Despite the glowing book-jacket recommendations from writers much loftier than me, I started out disliking Elizabeth Day's début novel, Scissors Paper Stone.

Geraldine Brooks ‘talks’ to the ghosts of the past. Bron Sibree reports.

One of the most interesting things about reading a historical novel is working out what period detailing preoccupies the novelist and is used as a means of anchoring it to its era.

Never mind its unappealing cover, this debut kids' novel is bound to enchant adults, too.

It's hard to think of a recent debut novel as original and ambitious in its premise - or as successful in its execution - as S.J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep.

David Hartnell has recently released his autobiography, Memoirs Of A Gossip Columnist (Penguin, $45).

Auckland arts patron James Wallace is worried about financial support for the arts by upcoming generations of wealthy professionals.

Commonplace books are literary scrapbooks - "salads of many herbs" as one compiler put it. They are eclectic, idiosyncratic repositories of bits and pieces that have taken a person's fancy.

Edna O'Brien turned 80 last year. The energy and immediacy of these 11 stories makes that hard to believe.

H.G. Wells? Wasn’t he the guy who wrote that Tom Cruise movie?

Britain-based Anna Hansen's star is on the rise, with a new cookbook out and plans for a new London cafe.

Actor James Franco has delayed the opening of his James Dean-inspired art exhibition in Venice, Italy because he needs more time to "fully realise" his vision for the project.

Monica Ali's new novel is unconvincing but entertaining. Where would Princess Diana be now if she faked her death?

The opening of Jane Harris' second novel gives little indication of how dark it will become.

Jeanette Aplin lives with her husband on remote D'Urville Island in the Marlborough Sounds, and has recently written about raising kune kune pigs there in The Price of Bacon (Cape Catley).

Stephen Jewell talks to comic book artist and writer Roger Langridge about taking on cult superhero Thor.

What a great read. Frances Walsh's book is a fascinating work of New Zealand social history written with wit, intelligence and a refreshing lack of condescension towards the ideas and attitudes of the last century.

Te Kohe Tuhaka is an actor who has appeared in Shortland Street and Go Girls.

For the magic of a novel two things are required: beautiful writing and brilliant storytelling.

British author Natasha Solomons tells Frances Grant how she has been inspired by her own family history and by her home county of Dorset.

Never give up has been this successful writer's mantra.

Thriller writer Gregg Hurwitz talks to Craig Sisterson about shifting from Shakespeare to crime and comics.

Taking a sharp look at humanity's foibles.

The earlier books which saw Colin Thubron hailed as one of the great travel writers were notable for their sparse writing style, keen observation of telling detail and insightful exploration of grand geographic themes.