Zhang's bleakly lyrical first YA novel brought a cascade of admirers and superlatives; now comes this intricate narrative of adolescents in all their vulnerability, idealism and savagery.

From the sure hand of historian Joan Norlev Taylor comes the tricky manoeuvre of binding fact and fiction into a convincing historical novel.

"Plots set in the future are about what people fear in the present," says one of Lionel Shriver's characters in her latest novel set in a dystopian America of the near future.

Simon Cowell is planning to write a children's book along with other entertainment for kids.

About two years ago I bought a euthanasia drug online from China.

When it comes to crime fiction, New Jersey-based writer Harlan Coben is Big Business.

'The odd little bird who saved a family', is already one of my all-time favourites, and I have loaned and read it to various family members who also adored it.

Greg Fleming reviews the latest crop of crime fiction

It goes to show, as Hare says, the audience - the way it reacts and responds and its current concerns - shapes theatre.

At 82, Gloria Steinem - the woman who spearheaded the women's liberation movement in the United States and beyond - was smoking hot.

The late artist worked on DC: The New Frontier, Catwoman, Parker and the Batman and Superman animated series.

In recent years there have been far too many reworks of Jane Austen novels.

The winners of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards aren't the only local authors toasting success.

He cuts scrub to make ends meet and used to pretend to be looking at porn to hide his love of poetry from army mates.

The Auckland Writers Festival, under way at civic centre venues this week, is a testament to the continued value of the written word.

Decades of hard work for Stephen Daisley, a former shearer, farmer and soldier turned author, have paid off.

It might more commonly be called the City of Sails, but to sociologist and historian Scott Hamilton Auckland is "a city of text", with multiple stories waiting to be told.

Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama appear to have much in common on the surface, but a new book on the two First Ladies reveals bitter animosity between them, Celia Walden writes.

Phil Lynott's name is a byword for rock 'n' roll excess. Now a new book explores why the shy church-goer found it so hard to resist temptation, writes Neil Armstrong.

One New Zealand fiction writer will wake up $50,000 better off on Wednesday thanks to a new literary prize.

COMMENT: We thought we knew who Americans were, but this year we have seen a new side to their character that has set me wondering about its origins.

Lisa Hilton's new novel is tipped to be the next big thriller, writes Stephen Jewell.

Strangely, here we have one autobiography of two people.

Graham Swift's consummate novella fills a day, 90-plus years ago post-World War I, when the servant class are free to visit their families.

Philosopher Julian Baggini talks to Dionne Christian about moral dilemmas and exchanging ideas.

And where to get them.

No overdue fees had been incurred because she got the book out as a child. As an adult, at today's rates, the woman would have racked up a fine of $24,604.

When a journalist - and tech industry skeptic - went to work for a start up.