classics.net.nz » Books

GANG of ONE

admnin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:55:46 +0000

“GANG of ONE” author…Gary Mulgrew

‘Gang of One’ is the remarkable true story of one man’s journey from a Glasgow orphanage to a notorious gang-infested prison in Texas.

This book is as unforgettable as it is enthralling!

The Age of Wonder

admnin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:26:46 +0000

In this ground breaking group Biography, award winning author Richard Holmes charts the voyages of discovery astronomical ,chemical, poetical, philosophical-that made up this ‘age of wonder’. From the 40-foot telescope to the miner’s lamp, and from the first balloon flight to African exploration, it tells the stories of great innovations, and the inspired individuals behind them.

Himalayan Hospitals

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:36:36 +0000

Sir Edmund Hillary became famous by being the first, with Tenzing Norgay, to climb Mt Everest in 1953. Though this was clearly a remarkable feat, Sir Edmund came to be regarded by many as a great man for the way he chose to use his fame, which was to dedicate much of the rest of his life to building schools and hospitals for the Sherpa people of Nepal. The Legacy of Everest tells the remarkable story of the two hospitals he built; Khunde Hospital in 1966 in the Khumbu region at the foot of Mt Everest, and Phaplu Hospital in 1975 in the Solu Valley. These hospitals were staffed by volunteer Doctors and their partners from New Zealand and Canada until they were eventually handed over to Sherpa Doctors. Using letters written by these volunteers, and many subsequent interviews Michael Gill, a Doctor himself who worked with Sir Edmund from the beginning on these projects, has pieced together this fascinating history of a unique aid project. It has many threads: an honest and fresh insight into the life of Sir Edmund Hillary, a rich and real picture of Sherpa culture, and the transformative experiences of the volunteers, whose lives where often completely changed by their time working in the Sherpa communities. Moving, insightful and ultimately inspirational, The Legacy of Everest is a wonderful book, that has at its heart the integrity and humility of Sir Edmund Hillary, one of New Zealand’s true heroes.

$49.99

Seeing Further

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:34:13 +0000

Edited and introduced by Bill Bryson, and with contributions from Richard Dawkins, Margaret Atwood, David Attenborough, Martin Rees and Richard Fortey amongst others, this is a remarkable volume celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society. Since its inception in 1660, the Royal Society has pioneered scientific discovery and exploration. The oldest scientific academy in existence, its backbone is its Fellowship of the most eminent scientists in history including Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Today, its Fellows are the most influential men and women in science, many of whom have contributed to this ground-breaking volume alongside some of the world’s most celebrated novelists, essayists and historians. Published to mark its 350th anniversary, this highly illustrated book celebrates the Royal Society’s vast achievements in its illustrious past as well as its huge contribution to the development of modern science. With unrestricted access to the Society’s archives and photographs, ‘Seeing Further’ shows that the history of scientific endeavour and discovery is a continuous thread running through the history of the world and of society — and is one that continues to shape the world we live in today.

$49.99

Stoked

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:30:41 +0000

Fishermen and good home cooks alike devoured Go Fish and its winning combination of excellent recipes, great yarns, gorgeous photography, devotion to the stunning NZ coastline and way of life, all with a touch of nostalgia. Now Al Brown applies this same formula to that icon of Kiwi life: the barbecue. But not just any old barbecue: Al explores a wide range of outdoor cooking styles – grills of all sorts, smoking, spits, outdoor ovens (tandoor, pizza) etc, including how-tos. With more than 100 recipes, there’s an emphasis on fast and tasty, with recipes for bruschetta, burgers, pizza, fritters, chargrilled seafood, beef, lamb and chicken, ribs, plus slow roasted meats. There’s game (venison, duck and goat); plus excellent salads and classic cake tin slices and bikkies. Added to this treasure trove are more classic go-to recipes – sauces and relishes for the perfect finish. Featuring wonderful photography by Kieran Scott shot in NZ’s most amazing scenery, including the high country above the Wakatipu Basin in Central Otago; the rugged south Wairarapa coastline; hunting and fly fishing at the 8000-acre Ngamatea Station in the Central North Island; wild porcini mushroom gathering in Canterbury; an outdoor tandoor oven with Indian friends in Wellington, and a hangi up the Whanganui River. This is the complete package, yet again!

$69.99

The Parihaka Woman

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:28:04 +0000

There has never been a New Zealand novel quite like The Parihaka Woman. Richly imaginative and original, weaving together fact and fiction, it sets the remarkable story of Erenora against the historical background of the turbulent and compelling events that occurred in Parihaka during the 1870s and 1880s. Parihaka is the place Erenora calls home, a peaceful Taranaki settlement overcome by war and land confiscation. As her world is threatened, Erenora must find within herself the strength, courage and ingenuity to protect those whom she loves. And, like a Shakespearean heroine, she must change herself before she can take up her greatest challenge and save her exiled husband, Horitana. Surprising, inventive and deeply moving, The Parihaka Woman confirms Witi Ihimaera as one of New Zealand’s finest and most memorable storytellers.

$38.99

The Night Circus

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:25:06 +0000

In 1886 a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, Le Cirque des Reves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire. There are contortionists, performing cats, carousels and illusionists – all the trappings of an ordinary circus. But this is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who call themselves the reveurs – the dreamers. And who is the sinister man in the grey suit who watches over it all? Behind the scenes a dangerous game is being played out by two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who, at the behest of their masters, are forced to test the very limits of the imagination – and of love. A feast for the senses, a fin-de-siecle fantasia of magic and mischief, and the most original love story since “The Time Traveler’s Wife”, “The Night Circus” is an extraordinary blend of fantasy and reality. It will dazzle readers young and old with its virtuoso performance, and who knows, they might not want to leave the world it creates.

$37.99

Carte Blanche

admnin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:21:12 +0000

‘The face of war is changing. The other side doesn’t play by the rules much any more. There’s thinking, in some circles, that we need to play by a different set of rules too …’ Fresh from Afghanistan, James Bond has been recruited to a new agency. Conceived in the post-9/11 world, it operates independent of Five, Six and the MoD, its very existence deniable. Its aim: to protect the Realm, by any means necessary. The Night Action alert calls Bond from dinner with a beautiful woman. GCHQ has decrypted an electronic whisper about an attack scheduled for later in the week: casualties estimated in the thousands, British interests adversely affected. And 007 has been given carte blanche to do whatever it takes to fulfil his mission.

$39.99

The Louvre: All the Paintings

admnin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:00:27 +0000

An historic publishing event! Endorsed by the Louvre and for the very first time ever, every painting from the world’s most popular and renowned museum is available in one stunning book. All 2,954 paintings on display in the permanent painting collection of the Louvre are presented in full colour in this striking slip-cased book. Comes with a, supportive DVD-ROM. This book is organized and divided into the four main painting collections of the Louvre: the Italian School, the Northern School, the Spanish School, and the French School. Artists and paintings are featured chronologically by the artist’s date of birth. Four hundred of the most iconic and significant paintings are highlighted with 300-word discussions by art historians Anja Grebe and Vincent Pomarede on the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing the painting, the artist’s inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, the artist’s impact on art history, and more. All 2,954 paintings are fully annotated with the name of the painting and artist, the date of the work, the birth and death dates of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the painting, the Louvre catalogue number, and the room in the Louvre in which the painting is found. The design of the work enables the reader to carefully examine and enjoy the 400 featured paintings and browse through the remainder of the entire collection of 2,954 paintings, which appear six, nine, or twelve to a page. The DVD-ROM is easily browsable by artist, date, school, art historical genre, or by location in the Louvre. This last feature allows readers to tour the Louvre and its contents, room-by-room, as if they were actually walking through the building. $129.99

Hut Builder

admnin — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:09:47 +0000

Prizes: Winner of New Zealand Post Book Awards: Fiction 2011. $39.99

‘I suddenly found myself in front of a scene of such beauty that it took my breath away …’ As a boy in the late 1930s, young Boden’s life is changed for ever the day his neighbour Dudley drives him over the mountains into the vast snow-covered plains of the Mackenzie Country. He realises he will never be the same again. Years later, the 20-year-old Boden, now a university student, helps build an alpine hut high up on the eastern slopes of Mount Cook. Living in snow caves while the hut is built, Boden forms important relationships with members of his working party, most notably with Walter, a conscientious objector from the Second World War. Real historical characters (such as Edmund Hillary and literary editor Charles Brasch) make appearances in the novel. This is powerful new territory for Laurence Fearnley and marks her emergence into the very front rank of New Zealand fiction writing. The Hut Builder is without question her best novel yet, combining her proven story-telling skills with her passionate love of the mountains, the wilderness and the sky.