Jimi Hendrix, Princess Diana and Syria's Asma Al-Assad rub shoulders with Auden, Eliot and Shelley - and with the Trouser Thief Clive met during ten long weeks locked up in a closed psychiatric ward - in this offbeat and affectionate poetic biography. Since 2010, when Clive was told he had three separate life-threatening conditions, he has poured out a stream of fine poems - sometimes light, witty and paradoxical, sometimes sad, heartfelt and regretful. Some, like `Japanese Maple', an instant Internet sensation, have already made it into the anthologies. Others, like his book-length epic, The River in the Sky, are more demanding. All are packed with the unexpected ideas, inventive imagery and breathtaking wordplay that have helped him achieve his avowed ambition of becoming `a fairly major minor poet'.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 138 x 216 mm

Publication Date: 01-02-2020

James Wilson was a farmer for 40 years before he became a vegan, a change that he believes saved his life. He'd spent a lifetime farming, growing, harvesting and eating meat and milk products, but eight years ago a health scare persuaded him to make the dramatic decision to change his lifestyle. James and his wife Barbie immediately adopted a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet and lifestyle - a vegan approach. And they've never looked back. Veganism, he insists, ensures a longer and healthier life. It also severely reduces our individual environmental footprint and avoids the often-appalling cruelty that livestock farming causes to animals. "Of course, there is a fourth reason" says James Wilson, "not quite so scientifically upheld, but one that works for me. And that is simply that there is joy in being vegan". Plant Paradigm forcibly puts the case for veganism, including some practical suggestions for how to cook vegan at home.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 121

Dimensions: 125 x 204 x 8 mm

Publication Date: 31-05-2019

Five notable twentieth-century New Zealanders who made their lives in Australia are the subject of this fascinating biographical investigation by award-winning author Stephanie Johnson. Roland Wakelin, Dulcie Deamer, Jean Devanny, Douglas Stewart and Eric Baume had little in common in personality, proclivities and politics. Yet they all experienced fame and/or notoriety in the ‘West Island’ while being largely forgotten in their country of origin. They also occasionally crossed paths in the course of eventful lives. The works of painter Roland Wakelin place him as a founder of Australia’s Modern Movement, while his modest and affable personality was the opposite of the stereotypical artist. Dulcie Deamer was a writer and libertine known for her leopardskin attire and associations with the larger-than-life characters of the Sydney bohemian set – including the ‘Witch of Kings Cross’, fellow New Zealander Rosaleen Norton. The forthright feminism and creative integrity of novelist Jean Devanny led to bitter battles with the same communist movement she devoted decades of her life to. Douglas Stewart was one of the most famous ‘Australian’ writers of his period. He was a long- term gatekeeper for Australian letters as the literary editor of the Bulletin, and then editor for publishers Angus and Robertson. Born into an unusual and unorthodox Jewish family, Eric Baume gained prominence in Australia as an early prototype of the modernday ‘shock jock’ and at one stage one of the country’s highest-earning media personalities and bestselling authors. A lifelong gambling addict, he died in debt. Stephanie Johnson restores these striking New Zealanders to our national narrative, engaging their life stories to illuminate the curious lacuna that exists at the heart of the complex relationship between the two nations. As a writer with strong connections to both countries, Johnson draws on her own experiences of life on both sides of ‘the ditch’ in her reflections on the trans-Tasman diaspora and the subtle differences and cultural divide that set apart the two countries.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 150 x 230 mm

This book introduces children and young adults to the political career of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Engaging infographics, thought-provoking discussion questions, and eye-catching photos give the reader an invaluable look into New Zealand and the office of its current leader. The World Leaders series introduces readers to some of today’s most powerful political figures. From the leaders’ roles on the global stage to the history of the nations and communities they lead, these informative narratives connect readers with current events by covering everything they need to know about the leaders impacting their world.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 48

Dimensions: 178 x 230 x 5 mm

Publication Date: 01-04-2019

Until the age of twenty, Donald McIntyre hoped to play for the All Blacks, and was on his way to achieving that aim. As a young man, however, he acknowledged his exceptional voice and opted for a career in singing. After leaving New Zealand and arriving in London, McIntyre set his sights on the world of opera. His spectacular musical life saw him conquering the stages of two London companies in the 1960s and 70s: Sadler’s Wells and ROH Covent Garden. His increasing command of Wagner roles brought him to the notice of Richard Wagner’s grandson Wolfgang Wagner, and in 1967 he made his debut appearance in Lohengrin. For the next seventeen years he sang in every Festival cycle and became the first “British” musician to sing the role of Wotan in Wagner’s mighty, four-opera Ring. Recognised for nearly three decades as the definitive Flying Dutchman, McIntyre also starred in the Bayreuth Centennial Ring in a production by Patrice Chéreau that completely revolutionised Wagner opera, and shot him to lasting fame, and in 1992, a knighthood. In this fascinating memoir “Sir Don” looks back over a huge slice of operatic history and his role in it. Mixing fun and gossip with judgement and insight, he brings to life a teeming gallery of the world’s most famous musicians – singers, conductors, directors, teachers, designers, sponsors … all the movers and shakers in the opera world of two generations. Edited by music professor and well-known New Zealand Wagnerian and radio personality, Heath Lees, this book is a fitting monument to Sir Donald’s magnificent half century in opera.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 240

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 19-05-2019

Time is precious. The world is waiting. Rediscover yourself. The Great Alone is the epic adventure of a relatable explorer. Why does a 44-year-old father leave his family for six months to walk 4,286km across America on the Pacific Crest Trail? What effect does it have on his marriage? on his children? and on himself? Following his intuition, Tim Voors decided to embark on a life-changing hike, feeling alive, being afraid, pushing through pain, confronting emptiness and starting a passionate romance with the wilderness. Tim Voors takes us through the physical, mental and spiritual journey he experienced on this epic hike. Climb into his backpack as he takes you through deserts, mountains, forests and raging rivers, where he forges magical friendships, rediscovers who he used to be, and implements those lessons on returning home.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 22-04-2019

As Roger Morgan-Grenville prepares for a new season with the White Hunter Cricket Club, he is starting to feel his age, so he embarks on a secret plan of coaching, yoga and psychology to improve his game. Will he emerge as a sporting demi-god, or will his team-mates even notice the difference? This is the humorous and heartwarming story of that cricket season, as the White Hunters go from disaster to triumph. It is a tale of competitiveness, suspense, excellence, hospitality and incompetence, such as the missing fielder found asleep in the woods and the two opening bowlers whose MG Roadster breaks down on the way to the game. From the Castle Ground at Arundel to a field next to a nudist camp in France, players such as the Tree Hugger, the Gun Runner, and their wicket-keeper, the Human Sieve, share the dream that this might be their day. Above all, it is the uplifting story of friendship among a team of not-very-good players who find enough moments of near brilliance to remind them why they love the game of cricket.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 216

Dimensions: 138 x 216 mm

Publication Date: 30-04-2019

At the age of 22 Rebecca Arnold, an art student from Greendale in Canterbury,was diagnosed with a rare and vicious cancer. Thirteen months later this vibrant and talented young woman was dead, her family left to cope with a tidal wave of grief and loss. Sing No Sad Songs is a heartbreaking yet beautifully composed memoir by Rebecca’s mother, Sandra Arnold. It is a haunting story of bereavement, survival, courage and acceptance, as well as a tender account of a close mother-daughter relationship cut far too short. The story begins with the family’s move to live in Brazil for a year, during which time we get to know Rebecca and her family, and watch her blossom into womanhood in this colourful and challenging environment. Her subsequent decline and death are all the more shocking in contrast. This moving and compelling memoir is neither sentimental nor voyeuristic. It is a restrained telling of a personal journey – ‘the map I have constructed for myself’ – that is ultimately powerfully redemptive.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 220

Dimensions: 175 x 228 x 20 mm

Discover the fascinating stories behind 38 queer icons, all of them ground-breakers, risk-takers and game-changers. Whether they are activists, sportspeople, scientists or superstars, every one of these people has been a trailblazer in their field, and deserves to have their achievements celebrated the world over. Be empowered and inspired by their extraordinary life stories, their awesome achievements and their wonder-words of wisdom with this pocketbook of remarkable people, and prepare to be introduced to your new superheroes.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 105 x 148 mm

Publication Date: 15-03-2019

As Ellie's fiftieth birthday approaches and her ambitions of a steady income, a successful career and an ascent of Everest seem as far away as ever, she begins to doubt she's capable of achieving anything at all. So when her best friend Mick suggests a gruelling cycle ride from Land's End to John o'Groats, she takes up the challenge. They opt for the scenic route which takes them along cycle paths, towpaths and the back roads and byways of Britain, unable to resist sampling local beers in the pubs they pass along the way. But as the pints start to stack up faster than the miles they're putting under their tyres, Ellie wonders if they'll ever make it to the finishing line...

Bind: paperback

Pages: 320

Dimensions: 129 x 197 x 21 mm