NON - FICTION > Autobiography/Biography

This book details Obama's plan for America's renewal and features eight key speeches from his 2008 presidential campaign. Among the speeches is Obama's declaration of candidacy for the Presidency, his inspirational speech on race in response to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright's controversial comments about America, and his magnanimous declaration as he became President-elect last week. A foreword by Barack Obama describes his vision of hope for America. First published 2008.

At the heart of this title is Senator Obama's vision of how his country can move beyond its divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families and the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and considers the nature of threats from outside America's borders.

In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father - a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man - has been killed in a car accident.

1791. Two months after arriving in Sydney Cove with the First Fleet, Mary Bryant, her husband and children, escaped, embarking on the most daring open boat voyage of all time. This is the story of Mary Bryant. This is the story of the First Fleet. This is the story of our first settlement. Age 10+.

The tale of a year-long journey from straight-talking, hard-bitten journalist to green goddess - complete with fabulous recipes and experimental disasters - all told in a smart, funny and self deprecating fashion.Wendyl Nissen is well-known as a straight talking journalist whose career has seen her edit top-selling magazines, produce ground-breaking television documentaries and take on talkback radio callers without batting a heavily made-up eyelid. But what happened when she let three chickens called Marigold, Hillary and Yoko int... read more

Beloved television star of Fair Go, Kevin Milne's memoir is funny, insightful, incisive, moving and all-round entertaining.
He talks of his long television career - 40 years - including 25 years of the long-running, top-rating Fair Go.Kevin writes in a relaxed, laconic style that draws the reader in immediately - he's an excellent story-teller and raconteur. He includes many wonderful anecdotes about the well-known people who have been Fair Go reporters over the years, for example Kerre Woodham, Brian Edwards, Carole Hirschfe... read more

Barbara Kendall will go to her fifth Olympics this year. She's 40 and it's incredible that she's still competing, let alone winning, when most of her competitors are in their 20s. Her years of experience in racing, tactics, knowledge about wind and tide conditions, equipment and board handling skills play a big part in her success. But the most important factor of all, is her desire to win. Managing the psychology of winning has been the most challenging aspect of staying at the top. Barbara won Gold at the Barcelona Olympics, Silv... read more

Michael Hill believes the looming meltdown can be a good thing for businesses and entrepreneurs. It is possible to succeed in a downturn - in fact it is the perfect situation in which to perfect a business. Instead of fearing the side-effects of recession, wallowing in gloom and convincing ourselves the only safe haven is at home under the blankets, entrepreneurs can use this period to their advantage. With the right attitude, you can not only survive, but emerge from the crunch with a new feeling of prosperity and strength. Over t... read more

On 26 July 1928 Tom Heeney entered the ring at New York's Yankee Stadium, in front of 46,000 spectators, wearing a Maori cloak. Guaranteed $100,000, he was about to fight world heavyweight champion Gene Tunney. In his hometown of Gisborne crowds cheered him on in what was described as 'the most ambitious radio station hook-up in history.' This was the golden, mafia-controlled, era of American boxing. From Poverty Bay to Broadway takes us into this world: the world of Tom Heeney. This beautifully written and extensively researched b... read more

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People in NZ History - Series 2

When Buck Shelford was dropped as All Black captain there was a public outcry - bring back Buck - with bumper stickers and posters and graffiti to that effect springing up overnight. The popular, highly respected hard man, famous for playing on through a severe groin injury, impervious to pain because he was the captain and he wouldn't leave his men, Buck Shelford is now regarded as the ultimate All Black. In the light of the disastrous 2007 All Black World Cup campaign, the news that Buck Shelford was battling cancer sent a shudd... read more

Two Kiwi motocross riders have shot to the top of the international scene in recent years, and both have huge followings in the UK and Europe where they have been riding together on the circuit. Josh Coppins, from Motueka is the older of the two, and has broken ground and led the way for his younger mate, Ben Townley, who has been able to benefit from his experience and guidance. While Ben is a bit young for his own book, he is happy to have his story to date included in JoshâÂÂÃ... read more

In 1939 when the Second World War began, Charles Upham was a high country farmer in Canterbury. By the time the war was over he was one of the most famous soldiers in the world. He had won the Victoria Cross, the highest medal for bravery in the British and Commonwealth armies â€ÃÂ... read more

Sam is 14 when he signs on as a cabin boy aboard a vessel bound for Sydney. The barque Dundonald founders and sinks off Disappointment Island in the southern ocean. Fifteen survivors endure a harsh winter on this remote island until their rescue in late November. 6 March 2007 marks 100 years since the wreck of the Dundonald, and this incredible story of survival. Although Sam is a fictional character, the other survivors are all based on the real people.

A junior fiction title in the established My Story series. In the 1970s the NZ government established a fund to allow the establishment of ohu, a commune-based farming co-operative. Starshine (previously known as Estelle) is whisked off against her wishes to live with her mother in the Aquarius ohu. Commune living is very different - it definitely has its bad points but there are good points too, and Starshine comes to love many aspects of her new life. Then her father comes to claim her back, and begins a custody tug-of-war with her mother.

In the late nineteenth century, James Collier and his artist father travel to the famous Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand's volcanic lakes region. While his father paints, James explores the village of Te Wairoa and meets Will, a young Maori man who has returned home to attend a tangi. All is not well in Te Wairoa - illness has struck the community and strange things are happening in the water on Lake Tarawera. Then, out on the lake, James, his father and Will witness the eerie sight of a Maori war canoe. Is it really a waka ... read more

Young adult reading. In the 1880s German Lutheran immigrants established a settlement at Sarau, near Nelson. The area has since been renamed Upper Moutere. The author, Leone Morris, discovered diaries written by her grandfather's cousin that capture the palce and time of this story and helped her to create Emilie, a young girl struggling against the restrictions of the community. It is time for Emilie to take on the responsibilities of being a young lady, and that includes household chores, accepting that education is only for boys... read more

Story of the Napier Earthquake, New Zealand, 1931

A look at one of New Zealand's many cultures. In Auckland, in 1942 there was an area of the city known as Little Chinatown. Here the descendants of the Chinese miners and market gardeners gathered together to maintain their culture and provide a sense of community. New Zealand is at war when Silvey starts her diary, but for Silvey this is just a backdrop to the main issues of her world â&Atil... read more