New Zealand a Personal Discovery


Book Description

Two hundred and twenty years after Captain Cook’s first tour of New Zealand, Dick Parsons takes us on a more comfortable voyage of discovery round the north and south islands. He gives us a fascinating insight into the life—human, animal and botanical—of this green and majestic land on the other side of the world. From ninety-mile beach in the far north to Dunedin via the Southern Alps, forests, inlets, glaciers, lakes, and islands—even the elusive Mt. Cook—are recorded in fine detail. Birds, beasts, and marine life, plus the impact of man—whether Maori, Scots, or English—are described and commented on with fairness and good humor. There is much to be admired about the Kiwis, not only their all-conquering “All Blacks”, but their great spirit of enterprise, for when Britain breaking its commercial ties with the Commonwealth, joined the European Common Market, the resourceful Kiwis rose to the challenge and forged strong economic links with Pacific Rim countries. Britain now initiating BREXIT, can learn much from our enterprising Kiwi friends.




Polynesian Navigation and the Discovery of New Zealand


Book Description

The science and stories behind the remarkable Polynesian settlement of the South Pacific and finally New Zealand, with plentiful illustrations and maps




The Awa Book of New Zealand Science


Book Description

This landmark anthology of writings will excite readers of all ages about extraordinary scientific discoveries made by New Zealand scientists. The pieces range from early naturalists' observations of birds, insects and botany, to geological accounts of the famous pink and white terraces, to Ernest Rutherford splitting the atom, modern breakthroughs in nanotechnology, to the recent discovery of an extra-solar planet. You'll even learn how to cook paua. The 50 pieces are beautifully chosen and make riveting reading. This is the first collection of its kind, compiled by one of New Zealand's most talented science writers. Winner 2009 Royal Society of New Zealand Science Book Prize.







Made in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand


Book Description

Made in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand: Studies in Popular Music serves as a comprehensive and thorough introduction to the history, sociology, and musicology of twentieth-century popular music of Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The volume consists of chapters by leading scholars of Australian and Aotearoan/New Zealand music, and covers the major figures, styles, and social contexts of pop music in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Each chapter provides adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance to Australian or Aotearoan/New Zealand popular music. The book first presents a general description of the history and background of popular music in these countries, followed by chapters that are organized into thematic sections: Place-Making and Music-Making; Rethinking the Musical Event; Musical Transformations: Decline and Renewal; and Global Sounds, Local Identity.




The Complete Travel Guide for New Zealand


Book Description

"The Complete Travel Guide Series" offers a comprehensive exploration of diverse destinations worldwide. Each book provides detailed insights into local culture, history, attractions, and practical travel tips, ensuring travellers are well-prepared to embark on memorable journeys. With vibrant illustrations, beautiful pictures and up to date information, this series is an essential companion for any type of traveller seeking enriching experiences.




Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All


Book Description

A book that perfectly balances memoir and history, interweaving a cross-cultural love story with the larger history of the colonial encounter 'A highly unusual blend of personal memoir, travel writing and anthropology' Lynne Truss, Sunday Times 'This book stands out because of its sharp, fine writing ... strong and compulsive' New Statesman _______________________________ Come On Shore and We Will Kill And Eat You All is a sensitive and vibrant portrayal of the cultural collision between Westerners and Maoris, from Abel Tasman's discovery of New Zealand in 1642 to the author's unlikely romance with a Maori man. An intimate account of two centuries of friction and fascination, this intriguing and unpredictable book weaves a path through time and around the world in a rich exploration of the past and the future that it leads to.




No Fretful Sleeper


Book Description

Outlining the career of one of New Zealand's most distinguished fiction writers and sharpest critics, this fascinating narrative details the life and work of Bill Pearson. Beginning with his difficult childhood in a society dominated by the New Zealand working man, this gripping biography follows Pearson through his long and distinguished academic career, the penning of his one major and celebrated novel, and his momentous decision to trade a dental career for World War II combat. Touching on his time in London and the native &“fretful sleepers,&” this engrossing account is emblematic of the intellectual culture, left-wing politics, and growing acceptance of both homosexual identity and Maori and Pacific Island culture in 20th-century New Zealand.