Audiobook Review: Straight Up by Ruby Tui
Kate 'not a sports fan' Coughlan tackles the audiobook of Straight Up by Ruby Tui and finds herself falling in love with the NZ rugby star's words and her narration abilities.
1 July 2024
ListenWhakarongo Mai
Listen to author interviews, reviews, and book news. Plus, read reviews about audiobooks by authors from Aotearoa.
Whakarongo ki ngā uiui kaituhi, ngā arotakenga, me ngā kawepūrongo pukapuka. Waihoki, pānuihia ngā arotakenga mō ngā pūpānui nā ngā kaituhi nō Aotearoa.
Audiobook review: The Quick and the Dead by Dr Cynric Temple-Camp
Audiobook and true crime lover Kate Coughlan gets chills while reviewing The Quick and the Dead by NZ pathologist Dr Cynric Temple-Camp.
9 June 2024
Dai Henwood: On living with cancer and how to 'squeeze every moment' from life
It was almost a relief when his cancer diagnosis was classed as incurable, comedian Dai Henwood says. Dai speaks with RNZ's Susie Ferguson.
4 June 2024
Emily Perkins with things to perk you up this public holiday
Wellington writer Emily Perkins is the country's latest literary darling, taking out the top prize at the recent Ockham Awards for her novel Lioness. She talks with Paddy Gower for RNZ.
3 June 2024
Matt Heath: learning to love your own life
A "miserable" moment on the banks of Lake Wakatipu was the initial inspiration for Matt Heath's new book A Life Less Punishing: 13 Ways To Love the Life You've Got. Matt speaks with RNZ's Suzie Ferguson.
1 June 2024
Book review: BBQ Economics by Liam Dann
RNZ's Kathryn Ryan talks to Harry Broad about BBQ Economics by Liam Dann, published by Penguin Random House NZ.
31 May 2024
The vital electricity of contemporary poetry: Fast Favourites with Tracey Slaughter
RNZ’s Mark Amery invited award-winning author of fiction, poetry and essays, Tracey Slaughter, to play Fast Favourites. Tracey picks out some favourite poems, cultural initiatives and music.
27 March 2024
Eileen Merriman's new novel 'The Night She Fell'
Doctor turned young adult writer and now adult fiction writer, Eileen Merriman, has a new book out, 'The Night She Fell'. The story follows the death of a clever law student from a wealthy family who fell from three stories up in her Dunedin student flat. Whodunnit, or whodunwhat? And why? Eileen, who is a clinical director of haematology and lead thrombosis clinician at North Shore Hospital, speaks with RNZ.
9 March 2024
Sheryl Beaumont on her new novel The War Photographers
Sheryl Beaumont's latest novel weaves together two pivotal points in 20th century history: efforts to crack the enigma code during World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The War Photographers introduces readers to Mae, a young woman recruited from Cambridge to work at Bletchley Park and her granddaughter Rachel, who's working as a photojournalist as the Cold War is drawing to a close. She speaks with Katyhryn Ryan of RNZ
5 March 2024
Author Paul Cleave on bringing his serial-killer book The Cleaner to TV screens
Paul Cleave is a crime writer and three-time Ngaio Marsh Award winner whose books have been translated into 20 languages. His first novel, The Cleane has been turned into a six part TV series called Dark City: The Cleaner (from March 4 on Neon/Sky Go/SoHo) and Paul has been intricately involved in the process - as the production's screenwriter. He joins Kathryn to talk about bringing his characters to life on screen.
27 February 2024
Tongariro National Park's beauty through the eyes of an artist
Desmond Bovey lived in France for thirty years, predominantly working as an art director. Upon returning home to Whanganui he was in search of a project to reconnect with Aotearoa - and worked on some environmental projects for DOC and Forest and Bird. The result is his book - Tongariro National Park - an artists field guide. He speaks to Kathryn Ryan of RNZ.
27 February 2024
How Ferrari helped a New Zealand children's book come to fruition
Flavio Manzoni is a high flying Italian architect and automobile designer - currently Chief Design Officer at Ferrari. He's a big deal, and has an unlikely connection to a self published book by a small New Zealand charity, Bread. Bread’s founder talks to RNZ afternoons.
27 February 2024
Patricia Grace talks about her inspiration for Bird Child and Other Stories
Patricia Grace is one of Aotearoa's most celebrated Maori fiction authors. She won the New Zealand Book Award for Fiction for Potiki in 1987, and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2001 with Dogside Story. She has a new collection of short stories, Bird Child and Other Stories, which spans mythology and contemporary Māori life and reimagines ancient tales. The cover art is courtesy of granddaughter Miriama Grace-Smith. Susie and Miriama talk to RNZ’s Susie Ferguson.
6 February 2024
The story of Treasure Island Caravan Park
Nita Joseph and her late husband Tim opened Treasure Island Caravan Park in Patua, Northland, in 1985 and put a lifetime's worth of hard yakka into creating the perfect summer holiday destination. Nita and author Elaine Webster join Susana Lei'ataua on RNZ’s The Weekend to discuss the book.
25 January 2024
Poet Terry Fitzgibbon's coastal connections
RNZ’s Anna Thomas caught up with poet and artist Terry Fitzgibbon about his new book 'Salt: Coastal Connections' published by White Cloud Books.
8 January 2024
'Terrifyingly perfect magic' - Authors and book lovers share their favourite NZ reads
RNZ asked authors and book lovers to share their favourite New Zealand book they read this year.
30 December 2023
Tusiata Avia's Big Fat Brown Bitch: 'I was bloody rarked up'
Samoan-NZ writer Tusiata Avia became the target of harassment and death threats earlier this year after her poem 250th anniversary of James Cook's arrival in New Zealand was labelled 'racist' by the ACT party. Avia's new poetry collection Big Fat Brown Bitch was partly written in response to that shocking backlash, she tells RNZ’s Susie Ferguson.
20 December 2023
Sir John Kirwan's book updated
When rugby legend Sir John Kirwan first released his memoir in 2010 detailing his struggle with mental illness, it was groundbreaking. Now 13 years later, he's updated the book with more stories about his personal experience as well as practical advice. Sir John Kirwan talks to RNZ’s Jesse Mulligan.
20 December 2023
Spirit of Adventure to set sail celebrating 50 years
A new book tells stories of the voyages of the Spirit of Adventure, a ship which runs programmes for young New Zealanders. Author Roger McDonald and the Spirit of Adventure Trust Chief Executive Bruce Pilbrow discuss the stories that have made the Spirit journey what it is today with Susie Ferguson of RNZ.
20 December 2023
Sam Low's new cookbook Modern Chinese
Since winning Masterchef in 2022, Sam Low has been figuring out what's important to him as a chef in the New Zealand media. In his new recipe book Modern Chinese, he honours both his cultural heritage and the "love language" of his parents' cooking, Sam tells RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan.
19 October 2023
Sir Wayne Smith on new memoir about his rugby career
Smith is the only rugby coach to win three Rugby World Cups – two as an assistant coach for the All Blacks and one as head coach with the Black Ferns. He talks to Kathryn Ryan of RNZ about how his coaching style has developed over five decades.
19 October 2023
Untouchable Girls: The Topp Twins in their own words
For more than 40 years, twin sisters Lynda and Jools Topp have performed as the joyfully anarchic and comedic country music duo The Topp Twins. They talk with Kim Hill of RNZ about their new book Untouchable Girls.
12 October 2023
Bookworm Tony Eyre on his passion for second-hand books
Tony Eyre is a proud bibliophile and has taken a lifetime of loving books and wrapped it into a bibliomemoir called The Book Collector.
19 June 2019