Tag: aotearoa new zealand
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Black Sugarcane by Nafanua Purcell Kersel is the Epitome of All-Encompassing, Hearty Poetry
Black Sugarcane has been on my radar for several months now thanks to its award-winning status courtesy of the Ockhams 2026 Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry. but outside of that, I have wanted to read this poetry collection for a long while. I am slowly finding my preferences with poetic prose, creative non-fiction,…
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Grounded Reflections in Richard Shaw’s The Good Settler
To round off my Matariki month reads, I felt drawn to include something that sits with the other side of the New Zealand experience, the other side of me, of my upbringing, and the histories and experiences many of us Pākehā New Zealanders are wrestling with today. Colonialism struck Aotearoa New Zealand in ways that…
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adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, aotearoa new zealand, auckland writers festival, book recommendations, book review, colonialism, contemporary non fiction, essay collections, essay writing, kiwi novels, kiwi stories, kiwi voices, maori new year, matariki, new zealand authors, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, nz essays, nz non fiction, reading new zealand, richard shaw, the good settler -
Bringing Mana Back in Tame Iti’s Mana
I had the absolute pleasure of listening to the iconic, influential, and incredibly intelligent Tāme Iti speak across multiple sessions at the Auckland Writers Festival in May, and he has been one of the key people in reshaping my approach to reconnecting with te ao Māori and te reo Māori. Through his own mana and…
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NZ Ockhams 2026 Shortlists Announced
The Ockhams 2026 finalists have been released, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the line-up. I think it is pretty safe to say that I have more books to read over the next month, as these sixteen shortlisted titles provide a great range of reading and voices to appreciate and experience. Let me remind…
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More Kiwi Goodness from Josie Shapiro in Good Things Come and Go
The end of summer here in the southern hemisphere, and the end of my month of multiple reading genres. From works by African descendants and local New Zealand writers to a few reads on love and romance, February has provided me with a great selection of genres and themes to keep my busy brain engaged…
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adult book recs, adult fiction, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, aotearoa new zealand, book recommendations, book review, contemporary adult fiction, Contemporary Fiction, everything is beautiful and everything hurts, Good Things Come and Go, Josie Shapiro, kiwi fiction, kiwi novels, kiwi stories, kiwi voices, literary fiction, new zealand authors, NZ author, NZ book recs, NZ Fiction, nz literature, nz reading, NZ stories, nz summer, nz voices, reading new zealand -
My Jan-Feb PhD Check-In
This is the first check-in of 2025, and honestly, I am surprised that there hasn’t been another, because I have done a lot of work over the last two months. From planning and admin to interviews and data collection, I have been dipping into all areas of my PhD. So, let me share what I’ve…
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A Blast from the Past in Dominic Hoey’s 1985
If you’re looking for a good New Zealand fiction novel with that classic Kiwi flavour, Dominic Hoey’s 1985 might be right up your alley. With its nostalgic setting, chill young perspective, and elements that certainly have you reminiscing about the life and culture of the day, 1985 is as much a laugh as it is…
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Why You Should Read About the Experiences of New Zealanders
Akin to my Why You Should Read About the Experiences of the African Diaspora post, today’s post is about why you should read about the experiences of New Zealanders. We are a small but mighty county, but our diversity and multicultural standing make us a country of many perspectives, backgrounds, cultures, histories, and stories to…
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The 2026 New Zealand Ockhams Longlist Has Been Announced
Earlier this month, the Ockhams 2026 longlist was announced, and with the number of phenomenal books mentioned, I just have to share them with you all. The Ockhams are one of our biggest literary awards, covering fiction, poetry, illustrated non-fiction, and general non-fiction. From well-known authors to debut names, the longlists have so much to…
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A Touching Exploration of Identity in Jeffrey Buchanan’s The Birds Began to Sing
Jeffrey Buchanan’s Gifkins Award-winning novel, The Birds Began to Sing, is precious, tender, and sombre. Exploring many queer themes like homosexuality, transexuality, internalised homophobia, identity, and living in a world where homosexuality is a crime, this novel is full of many heartfelt moments, revelations, and complexities that make it not only a standout novel, but…
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