Ayako

Osamu Tezuka

Osamu Tezuka is arguably one of the greatest manga authors of all time and in this book, first serialized in the 1970s, he gives us his take on post World war II Japanese society.

The story revolves around the Tenge family, the remnants of the aristocratic landowners of feudal Japan, and their desperate attempt to hold onto the power and prestige of earlier days. When four 4 old Ayako witnesses a crime which could bring the family name into disrepute they decide to fake her death and lock her in a storage shed. Here she will remain for 23 years.

Tezuka's naturalistic story telling style fits this grim graphic novel perfectly. He portrays a rotten family in a world changing too fast for comfort. As well as the personal story of Ayako Tezuka draws on several true scandals from the late 1940s and the effect is not flattering for the Japanese government of the day and America's involvement with it. A worthwhile read for anyone who isn't offended easily and has an interest in this often forgotten era of Japanese history.

Southland Festival of the Arts

It is Southland Festival of the Arts time again, and Invercargill City Libraries have teamed with the Dan Davin Literary Foundation (with support from the Community Trust of Southland and the Invercargill Licensing Trust) to present Readers and Writers Alive! , a literary programme which has something to interest nearly everyone. Pick up a programme from the Library for detailed information and start planning your timetable of events now. Events with Library involvement are highlighted below.

WORKSHOPS:

Writing different worlds with Tim Jones

Saturday 30 April, 10am-2:30pm, Invercargill Public Library Meeting Room, $25.00 (or $40.00 if attending both workshops)

Reading for writing with Joanna Preston

Sunday 1 May, 10am-2pm, Invercargill Public Library Meeting Room, $25.00 (or $40.00 if attending both workshops) Open to adults and secondary students. Numbers are strictly limited and pre-payment is required to secure your place in the workshops. Tickets are available from Information Services on the first floor of the Invercargill Public Library. For further information, pick up a registration form from the Library or contact Rebecca on 027 2252 664 or dandavin@xtra.co.nz or Kirsty on 211 1763.

FOR ADULTS:

Book Lovers’ Dinner with Jenny Pattrick

Thursday 12 May, 7pm, The Cabbage Tree, $40.00 Enjoy a two-course meal at The Cabbage Tree with bestselling New Zealand historical fiction author Jenny Pattrick. Tickets are available from Information Services on the first floor of the Invercargill Public Library.

Poetry in the Stack

Friday 29 April, 6pm, Library Meeting

Room, $5.00 door sales Enjoy an evening of poetry and wine with poets Lynley Dear, Tim Jones, Kay McKenzie Cooke, and Joanna Preston.

Joy Cowley talks about writing for children

Saturday 7 May, 1 : 3 0 pm, L i b r a r y Meeting Room, $5 door sales Lynley Dear talks to Joy Cowley about her career as a writer.

FOR KIDS:

Storytime with Joy Cowley & the Dreamweaver, Liz Miller

Saturday 7 May, 10:30am, Library Meeting Room, gold coin donation

Story & Song: The very important godwit

Friday 13 May, 10:30am, gold coin donation The Pattricks will share the story and songs from their recent picture book.

In praise of 5 foot bunny rabbits

If your in the adult's library today keep a look out for the Easter bunny aka Glen the AV Librarian. In what has become library tradition you'll find him giving out Easter eggs to patrons each Thursday before Easter.

What you might not know is that this isn't a library funded initiative. Our Easter bunny takes it upon himself to brighten the day of a few hundred people with free chocolate. He supplies the eggs himself and nobody has to ask him to dress up. It's all his doing.

Why does he do it?, you ask. Well that's one of life's mysteries. Some say it's because he's a chocoholic who's trying to get others addicted. Some say he just wants an excuse to dress up and have all the girls squeeze his tail. I like to think he's just one of those people who likes putting a smile on the face of others. Perhaps we'll never know.

Anyway here's a few photos of this years Easter bunny.

(Note the big teeth on the bunny slippers. I'm not sure what they mean but it has me worried.)

Selected new adult's fiction

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)