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Camilla Lackberg: Crime is on her side
Stephen Jewell talks to ‘Swedish Agatha Christie’ Camilla Lackberg about her close friendship with her characters, fact being darker than fiction and the myths surrounding her country.
Book review: The Bright Side of My Condition
The charming title of this book is a quotation from The Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe.
Book review: Northanger Abbey
Val McDermid's Northanger Abbey is the second stage of The Austen Project, for which four writers have been invited to produce a contemporary version of a Jane Austen novel.
Brash's Brethren meetings - no regrets
Don Brash devotes all of three paragraphs to the Exclusive Brethren in his 330-page autobiography despite his dealings with the Church.
Book review: <I>The World's Great Wonders</I>
No continent is left out in this roll call of diverse and wonderful sites.
Women's Bookshop: Just loving what they do
When Carole Beu opened the Women’s Bookshop 25 years ago, she didn’t realise she would be creating something much bigger than a retail space, writes Linda Herrick.
Kirsty Wark: From fact to fiction
BBC journalist Kirsty Wark tells Stephen Jewell about her debut novel, and how it feels being the subject of the critics for a change.
Gift for George delights author
A Massey University author was surprised to hear Prince George would be getting his book as a memento when his parents visit Cambridge next weekend.
Have your cake, read it too
A Lorde figurine performing atop three circular cakes to depict The Lord of the Rings was among creative entries for a Canterbury edible story-telling competition.
12 Questions: Nicky Pellegrino
Nicky Pellegrino is a novelist and former magazine editor who moved to New Zealand for love.
Writers Festival: Where the duck goes, he goes
David Larsen discovers the intriguing backstory behind cartoonist Michael Leunig’s whimsical birds
Buy Crikey: Check local book sites first
I had to buy a book recently. It hurt. Much as I love books, my financially sensible self would rather get them from the library or stock up on a few good novels at the school fair at $2 to $3 each.
Book review: Idiopathy
Many contemporary male novelists, particularly comic ones, are incapable of depicting an unsympathetic female character.
Gary Shteyngart: Crying with laughter
American novelist Gary Shteyngart tells Alexander Bisley why he likes to combine hilarity, sadness and introspection.
Stars' stylist shares secrets
If you happen to spot celebrity stylist and designer Rachel Zoe out and about, do not worry - she's not judging you.
World's most-used word celebrates 175 years, OK?
Whatever you're doing this Monday, wherever you might be, take a moment to reflect on the most popular word in the English language, OK?
ABBA: Thank you for the music
A new book charts Abba’s progress from camp 70s novelty act to enduring musical phenomenon. Anna Tyzack meets one of the famous four, Bjorn Ulvaeus.
Two scribes go to war
Could Britain have avoided World War I? Historians Max Hastings and Niall Ferguson have presented rival views on the BBC.
Legends of literature in line-up
Linda Herrick surveys the wealth of names coming to Auckland’s Writers Festival in May.
Swords and jandals
An Arabic scene of dunes and camels was the backdrop for a diverse literary event, writes Linda Herrick.
Divergent's young adult author actually under 30
Divergent, the latest young adult novel poised to become a blockbuster movie, meets all the criteria for the genre.
'Grammar police' ruin English
Imagine a world in which the advances of the science since the publication of 'On the Origin of Species' - or even since Charles Darwin was born - were ignored.
Booker's first Kiwi comes to town
For sale: hexagonal house in quiet position near top white-baiting lagoon in the heart of the South Island's West Coast.