Random House/$35 | By Amy Brown
» Blame Vermeer
Vincent O’Sullivan, VUP/$25 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Blue
Mary McCallum, Penguin/$28 | By Amy Brown
» Bluebeard’s Workshop and Other Stories
Pierre Furlan, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Book of Longing
Leonard Cohen, Vintage Penguin/$45 | By Simon Sweetman
» Cup
Alison Wong, Steele Roberts/$20 | By Megan Fleming
» Edwin + Matilda
Laurence Fearnley, Penguin/$28 | By Jennifer Van Beynen
» Far From the Madding Crowd
Thomas Hardy, Penguin/$16 | By David Levinson
» The Fountain of Tears
Stephanie de Montalk, VUP/$35 | By Robert Metcalf
» Geography For The Lost
Kapka Kassabova, AUP/$25 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Ghost Writer
Philip Roth, Vintage/$24 | By David Levinson
» The Hollow Men
Nicky Hager, Craig Potten/$35 | By Danyl McLauchlan
» How to Talk to a Widower
Jonathan Tropper, Orion/$27 | By Laura Fergusson
» How to Watch a Game of Rugby; How to Listen to Pop Music; How to Look at a Painting
Spiro Zavos/Nick Bollinger/Justin Paton, Awa Press/$25 | By Alexander Bisley
» Inside Little Britain
Matt Lucas, David Walliams & Boyd Hilton, Ebury Press/NZ$40 | By Simon Sweetman
» Ishq and Mushq
Priya Basil, Doubleday/NZ$37 | By Laura Fergusson
» Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
Chris Ware, Fantagraphics/$63 | By David Levinson
» The Kindness of Strangers
Shonagh Koea, Random House/$35 | By Jennifer Wittig
» Llamas and Empanadas
Eleanor Meecham, Penguin/$28 | By Natasha Burling
» The Lazy Boys
Carl Shuker, Penguin/$28 | By Charles Bisley
» Miranda’s Alphabet
Miranda Harcourt & Stuart McKenzie, South Coast Press/$20 | By Laura Fergusson
» Miss Me A Lot Of
Louise Wareham Leonard, VUP/$30 | By Jennifer Van Beynen
» Mrs Winter’s Jump
Jenny Bornholdt, Godwit-Random House/$37 | By Andy Armitage
» News of the Swimmer Reaches Shore
Gregory O’Brien, VUP/$30 | By Joan Fleming
» no one belongs here more than you
Miranda July, Text Publishing/$28 | By Amy Brown
» One Shapely Thing
Dinah Hawken, VUP/$30 | By Joan Fleming
» Opportunity
Charlotte Grimshaw, Random House-Vintage/$28 | By Laura Fergusson
» Overdue New Releases
Matt Johnson, Longacre Press/$30 | By Simon Sweetman
» Peter Jackson: A Film-Maker’s Journey
Brian Sibley, HarperCollins/$50 | By Chris Knox
» The Ponies
Bernadette Hall, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Rock Me Amadeus
Seb Hunter, Penguin/$35 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
Vladimir Nabokov, Random House/$26 | By David Levinson
» Secret Heart
Airini Beautrais, VUP/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» The Selling of New Zealand Movies
Lindsay Shelton, Awa Press/$40 | By Alexander Bisley
» Selma
Jutta Bauer, Gecko Press/$14 | By Laura Fergusson
» Shoot the Puppy
Tony Thorne, Penguin/$NA | By Simon Sweetman
» Slam
Nick Hornby, Penguin/$35 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Penguin/$14 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Sol
Andrew Johnston, VUP/$25 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Sontag and Kael: Opposites Attract Me
Craig Seligman, Counterpoint/$50 | By Alexander Bisley
» Sport 35
William Gibson, Penguin/$37 | By William Gibson
» Sport 35
NZ New Writing Winter 2007, VUP/$20 | By Simon Sweetman
» Thirty-Three Teeth
Colin Cotterill, Text Publishing/$37 | By Amy Brown
» This Time of Dying
Reina James, Portobello/$28 | By Jennifer Wittig
» Trendy But Casual
Paula Morris, Penguin/$28 | By Amy Brown
» Two Caravans
Marina Lewycka, Penguin/$37 | By Amy Brown
» The Wal-Mart Effect
Charles Fishman, Penguin/$30 | By Diane Spodarek
» The Weekenders: Adventures in Calcutta
Edited by Andrew O’Hagan, Ebury Press/$28 | By Benedict Reid
» White Cloud, Silver Screen
Text by Bob Harvey/Photographs by Tony Bridge, Exisle Publishing/$60 | By Alexander Bisley
» Who’s Driving?
Leo Timmers, Gecko Press/$17 | By Laura Fergusson
» Wild Latitudes
Barbara Else, Vintage/$28 | By Diane Spodarek
Geoff Cochrane, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Abandoned Novel
David Beach, VUP/$25 | By Imogen Neale
» After Dark
Haruki Murakami, Penguin/$35 | By Jennifer Wittig
» After the Dance
Michele Amas, VUP/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» Amazing Alphabetical Adventures
Tony B. Anderson, Random House/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» Are Angels OK?
Edited by Paul Callaghan and Bill Manhire, VUP/$30 | By Kate Orgias
» As Far As We Know
Paul Callaghan and Kim Hill, Penguin/$30 | By Amy Brown
» Auguries Of Innocence
Patti Smith, Virage/$36 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Best New Zealand Fiction, Vol. 4
Edited by Fiona Farrell, Random House/$35 | By Amy Brown
» Blame Vermeer
Vincent O’Sullivan, VUP/$25 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Blue
Mary McCallum, Penguin/$28 | By Amy Brown
» Bluebeard’s Workshop and Other Stories
Pierre Furlan, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Book of Longing
Leonard Cohen, Vintage Penguin/$45 | By Simon Sweetman
» Cup
Alison Wong, Steele Roberts/$20 | By Megan Fleming
» Edwin + Matilda
Laurence Fearnley, Penguin/$28 | By Jennifer Van Beynen
» Far From the Madding Crowd
Thomas Hardy, Penguin/$16 | By David Levinson
» The Fountain of Tears
Stephanie de Montalk, VUP/$35 | By Robert Metcalf
» Geography For The Lost
Kapka Kassabova, AUP/$25 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Ghost Writer
Philip Roth, Vintage/$24 | By David Levinson
» The Hollow Men
Nicky Hager, Craig Potten/$35 | By Danyl McLauchlan
» How to Talk to a Widower
Jonathan Tropper, Orion/$27 | By Laura Fergusson
» How to Watch a Game of Rugby; How to Listen to Pop Music; How to Look at a Painting
Spiro Zavos/Nick Bollinger/Justin Paton, Awa Press/$25 | By Alexander Bisley
» Inside Little Britain
Matt Lucas, David Walliams & Boyd Hilton, Ebury Press/NZ$40 | By Simon Sweetman
» Ishq and Mushq
Priya Basil, Doubleday/NZ$37 | By Laura Fergusson
» Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
Chris Ware, Fantagraphics/$63 | By David Levinson
» The Kindness of Strangers
Shonagh Koea, Random House/$35 | By Jennifer Wittig
» Llamas and Empanadas
Eleanor Meecham, Penguin/$28 | By Natasha Burling
» The Lazy Boys
Carl Shuker, Penguin/$28 | By Charles Bisley
» Miranda’s Alphabet
Miranda Harcourt & Stuart McKenzie, South Coast Press/$20 | By Laura Fergusson
» Miss Me A Lot Of
Louise Wareham Leonard, VUP/$30 | By Jennifer Van Beynen
» Mrs Winter’s Jump
Jenny Bornholdt, Godwit-Random House/$37 | By Andy Armitage
» News of the Swimmer Reaches Shore
Gregory O’Brien, VUP/$30 | By Joan Fleming
» no one belongs here more than you
Miranda July, Text Publishing/$28 | By Amy Brown
» One Shapely Thing
Dinah Hawken, VUP/$30 | By Joan Fleming
» Opportunity
Charlotte Grimshaw, Random House-Vintage/$28 | By Laura Fergusson
» Overdue New Releases
Matt Johnson, Longacre Press/$30 | By Simon Sweetman
» Peter Jackson: A Film-Maker’s Journey
Brian Sibley, HarperCollins/$50 | By Chris Knox
» The Ponies
Bernadette Hall, VUP/$25 | By Amy Brown
» Rock Me Amadeus
Seb Hunter, Penguin/$35 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
Vladimir Nabokov, Random House/$26 | By David Levinson
» Secret Heart
Airini Beautrais, VUP/$25 | By Laura Fergusson
» The Selling of New Zealand Movies
Lindsay Shelton, Awa Press/$40 | By Alexander Bisley
» Selma
Jutta Bauer, Gecko Press/$14 | By Laura Fergusson
» Shoot the Puppy
Tony Thorne, Penguin/$NA | By Simon Sweetman
» Slam
Nick Hornby, Penguin/$35 | By Simon Sweetman
» The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Penguin/$14 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Sol
Andrew Johnston, VUP/$25 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Sontag and Kael: Opposites Attract Me
Craig Seligman, Counterpoint/$50 | By Alexander Bisley
» Sport 35
William Gibson, Penguin/$37 | By William Gibson
» Sport 35
NZ New Writing Winter 2007, VUP/$20 | By Simon Sweetman
» Thirty-Three Teeth
Colin Cotterill, Text Publishing/$37 | By Amy Brown
» This Time of Dying
Reina James, Portobello/$28 | By Jennifer Wittig
» Trendy But Casual
Paula Morris, Penguin/$28 | By Amy Brown
» Two Caravans
Marina Lewycka, Penguin/$37 | By Amy Brown
» The Wal-Mart Effect
Charles Fishman, Penguin/$30 | By Diane Spodarek
» The Weekenders: Adventures in Calcutta
Edited by Andrew O’Hagan, Ebury Press/$28 | By Benedict Reid
» White Cloud, Silver Screen
Text by Bob Harvey/Photographs by Tony Bridge, Exisle Publishing/$60 | By Alexander Bisley
» Who’s Driving?
Leo Timmers, Gecko Press/$17 | By Laura Fergusson
» Wild Latitudes
Barbara Else, Vintage/$28 | By Diane Spodarek
Columns, Features & Events
Auckland Writers & Readers Festival
» An Hour with Tim Winton
26.5.07 | By Catherine Bisley
» Comedian, Poet, Preacher: An Hour With Shane Koyczan
26.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» Festival Ramblings on An Hour with C.K. Stead
24.5.07 | With Amy Brown, Catherine Bisley & Sam Bradford
» Festival Ramblings on An Hour with Richard Ford
26.5.07 | With Amy Brown, Catherine Bisley & Alexander Bisley
» Let's have the whole (short) story
25.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» The Mystery of Literary Translation
26.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» Bloody Brilliant, as Shakespeare said to Gatsby
ALEXANDER BISLEY picks a baker’s dozen of sure-to-rise quotes from the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» The interrogation of Toa Fraser: all about collaboration
At the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival in May, CATHERINE BISLEY drilled Toa Fraser on the rapport between theatre and film, adapting his play No 2 for the screen, and the riches of collaboration.
» Larger Intentions: An Interview with Richard Ford
TOM FITZSIMONS talks to writer Richard Ford – author of The Sportswriter, Independence Day, and The Lay of the Land – recently in the country for the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» A Meeting with Vikram Chandra
SAPNA SAMANT recalls her rendezvous with Vikram Chandra – author of Red Earth and Pouring Rain, Love and Longing in Bombay and most recently Sacred Games – at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» The Quiet Australian: An Interview with Tim Winton
AMY BROWN and CATHERINE BISLEY double-team Aussie author Tim Winton – whose acclaimed works include The Turning and Dirt Music – during his recent visit to New Zealand for the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» Six of the Best
ALEXANDER BISLEY picks six authors not to be missed at this year’s Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» Six (more) of the Best
AMY BROWN shares her Auckland Writers & Readers Festival favourites.
» Ten Questions for Paula Morris
Paula Morris, author of Queen of Beauty, Hibiscus Coast and, most recently, Trendy But Casual, generously answered AMY BROWN’s questionnaire, via email from New Orleans.
New Zealand International Arts Festival
» Behind the Scenes at the Museum: Nigel Cox
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Melody Nixon
» From a Crooked Rib: Nurrudin Farah
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Nowhere Man: Aleksandar Hemon
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Iridescence: Peter Wells
Writers & Readers Week, 18.5.06 | By Melody Nixon
» Writers International: International Voices
Writers & Readers Week, 14.5.06 | By Amy Brown
» Midnight Ramblings with a Comics Journalist: An Interview with Joe Sacco
An intrepid JOE SHEPPARD grills award-winning comic journalist Joe Sacco, guest of the Writers & Readers Week.
» The Names of Things: An Interview with Robert Hass
TOM FITZSIMONS interviews former American poet laureate Robert Hass, guest of the Writers & Readers Week.
» Paths of Glory: Robert Fisk on film
“I think film has an unstoppable power to convince if it’s properly made. When I was at school I wanted to be a film critic.” ALEXANDER BISLEY talks film with Robert Fisk, guest of the Writers & Readers Week. (links to The Film Reader)
Other Events
» Joanne Harris on The Lollipop Shoes
Rutherford House, 24.5.07 | By Kate Blackhurst
» Support Randell Cottage
The Book That Got Me Into Books
In an ongoing series, The Lumičre Reader asks a diverse range of writers and readers about the book that got them into books.
» Amy Brown on I’ll Take You to Mrs Cole!, and others
» Gregory O’Brien on A Mammal’s Notebook, and others
» Siobhan Harvery on As I Lay Dying
Related Features
» Alison Wong talks Poetry
Ahead of the Bananas NZ Going Global International Conference, RENEE LIANG spoke to guest speaker Alison Wong about writing, her Montana shortlisted poetry collection Cup, and growing up Chinese in New Zealand.
» The Beauty of Alain de Botton
Wunderkind of pop-philosophy and psychology, Alain de Botton, talked to AMY BROWN about aesthetics, education, and his latest book, The Architecture of Happiness.
» The Braunias Interview
Steve Braunias has been on New Zealand’s back page for almost a decade. TOM FITZSIMONS talks to him about birds, books and asking the tough questions.
» DBC Pierre: unplugged
ALEXANDER BISLEY talks reviews, drinking, Arnie and symbols with DBC Pierre.
» The Iowa Writers’ Workshop
SAM GASKIN recalls his American sojourn this year as go-between Victoria University’s Creative Writing Programme and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he visited the midwestern state to meet fellowship recipient and poet Alice Miller.
» Uncle Glenn
Full credit to novelist R Carl Shuker. He's just won New Zealand’s largest literary prize, the biennial, princely $65,000 Prize in Modern Letters for The Method Actors. ALEXANDER BISLEY profiles the prize's previous recipient, Glenn Colquhoun.
Last Updated: 14/10/07
» An Hour with Tim Winton
26.5.07 | By Catherine Bisley
» Comedian, Poet, Preacher: An Hour With Shane Koyczan
26.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» Festival Ramblings on An Hour with C.K. Stead
24.5.07 | With Amy Brown, Catherine Bisley & Sam Bradford
» Festival Ramblings on An Hour with Richard Ford
26.5.07 | With Amy Brown, Catherine Bisley & Alexander Bisley
» Let's have the whole (short) story
25.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» The Mystery of Literary Translation
26.5.07 | By Amy Brown
» Bloody Brilliant, as Shakespeare said to Gatsby
ALEXANDER BISLEY picks a baker’s dozen of sure-to-rise quotes from the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» The interrogation of Toa Fraser: all about collaboration
At the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival in May, CATHERINE BISLEY drilled Toa Fraser on the rapport between theatre and film, adapting his play No 2 for the screen, and the riches of collaboration.
» Larger Intentions: An Interview with Richard Ford
TOM FITZSIMONS talks to writer Richard Ford – author of The Sportswriter, Independence Day, and The Lay of the Land – recently in the country for the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» A Meeting with Vikram Chandra
SAPNA SAMANT recalls her rendezvous with Vikram Chandra – author of Red Earth and Pouring Rain, Love and Longing in Bombay and most recently Sacred Games – at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» The Quiet Australian: An Interview with Tim Winton
AMY BROWN and CATHERINE BISLEY double-team Aussie author Tim Winton – whose acclaimed works include The Turning and Dirt Music – during his recent visit to New Zealand for the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» Six of the Best
ALEXANDER BISLEY picks six authors not to be missed at this year’s Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.
» Six (more) of the Best
AMY BROWN shares her Auckland Writers & Readers Festival favourites.
» Ten Questions for Paula Morris
Paula Morris, author of Queen of Beauty, Hibiscus Coast and, most recently, Trendy But Casual, generously answered AMY BROWN’s questionnaire, via email from New Orleans.
New Zealand International Arts Festival
» Behind the Scenes at the Museum: Nigel Cox
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Melody Nixon
» From a Crooked Rib: Nurrudin Farah
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Nowhere Man: Aleksandar Hemon
Writers & Readers Week, 15.5.06 | By Tom Fitzsimons
» Iridescence: Peter Wells
Writers & Readers Week, 18.5.06 | By Melody Nixon
» Writers International: International Voices
Writers & Readers Week, 14.5.06 | By Amy Brown
» Midnight Ramblings with a Comics Journalist: An Interview with Joe Sacco
An intrepid JOE SHEPPARD grills award-winning comic journalist Joe Sacco, guest of the Writers & Readers Week.
» The Names of Things: An Interview with Robert Hass
TOM FITZSIMONS interviews former American poet laureate Robert Hass, guest of the Writers & Readers Week.
» Paths of Glory: Robert Fisk on film
“I think film has an unstoppable power to convince if it’s properly made. When I was at school I wanted to be a film critic.” ALEXANDER BISLEY talks film with Robert Fisk, guest of the Writers & Readers Week. (links to The Film Reader)
Other Events
» Joanne Harris on The Lollipop Shoes
Rutherford House, 24.5.07 | By Kate Blackhurst
» Support Randell Cottage
The Book That Got Me Into Books
In an ongoing series, The Lumičre Reader asks a diverse range of writers and readers about the book that got them into books.
» Amy Brown on I’ll Take You to Mrs Cole!, and others
» Gregory O’Brien on A Mammal’s Notebook, and others
» Siobhan Harvery on As I Lay Dying
Related Features
» Alison Wong talks Poetry
Ahead of the Bananas NZ Going Global International Conference, RENEE LIANG spoke to guest speaker Alison Wong about writing, her Montana shortlisted poetry collection Cup, and growing up Chinese in New Zealand.
» The Beauty of Alain de Botton
Wunderkind of pop-philosophy and psychology, Alain de Botton, talked to AMY BROWN about aesthetics, education, and his latest book, The Architecture of Happiness.
» The Braunias Interview
Steve Braunias has been on New Zealand’s back page for almost a decade. TOM FITZSIMONS talks to him about birds, books and asking the tough questions.
» DBC Pierre: unplugged
ALEXANDER BISLEY talks reviews, drinking, Arnie and symbols with DBC Pierre.
» The Iowa Writers’ Workshop
SAM GASKIN recalls his American sojourn this year as go-between Victoria University’s Creative Writing Programme and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he visited the midwestern state to meet fellowship recipient and poet Alice Miller.
» Uncle Glenn
Full credit to novelist R Carl Shuker. He's just won New Zealand’s largest literary prize, the biennial, princely $65,000 Prize in Modern Letters for The Method Actors. ALEXANDER BISLEY profiles the prize's previous recipient, Glenn Colquhoun.
Last Updated: 14/10/07







