1. Whakawhetai: Gratitude by Hira Nathan (A&U)
Hira Nathan’s inspirational, bilingual gratitude journal, based on the Māori holistic approach to health, was released last May and has swept back to the top of the charts. 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.
“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.”
2. Aroha by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin)
The wisdom of 52 Māori proverbs explained by psychiatrist Hinemoa Elder in this bestselling book first released in 2020. An extract:
“Ko te mauri, he mea huna ki te moana – The life force is hidden in the sea.
“Powerful aspects of life are hidden in plain sight.
“This whakataukī stems from one of our famous ancestors from the north, Nukutawhiti. He cast his kura, his feathered cloak, into the Hokianga Harbour to calm the waters for safe passage. And this treasure remains there, out of sight, yet signifies the ancient presence of those that have gone before.
“This saying has given me strength so many times. I have always found it comforting because it speaks to the hidden magic of life.
“It reminds me of those things we feel intuitively but often ignore – we can choose to tune in to our gut instinct, for example, or wait until the messages become clearer and more obvious.
And it reminds me that we all have hidden powers inside us that we can too easily forget.”
3. Patu: The New Zealand Wars by Gavin Bishop (Picture Puffin)
A beautifully illustrated, large-format account of the New Zealand Wars by the award-winning Bishop, aimed at younger readers but with plenty to hold the interest of adults. The book explores key characters, movements, battle sites and defining moments in the early years of colonial settlement, honouring all those who played a part, including Bishop’s Scottish grandfather, born in 1847. The clues that enabled him to trace his whakapapa? His mother’s middle names: Irihapeti Hinepau.
4. Fungi of Aotearoa by Liv Sisson (Penguin)
Fungi enthusiast Liv Sisson’s popular guide to foraging our fields and forests for mushroom morsels, which came out last May, has returned to the top half of the local bestsellers list. Sisson 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.”
5. The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
Catherine Chidgey won last year’s $64,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for The Axeman’s Carnival, which has rarely left the bestseller lists since it was released in 2022. It’s narrated by Tama, a fledgling magpie taken in and raised by Marnie on the South Island high country farm she shares with ace axeman husband Rob. “If it keeps me awake,” says Rob, “I’ll have to wring its neck.” Tama, who it turns out can speak and becomes something of a social media star, comments on the goings-on in his new home, providing something of a wry, well, bird’s-eye view on rural life, loss and relationships. A sense of dread hangs over proceedings until this Kiwi gothic moves towards its final outcome.
6. Wawata: Moon Dreaming by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin)
Wisdom and lessons as this book leads readers through a full cycle of the moon, to consider 30 aspects of life. An extract:
“Whakaeke
Ki ngā whakaeke, haumi.
“Join with those who connect the waka together.
“Find your place, you are part of the action.
“Our entrance on to Hina’s moon stage begins our lunar journey. This is our whakaeke.
“The prefix ‘whaka-’ always indicates action, movement, causation. And the word ‘eke’ is a verb with a lot of energy concentrated inside this dynamic triad of letters. It has a real onomatopoeia. ‘Eke’ is a word with oomph to its signature. It means to come in to land, to get on board, to embark, to ascend. The word itself really makes an entrance.
“Whiro, Tirea, Ohata, Ōuenuku, Okoro. Our entrance into Hina’s realm is vital. This is how we set ourselves up to dream of connection and a more open and intimate experience of living.
The next five moons are our fundamentals, our tūāpapa, our baseline. What we stand on. And traversing the next five days and nights helps us to clarify both where we stand and what we stand for. We rebuild ourselves from here each month. Hina provides the opportunity for a fresh start, for a renewed entry every month.
It seems fitting to begin the whakaeke with our precious Okoro, our moon dial from home.”
7. Gangster’s Paradise by Jared Savage (HarperCollins)
Summer has seen a revival of readers for NZ Herald reporter Jared Savage’s latest tale of local mobsters. It follows Gangland, an exploration of how organised crime in New Zealand evolved in recent years, particularly around illegal drugs. Savage’s 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. The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (Moa Press)
Another that has been popular since its release last November is this historical novel, a “captivating, heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit”. Part of it is set in wartime London, when young teacher Ruth volunteers to accompany children to Australia and NZ. During the perilous journey, Ruth becomes friends with 9-year-old Fergus. Ruth’s attention is also diverted by Bobby, another volunteer. Then, in 2005, Hazel boards a plane to London, holding a book from her grandfather, Fergus, which will lead her to the truth.
9. Pee Wee the Lonely Kiwi Finds a New Friend by Blair Cooper & Cheryl Smith (Flying Books)
Dropping down from the No 2 spot is this children’s book about a kiwi looking for a friend, searching high and low, from sea to mountaintop. It was a bestseller when it was first published in 2019 and now it’s popped back into the charts, for some reason. Will Pee Wee find a friend? You wouldn’t bet against it, though this one has something of a surprise ending.
10. This is ADHD by Chanelle Moriah (A&U)
A guide to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, written and illustrated by someone who was diagnosed with it at the age of 22, and decided there wasn’t a lot out there for ADHD adults.
(Source: Nielsen Bookscan NZ – week ending January 27.)
