Nigel Prickett: Landscapes of Conflict: A field guide to the NZ wars

By MARGIE THOMSON

For their history, New Zealanders are accustomed to going elsewhere. Now Prickett, an archaeologist at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, offers us a fascinating guide to the historical sites at home.

His book is attractive and user-friendly: a battle-by-battle account of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars between Maori and Pakeha - from the South Island's Wairau massacre in 1843 and continuing through much of the North Island until the early 1880s. Plentiful photos accompany the text, along with clear directions so you can find your way to historical sites. Take the book with you: it should make history come alive.

Random House

$39.95