The life and times of a brown paper bag

Kevin Milne

Kevin Milne’s memoir is not just about his life, but also a potted history of his 4 decades working in the broadcasting industry. Milne is probably one of the more well-known television presenters in New Zealand having spent 27 years with that good old consumer affairs programme, “Fair Go”. Battling on behalf of the little guy, taking on scammers, con artists, dodgy dealers and big business bullies, Kevin Milne has ended up in 2010, being voted the most trusted face on television.
The life and times of a brown paper bag gives us an insight into the cases (some of them hilarious) investigated by the Fair Go team and is a reminder of just how compelling, good investigative journalism can be.
Milne also opens up about his family and home life and his colleagues at TVNZ. A really good read – lots of laughs.

(Reviewed by Jill)

What's your favourite New Zealand book?

New Zealand book month has come around again so it's time to think all things Kiwi.

Go to www.nzbookmonth.co.nz to see how you can get your hands on one of the 4 million $5.00 book vouchers being distributed around the country.

While your there click on find a book under the get involved tab. There you will find book lists covering just about every topic you could think of. The lists been created from results of a nationwide on-line vote for readers’ favourite books which took place in October 2010.

It's reassuring to find I agree with most the picks on the lists I've looked at. I think I might have to work my way through one or two of these lists as well. Let's just say I thought I knew my New Zealand books but there's a couple there I haven't heard of.

Here in town the Dan Davin Literary Foundation are celebrating NZ Book Month with workshops by New Zealand speculative fiction author Helen Lowe.

Helen is an award-winning novelist, broadcaster and poet who is published internationally. Her first novel, the Young Adult fantasy Thornspell, was published to critical acclaim in 2008 and her second novel, The heir of night (the first in a four book adult series), has recently been published here and overseas.

The workshops are free but are open only to Year 12 and 13 students who live in or attend school in Southland. To register, talk to your English Head of Department at school, or contact Rebecca Amundsen for further information: dandavin@xtra.co.nz or 027 2252 664. Times and places are listed below.

Tues 22 March: Wakatipu High School, Queenstown, 9am-3pm

Wed 23 March: St Peters College, Gore, 9am-3pm

Fri 25 March: Invercargill Public Library, Invercargill, 9am-3pm

Sat 26 March: Community Trust of Southland, Don Street, Invercargill, 9am-3pm

So the challenge is to read at least 1 New Zealand book this month. If your year 12 or 13 and study in Southland sign up for a workshop. When your done drop leave a comment let me know what you did for New Zealand book month. Come on I dare you to.

Juno Of Taris

As I may have mentioned we are running a summer reading competition for teenagers aged 15 – 18 this year. They have to send us a review for each of the books they've read over the summer and at the end they could win themselves some cool prizes. See the post “Win an iPad and other Apple products by simply reading a few books” for more information. Anyway because we've got reviews coming in I though it would be good to put one or two of them up for the world to see. The reviews you will see here have been chosen randomly by me for the worlds viewing pleasure. If you like any reviews leave a comment to tell us and the library member who left it. This first one I've picked because it was the first review we received for the competition. So read and enjoy.

Warning, may contain spoilers.

Juno Of Taris

Fleur Beale

This book is set in the 23rd century, on an island in the middle of the Southern ocean covered in artificial dome that protects the island, gives it it's own climate and was created by people in the 21st century, so that if people on earth perished, Taris and the people carefully chosen to live there could survive. The lead character in this novel is Juno, a descendent from one of the first settlers 200 years ago...or so she thought. Juno and the other inhabitants of Taris were lied to by their leaders, who created a false history that stated that Taris was 200 years old and that humanity on earth had self destructed due to pollution and pandemics that wiped out most of earth's population. when really, Taris is only 32 years old and the government companions have been trying to keep Taris inhabitants isolated from the outside world, which is slowly becoming functional again.

I really enjoyed this book and was really happy about the sequel 'Fierce September' I loved how Juno never stopped questioning the motives of the government companions and how she refused to comply when she knew that what she was being asked to do was wrong.

(Reviewed by Aliesha)

Rebel with a cause

Ray Avery (Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2010)

I’d never heard of Ray Avery until I’d seen his book reviewed in the Listener. Avery is a successful scientist and businessman who invented low-cost lenses for cataract sufferers, incubators for babies, as well as other scientific solutions for factories in Third World countries. He spent some time helping to set up the infrastructure to manufacture interocular lenses in North Africa for the Fred Hollows Foundation

Rebel with a Cause describes Avery’s childhood growing up in England, neglected, abused, fostered out to strangers and even living under a bridge. His story is truly inspiring – to overcome such an appalling childhood and then turn out to be so successful as a businessman. An absorbing read, Rebel with a Cause is deeply moving and at times, very funny.

(Reviewed by Jill)