1. Untouchable Girls by Jools & Lynda Topp (A&U)
The memoir of our beloved Topp Twins has remained close to the top of the bestsellers since it was released. As their interview with the Listener notes, when putting this together they “made a list of significant periods in their lives, then worked their way through it non-chronologically. Eventually, they had 31 chapters that recall how the Waikato farm girls ran away to the army, stayed on in Christchurch, and found a new home among the increasingly vociferous local lesbian community, turned their country music-honed voices into protest songs … then somehow, via the magic of television, abundant charisma and their array of characters, became beloved mainstream entertainers. Oh, and in chapter 23, cancer.” Also in the book is a topic largely uncanvassed: the sisters’ sometimes roller-coaster love lives during the decades.
2. Smithy by Wayne Smith & Phil Gifford (Mower)
Tussling with the Topp Twins for the No 1 spot has been this memoir of one of our off-field rugby greats, Wayne “The Professor” Smith. Regarded as one of the best rugby thinkers in the world, former All Black first five-eighths Smith, with the help of eminent sports journalist Phil Gifford, gives his account of coaching the Black Ferns to victory in the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup. It’s full of insight and anecdotes from the man himself, but also talks to many of the women and men who took the team to a world title.
3. Murray Ball: A Cartoonist’s Life by Mason Ball (HarperCollins)
Holding tight at No 3 in its fourth week out is this biography of cartoonist Murray Ball. Many might have forgotten that TV versions of Ball’s Footrot Flats cartoons were central to the advertising of the new MMP system in 1996, his character Wal reminding voters, using a sheep sorting device, that it was “one vote for the party, one for the person”. Murray’s son Mason’s biography attempts to show the full man: farmer, rugby player, cartoonist, (stern, loving, political) father. For the book, Mason relied on his recollections and news articles, as well as his father’s unpublished manuscript and letters to others. It’s a lively memoir of a family life, including the trials of an artist, both in the UK and NZ, Murray’s routine, obsessions and influences, and brimming with cartoons and photos.
4. Whakawhetai: Gratitude by Hira Nathan (A&U)
Hira Nathan’s te reo Māori gratitude diary, released in May, is still selling heaps. Why is a gratitude diary so popular? Here’s the publisher’s blurb in part: “Kia ū ki te pai, kia whai hua ai. Hold on to what is good and good things will follow. An inspirational, bilingual gratitude journal, based on the Māori holistic approach to health, hauora. Discover the four dimensions of hauora: taha tinana (physical), taha hinengaro (mental), taha wairua (spiritual) and taha whānau (family). No matter how difficult life can seem, there is always something to feel grateful for. Taking note regularly of the positives – no matter how small – in each of these areas of your life can have a huge impact on your health and happiness.”
5. The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (Moa Press)
Another historical fiction debut from a NZ writer that’s clearly caught the attention of readers. The Girl from London tells the true stories of young British evacuees who were shipped off to South Africa, Canada, Australia and NZ in the early years of WW2. They were chaperoned by young teachers and nurses who formed strong bonds with the children and some never returned to the UK.
The novel, with twin timelines in the 1940s and 2000s, brings to life a fascinating time in history, the Listener review said. The 1940s strand is particularly riveting, with young teacher Ruth falling in love despite being engaged, and then her boat is attacked by German raiders.
6. Summer Favourites by Vanya Insull (A&U)
As summer official arrives, Vanya Insull, aka VJ Cooks for those not on social media, is back into the bestsellers. Summer Favourites is the follow-up to last year’s bestselling Everyday Favourites, a collection of her “tasty, easy and hearty” recipes. She’s back with 70 more, these being lighter dishes perfect for the barbecue or bach, including dinners, salads, baking, and desserts.
7. Gangster’s Paradise by Jared Savage (HarperCollins)
NZ Herald reporter Jared Savage pops back into the top 10 with Gangster’s Paradise. It follows Gangland, an exploration of how organised crime in New Zealand evolved in recent years, particularly around illegal drugs. His new book explores, in that fast-paced, breathless, newspaper style, how it has escalated – more drugs, more shootings, more corruption – driven by the arrival of “501″ deportees from Australia. Gangs have grown and new ones have sprung up, bringing a harder edge to the scene, he writes. “They have better connections with international drug syndicates, better criminal tradecraft and encrypted communications, and are more willing to use firearms to enforce their will.” Existing gangs have responded in kind, escalating their approach and making life harder for police, who have had to get more innovative and sophisticated to try to counter the threat.
8. Bookshop Dogs by Ruth Shaw (A&U)
The author of the bestselling The Bookseller at the End of the World, which was about life and retailing in her bookshops in Manapōuri, in the southwest of the South Island, has turned her attention to the dogs that visit. These are the hounds of locals and those who are holidaying or just passing through. Amond them is Hunza, the german shepherd that worked alongside Shaw when she was a youth worker helping troubled teenagers.
9. Our Land in Colour by Jock Phillips & Brendan Graham (HarperCollins)
This attractive 400-page hardback of 200 historical photographs colourised by an expert, with commentary from award-winning historian Jock Phillips, has been hovering around the bestsellers for four months. It’s a fascinating insight into how we worked, ate, dressed and got around before we had cars and television and jet airplanes, and when most of us didn’t live in a few large cities.
10. Fungi of Aotearoa by Liv Sisson (Penguin)
Fungus enthusiast Liv Sisson’s popular guide to foraging our fields and forests for mushroom morsels is back in the bestsellers after coming out in May. She makes them sound delicious: “Here are some of the most interesting fungi foods I’ve come across in Aotearoa. Slippery jack mushroom burgers, grilled over charcoal, with a dash of pine oil, served over a bed of creamy mushroom-stock polenta. Mushroom mince dumplings. A porcini mushroom chocolate mousse Yule log. Those first two dishes come from Max Gordy, and the third from Vicki Young – both are top Wellington chefs. When we think outside of the ‘mushrooms on toast’ box, we find that fungi offer us untapped foodie potential.”
(Source: Nielsen Bookscan NZ – week ending December 2.)
