1. (1) Tasty by Chelsea Winter (Allen & Unwin)
MasterChef NZ winner Chelsea Winter’s latest cookbook, chock-full of plant-based comfort food as it is, is holding tight to the top of the bestsellers’ charts. It’s been four years since the mega-selling Supergood, largely because Winter got pregnant while writing it. As she told the Listener: “Tasty is a plant-based book, but it’s not staunchly plant-based. I’ve designed it to be flexible. If someone wants to use a recipe as fully plant-based – great. If they want to sub in a bit of cheese and cream – perfect. If they want to serve it alongside a cut of meat or chuck some chicken or fish in one of the curries – perfect. It’s for every kind of eater.” She replaced refined sugar in recipes with the likes of coconut sugar after seeing the effects on her children. “Man, my children don’t need any more energy.” For recipes from Tasty, go here.
2. (4) More Salad by Margo Flanagan & Rosa Power (A&U)
The latest cookbook from sisters Margo Flanagan and Rosa Power, which promises more of the same tasty-looking food that delivered them previous bestsellers. Neither are vegetarian or vegan, they just encourage moderation in all things. Recipes go from raw to pan to oven, as well as desserts. Included are swappable ingredients, tips and timesavers, and pairing suggestions. You’ll find recipes from the book here.
3. (3) The Songbirds of Florence by Olivia Spooner (Moa Press)
The new book from the bestselling Kiwi author of The Girl from London is a rewarding read, said the Listener: “In her second novel, Olivia Spooner shines a light on a little-known group of Kiwi women, known as the Tuis, who were sent first to Egypt and then on to Italy during World War II. The women were sent in support of the New Zealand Second Division, headed by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg. The Tuis were the brainchild of his wife, Lady Barbara Freyberg, and part of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps. In June 1942, the Tuis arrived in Cairo, when the Germans were winning the war in North Africa, played out in harsh desert conditions. The Tuis worked in the NZ Army clubs, often requisitioned hotels, where soldiers came for R&R during their breaks from fighting … As the story starts in Cairo, we’re quickly invested in the main characters. There’s Margot, a grief-stricken young widow from Masterton whose husband died in Crete. Bookish and quiet, she’s happiest working in the library at the club, talking with soldiers seeking a refuge. Addy, her roommate, is a beautiful livewire, delighted to have broken away from her conservative Auckland family and making the most of every new experience … The reality of a long cruel war far from home is well portrayed by Spooner. Her characters are richly developed and real, her descriptions of the locations, from Cairo to Bari, Rome and Florence, well drawn.”
4. (8) This is the F#$%ing News by Patrick Gower (A&U)
TV journalist Paddy Gower’s memoir, ghost-written by another journalist, Eugene Bingham, promises to be “funny, brutally honest and packed with incredible yarns”. One reviewer said it was a “diverting, sometimes affecting narrative. He comes across more like a journo from a gritty thriller: a bit battered, more than a bit addicted, basically decent and always determined.” Another says Gower’s life is full of surface yarns … You never find out in This is the F#$%ing News who Gower really is or what his life is like but the March 15 chapter is more important than that. It’s journalism, powerfully and vividly presented, told by a master storyteller to one of the best reporters in New Zealand.”
From the publisher: “Paddy Gower has never been afraid to stand up for what he believes in. From his teenage and university years where he learnt to defend himself from cruel bullying about his looks, to the pressure-cooker years he spent in the Press Gallery holding politicians to account, to advocating for the families of the Christchurch terrorist attacks and for sufferers of cystic fibrosis, he has scrapped and fought for the truth and justice for others. This unrelenting drive has come at a cost: a serious alcohol addiction, anger issues at times, and bouts of anxiety and depression. Ironically, it was through his own work – a documentary about the outsized role that alcohol plays in many Kiwis’ lives – that Paddy’s wake-up moment came. It led him to quit the booze for good, a decision he has never regretted despite the knockbacks that kept coming, including the shock of the decision to close down the entire Newshub operation.”
5. (2) Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman)
As the Listener’s review notes (you can read it here), Monty Soutar picks up the narrative where Kāwai: For Such a Time as This left off. “The advent of muskets placed the power of fire and death into the hands of any iwi with the cunning, the connections and the economic capacity to possess them. In so doing, the musket undermined the foundations of Māori society, including the mana of the tohunga, upending their command of magic and their bond with the spirit world through its blind disregard for the sacred pageantry of war, death and the interweaving of these things with all that is tapu. This in turn paved the way for European missionaries to bring stories of a different god, a new perspective on faith and the sanctity of life, and irrevocable change. Soutar uses this narrative to explore the power of words, both the writings of men who claimed to be holy and the fractious ink of te tiriti, whose intentions remain contested to this day.”
6. (10) View from the Second Row by Samuel Whitelock (HarperCollins)
All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock’s memoir begins with 14 full lines of the injuries he’s suffered playing rugby, the outcome of which was five surgeries under general anaesthetic. And then deciding to play in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific final with an Achilles tendon injury. The most capped All Black in history speaks – with the help of sports journo Dylan Cleaver – about his career, which covers four World Cups and 153 appearances in the black jersey, his life and his family. Whitelock (he’s called Samuel by most of his family, Sam by his friends) knew when to toggle as captain between rooster and sheepdog, says ABs coach Scott Robertson in the foreword: leading from the front or guiding his flock. Whitelock has serious rugby lineage on both sides. He claims not to be a complicated guy: “family, footy and farming” are at the centre of his life.
7. (RETURN) Dear Moko by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin)
Smart illustrated hardback of Māori proverbs (whakataukī) from Elder adapted from her top-selling book Aroha aimed at younger readers.
8. (6) All Out by Neil Wagner (Penguin)
“Test cricket is a tough game, and tough characters have to find a way and they do. Neil Wagner is one of the toughest that I’ve come across,” writes Brendon McCullum in the foreword to this memoir.
From the publisher: “Neil Wagner is one of the greatest bowlers ever to play test cricket for New Zealand. His unique style and passion for the game made him a Black Caps’ fan favourite and earned him praise from every corner of the cricket-playing world.
“In this revealing memoir, he tells his story for the first time in his own words. From his humble beginnings in working-class Pretoria, to his move to New Zealand to chase his lifelong dream and his emergence as an integral part of the most successful period in Black Caps’ history, Wagner opens up about his triumphs on the field and personal challenges off it.
“His story resonates with determination, showcasing the grit and resilience that saw him not only survive but thrive as he navigated the high-pressure world of professional sport. Unexpectedly intimate, and beautifully told, this is more than a chronicle of cricketing prowess from one of the game’s most respected players; it’s an inspiring testament to the power of perseverance and the all-out pursuit of one’s dreams.”
9. (5) Atua Wāhine by Hana Tapiata (HarperCollins)
Writer Hana Tapiata (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Waikato, Pākehā) is a mother and writer who lives by Māori philosophies “to explore wellness, self-determination and liberation”. From the publisher: “Atua wahine are the Māori goddesses who make up the world around us: earth, fire, water, the moon and more. From the earth mother, Papatuanuku, who sustains and nurtures us to the goddess of peace, Hineputehue, who transformed pain into beauty, and the misunderstood goddess of the underworld, Hinenuitepo, who created purpose and enlightenment from betrayal – this book is a treasure of knowledge and insight. Drawing on whakataukī (proverbs) and purakau (traditional stories), discover how the wisdom of 17 atua wahine can help us live with courage and confidence in the modern world. With guided steps, these atua will inspire you to foster creativity, acknowledge cycles of change, and embrace self-determination.”
10. (7) Pee Wee the Kiwi’s Christmas Adventure by Blair Cooper & Cheryl Smith (Flying Books)
Part of the mega-selling series, this time with Pee Wee the Kiwi and his friends helping Santa save Christmas. Each book comes with a soft toy, which the littlies will love.
Source: Nielsen Bookscan NZ – week ending November 23.
