Mt John University Observatory is New Zealand's only professional research observatory for optical astronomy. John Hearnshaw, a past director of the observatory, has delved into the observatory archives to write this engaging account of Mt John's fascinating history. Alan Gilmore, the recently retired observatory superintendent, has added to this with his personal recollections, having worked at the observatory for more than 34 years. Fifty years ago, in 1965, Mt John University Observatory was founded at Lake Tekapo in the Mackenzie Basin to take advantage of the favourable conditions for astronomy. Telescopes were installed, and in 1981 a lighting ordinance helped protect the site from light pollution. Astronomical research had been thriving on Mt John for 40 years when astro-tourism started to take off, largely due to the venture company Earth & Sky. Today Mt John is both a research observatory and a mecca for stargazing astro-tourists, who come to see the pristine landscape and the amazing dark night skies. It is one of the most beautiful astronomical observatories in the world, but also a place with an often turbulent history, having been rocked by personality battles, funding shortfalls, student demonstrations and on one occasion, a destructive fire. In spite of all that, its scientific work has been an outstanding success, and Mt John's research work, especially in stellar astronomy, is known and respected around the world. "Mt John - The First 50 Years: A celebration of half a century of optical astronomy at the University of Canterbury" is richly illustrated, with more than 180 figures, many of them outstanding landscape and nightscape photographs taken by the acclaimed Tekapo photographer, Fraser Gunn.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 216

Dimensions: 303 x 232 mm

Publication Date: 16-03-2015

Canterbury has a rich tapestry of country homesteads - all with their own unique stories to tell. There is an interesting variety of architectural styles and interiors chosen for the homes. All the homesteads and the families who have occupied them during many decades, are a wonderful part of Canterbury's architectural, artistic, botanical and social history.

Pages: 163

Dimensions: 273 x 210 x 10 mm

Publication Date: 08-12-2014

BESTSELLER The novel A Gallipoli Soldier’s Secret is the story of a New Zealand woman’s pilgrimage to Turkey to discover the truth about her great-grandfather’s fate - a Gallipoli soldier who never returned home. During her search she stumbles over dark secrets which have been hidden in a Turkish village for decades. They are so sensitive that disclosure threatens embarrassment for villagers and two old foes -New Zealand and Turkey.
Lyrically written, A Gallipoli Soldier’s Secret paints an informative picture of life in a Turkish village, Turkish culture and history, and the suffering and annihilation Turks endured in WWI. It follows the war through the stories of two soldiers – New Zealander Alistair John Taylor and Turk Ali Osman. Their lives converge with unexpected consequences.
A Gallipoli Soldier’s Secret is unique in that it provides a glimpse of the war from a Turkish perspective. It also vividly reveals village life and a journey of inner conflict and self-discovery.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 300

Dimensions: 135 x 216 x 40 mm

Publication Date: 10-02-2015

A modern day Downton Abbey
Over a twelve month period the author and his wife bought to an extremely proper and aristocratic household a down to earth mentality which confused and intrigued their employers. Age old ways tied this Kiwi pair in knots and caused sleepless nights but at best provided some of the funniest experiences of their lives.
Their exceedingly wealthy employers couldn't boil water or sweep leaves. The Laredos could, so a punt was taken to hire them by Mr and Mrs Worlingham who required everything to be picked up and put down for them.
Shoes had to be polished, clothes laid out and drinks poured. The Laredos acted as marriage counsellors, relationship consultants for their teenage daughters, truce negotiators for family feuds and issues concerning staff rivalry. Acting as go betweens and smoke screens became skills they never knew they had.
Aside from life at Chantborough Court there were also local village people who curried favour with this new domestic couple from down under hoping they would open doors to the 'Big House' that most villagers only dreamt of passing through. They became the subject of gossip, personality hang-ups and intrigue - learning to be discreet was everything. Ultimately friendships were forged that have held fast, but getting established and becoming accepted was often testy, frequently funny beyond words and ultimately too good to have missed.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 148 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 20-03-2015

Soon after the introduction of cocksfoot to Banks Peninsula in the mid-19th century, Akaroa cocksfoot grass seed conquered the market - first in New Zealand, then in Australia, and finally in Europe. At the height of the industry, Akaroa cocksfoot was one of the most significant industries in Canterbury, with annual earnings for Banks Peninsula of more than $10 million per annum. It was responsible for the loss of almost all the Peninsula's unmillable forest. And yet, a generation or two later, the Akaroa cocksfoot seed industry has almost entirely disappeared. More than a century after the industry reached its peak, Vaughan Wood celebrates its remarkable story. The history of Akaroa cocksfoot is one that embodies many facets of Canterbury life: the farmers and harvesters, the seed merchants, and the engineering and transport firms. It was shaped by the science, politics and world-trade patterns of the time and is thus a story with more than just local interest, This fascinating narrative includes: * The history of the Akaroa cocksfoot seed industry, from the introduction of cocksfoot seed into New Zealand, through the start of its international success in the early 1880s and its peak around the turn of the 20th century, to the end of the industry in the 1950s and 1960s. * A detailed look at the industry in its heyday, following the journey taken by the seed from the growing crop to the traded commodity. * Recognition of the lasting legacy Akaroa cocksfoot has left on both the landscape and the local seed industry in New Zealand.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 148

Dimensions: 148 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 30-11-2014

Discover the awesome possibilities of super sand, the sand with superpowers! This amazing futuristic material molds just like wet sand, yet leaves surfaces perfectly clean and dry. Shape it, roll it, slice it, sculpt it, stamp it, or build with it. Then watch it ooze, move, and melt away right before your eyes! Use this book to jump-start your creative process and explore the fun world of indoor play sand. Super Sands is your guide to imaginative play with this addictively entertaining substance. Experiment, learn, and create with these inspiring activities for castles, pyramids, volcanoes, games, and more. So relax and get your hands in the sand. No beach required!

Bind: paperback

Pages: 48

Dimensions: 217 x 270 mm

Publication Date: 30-09-2014

Bathtimes can be wild, especially when animal babies are involved! Sometimes messy, often chaotic and always exhausting, they offer perfect bonding opportunities - of a kind!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 12

Dimensions: 205 x 205 x 8 mm

Bedtimes can be wild, especially when animal babies are involved! Sometimes messy, often chaotic and always exhausting, they offer perfect bonding opportunities - of a kind!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 12

Dimensions: 205 x 205 x 8 mm

Mealtimes can be wild, especially when animal babies are involved! Sometimes messy, often chaotic and always exhausting, they offer perfect bonding opportunities - of a kind!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 12

Dimensions: 205 x 205 x 8 mm

Playtimes can be wild, especially when animal babies are involved! Sometimes messy, often chaotic and always exhausting, they offer perfect bonding opportunities - of a kind!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 12

Dimensions: 205 x 205 x 8 mm