Why isn’t Aotearoa famous for its insects? We have wētā that can survive being frozen, weevils with ‘snouts’ almost as long as their bodies, and the world’s only alpine cicadas. There is mounting evidence that insect numbers are plummeting all over the world. But the insect apocalypse isn’t just a faraway problem – it’s also happening here in Aotearoa. In recent years, we have lost a number of our native insects to extinction and many more are teetering on the brink. Without insects, the world is in trouble. Insects are our pollinators, waste removers and ecosystem engineers – they are vital for a healthy planet. So why don’t more people care about the fate of the tiny but mighty six-legged beings that shape our world? Richly illustrated, and including more than 100 original paintings by the author, Six-legged Ghosts: The insects of Aotearoa examines the art, language, stories and science of insects in Aotearoa and around the world. From te ao Māori to the medieval art world, from museum displays to stories of the insect apocalypse, extinction and conservation, Lily Duval explores the lives of insects not only in Aotearoa’s natural environments, but in our cultures and histories as well.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 298

Dimensions: 190 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 29-03-2024

Histories of Pakeha settlement in New Zealand have often ignored the role of women, or devalued their contribution to mere adjuncts to the work of men. In Nailed Boots and Crinoline Gowns historian Robert Peden argues that not only were women present from the very beginnings of settlement, they were also industrious partners with their menfolk in farming and other enterprises. Despite the Victorian ideal of women as primarily domestic helpmates to their husbands, many women succeeded on the farm and in the wider world. Many settlers on New Zealand’s rural frontier lived in extreme isolation, far from friends, family and support. In times of crisis, such as childbirth or severe illness, their resourcefulness was sorely tried. Many developed a healthy self-reliance to manage this acute deprivation, some were broken by it. Nailed Boots and Crinoline Gowns presents the stories of women living on the rural frontier in the first two or three Pakeha generations. Through their diaries, letters and other sources the author relates the vivid stories of women who toiled long and hard, shoulder to shoulder with their men, even as they cared for their families.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 236

Dimensions: 170 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 04-04-2024

The Otautahi Christchurch of today is made up of numerous suburbs, each with its own characteristics, surrounded and built in an area of astonishing natural beauty. In 2010 and 2011 the city was hit by a series of devastating earthquakes. Neighborhoods were destroyed or damaged beyond repair, and the impact on the social and built fabric of the city was almost overwhelming. Much has been written about the resilience and determination of Otautahi Christchurch's people following these devastating earthquakes, and the care and kindness shown by fellow Aotearoa New Zealand citizens and the many who cam to help from all corners of the world. This book focuses on a small part of the wider story of the city's new beginning. It shows how an individual project - the building of a new convention centre - brought people, cultures, architects, designers and artists together to create a building that represents a new, shared, vision of togetherness. It is an optimistic and hopeful vision for the future. The architects, designers and artists of Te Pae committed to creating a building firmly placed in Otautahi Christchurch - a building that aligns with who and what the people here are, rather than a mirror image of another society.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 168

Dimensions: 245 x 305 mm

Publication Date: 01-12-2023

Dunedin, 1890: Suddenly orphaned at the tender age of twenty, Greer Gillies is reduced to working as a humble servant at Larnach Castle, a far cry from the dreams she held before. As she struggles with the stark reality of grief, she finds her journey has only just begun as the decade proves transformative for women’s progress. As she grapples with affairs of the heart, betrayal, the threat of lost love and social upheavals, Greer’s resilience shines through. She becomes a symbol of courage, daring to pursue her dreams, follow her heart and find her place in a world that promises a better future. Spanning the last decade of the 19th century, this page-turning saga explores the healing power of friendship while celebrating the pivotal role women played in one of New Zealand’s most turbulent eras.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 152 x 229 mm

Publication Date: 11-03-2024

Criminal psychologist Nellie Prayle loves solving murders. The more complicated, the better. But when a professor of astronomy is found dead at Tekapo’s Mt John Observatory during its internationally-attended 50th anniversary conference celebrations and Detective Jack Simmons calls on Nellie to help with the police investigation, she soon realises that this is not your typical murder – and nor are these your usual suspects. As Nellie and Jack venture into the Dark Sky Reserve in Aotearoa New Zealand’s beautiful Mackenzie Country, they uncover a universe of rivalries, infidelities and emotional turmoil that pushes people to the edge. International intrigue and a tangle of motives unfold against a glittering backdrop of bright stars in this gripping tale of crime and passion, and as Nellie knows only too well, nothing in the world of academia is straightforward...

Bind: paperback

Pages: 240

Dimensions: 152 x 229 mm

Publication Date: 22-03-2024

Every four years the NZ Military History Committee runs a conference and publishes the best papers from it about New Zealand’s varied and fascinating military history. This book brings together the latest thinking on aspects of New Zealand’s Second World War from perspectives as wide as Germany, Canada, Britain and Australia and on subjects covering combat, forces, personalities, attitudes and after-effects. This book includes essays from some of the most renowned New Zealand and international historians, including Jonathan Fennell, Chris Pugsley, Peter Lieb, Robert Engen, Claire Cookson-Hills, and John Crawford. See following page for more details.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 486

Dimensions: 235 x 260 mm

Publication Date: 30-03-2024

In this captivating and beautifully illustrated memoir, John Gillies vividly recalls his months as a member of the Otago University Medical Company on an active service tour of duty in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Still a medical student at the time, his youthful admiration of New Zealand war artists from previous conflicts adds a poignant layer to his narrative, told in brief, evocative chapters that offer tantalising glimpses of the variety of humanity he encountered during his time in Vietnam. Gillies, a lifelong artist and now retired physician, might well be called New Zealand’s first people’s war artist as he takes us behind the scenes and records the people and places that captured his imagination when not tending to the wounded. No combat here, no battle scenes from him … instead, beautiful portraits, bewitching sketches and enduring memories of a time and place where ordinary lives were so violently disrupted. From crazy escapades to sobering moments, Gillies reflects on the dual nature of his experiences, making Portrait of a War Artist a compelling memoir that delves into the complexities of war, the transformative power of art, and the enduring resilience of the human spirit in the face of challenge.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 104

Dimensions: 210 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 05-04-2024

For lovers of the great outdoors and those captivated by the silent allure of Canterbury’s alpine horizon, Andy Buchanan’s Alpine Panorama: A view to a climb is a celebration of nature’s majesty and a tribute to the enduring connection between man and mountain. The distant alpine skyline served as a magnetic force during Buchanan’s childhood, pulling him towards the untamed beauty of the region. Family holidays were spent tramping and skiing amidst the rugged peaks, creating enduring memories that fuelled a passion for the great outdoors. In the Buchanan family home from the Summit Road atop the Port Hills, a cherished outline sketch adorned the wall – a visual guide to 133 peaks visible from this lofty perch. Inspired by this panoramic masterpiece, Andy Buchanan hatched a retirement plan: to conquer each and every one of those peaks. What ensued was a journey of rediscovery and renewed enthusiasm, as he scaled familiar summits and ventured into uncharted territories. This beautifully illustrated narrative is more than a recounting of mountaineering triumphs; it is a testament to a lifetime’s fascination with nature’s grandeur. Through vivid words and breath-taking full-colour images, Buchanan frames the peaks within a contemporary context, weaving in Māori lore, geographic insights, historical details, and engaging anecdotes. Each page resonates with the author’s deep reverence for the alpine landscape, inviting readers to join him on a visual and literary odyssey through the soaring beauty that is the glorious backdrop beloved by all Cantabrians.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 184

Dimensions: 230 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 25-03-2024

Discover what MATTIE THE POLAR BEAR learns about animals and the environment in the Arctic when she slips off the ice and is swept away by the roaring ocean. See her rescued and carried home by a friendly whale. Read about all the other types of bears in the world and the animals that call the Arctic home.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 240 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 01-08-2023

Find out what LIZZIE THE ELEPHANT learns about the animals and environment in Africa when she skips off into the bush on her own and is soon lost. She is rescued by her grandfather who teaches her about being responsible for your actions and female leadership. Learn all about elephants and other African animals.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 240 x 240 mm

Publication Date: 01-08-2023