TJ McNamara's picks of the week from the Auckland galleries.

In one of the most exciting pairings since Hudson met Hall, broadcaster Jeremy Wells is going on a European tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Bonobos. They share 98.7 per cent of our DNA. They're slimmer and lankier than chimpanzees. They can be taught to use sign language. They're vocal, sociable, and "extremely amorous". They even (ahem) use the missionary position.

In her latest novel, Fay Weldon has channelled her childhood experiences in New Zealand and some mischievous Maori ghosts. She spoke to Stephen Jewell.

Dirty But Clean is back with the third novel in what could be loosely termed his "Poor White Trash" trilogy. His first, the fresh and adventurous Vernon God Little, rocketed him to overnight fame and Booker Prize stardom.

Paula Green tells Linda Herrick about a cancer diagnosis which led to a renaissance of writing.

Poetry usually arrives in the form of the traditional "slim volume" - elegant packages of 40-80 pages, like smoked salmon slices. By contrast, 99 Ways into New Zealand Poetry, all 624 pages of it, landed on my desk with a thump.

Celebration of hat draws thousands to the Red Centre, writes Pamela Wade.

Kelly Ana Morey cast her creative net wide for her new novel.

How chick-flick Eat, Pray, Love sold out to the forces of materialism. By Guy Adams.

Hundreds of people have gathered at the Napier municipal theatre for a memorial service for Th' Dudes band member Ian Morris.

Eighty years of the daring exploits of super heroes Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon will go under the hammer when an Auckland man's collection of thousands of comics is expected to attract world-wide attention.

In a story that has rocked the art world, an original Michelangelo may have been discovered in the most unlikely of locations. Photo / AP