Tag: contemporary non fiction
-
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…
annafromuni
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 -
A Wealth of Inspiration in Witi Ihimaera Smiler’s Te Kaikaukau
One of my favourite sessions of Auckland Writers Festival was Witi Ihimaera Smiler’s free event where he talked about the experiences that make up Te Kaikaukau. Just shy of 80, Witi made the plunge to consciously step into an immersive te reo Māori experience, whereby for a year he learnt from fellow students and his…
annafromuni
adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, language learning, languages, maori author, maori lit, maori literature, maori non fiction, maori stories, maori voices, memoir, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, nz non fiction, studying languages, te kaikaukau, te reo maori books, witi ihimaera, witi ihimaera smiler -
Euphoric Poetry and Sobering Non Fiction in Haro Lee’s Watching Television in a Love Motel
I attended the launch for Haro Lee’s Watching Television in a Love Motel last night and it was such a fun, exciting evening. Hosted at a bookstore, this launch brought the bad a bougie to a book release, and really felt like we were bringing this book in with a bang. Split into four sections,…
annafromuni
book launch, contemporary non fiction, creative non-fiction, haro lee, korean author, korean lit, korean non fiction, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, NZ author, NZ book recs, nz literature, nz non fiction, poetic prose, Poetry, poetry collections, poetry recommendations, poetry recs, watching television in a love motel -
Lessons from Hinengaro in Dr Hinemoa Elder’s Ara
This pukapuka had me immersed from start to finish, and I usually wouldn’t say that about a nonfiction book. There is just something so special about Ara, so (excuse the pun) mindful, and each rua had me thinking so deeply about so may things in my life, my past, my emotions, and so much more.…
annafromuni
adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, ara, aroha, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, dr hinemoa elder, maori author, maori literature, maori myths, maori non fiction, maori proverbs, maori stories, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, NZ author, NZ book recs, nz literature, nz non fiction, NZ stories, self help books, self help reads, te reo maori books, wawata -
Tina Makereti’s This Compulsion in Us Mirrors My Own Thinking
Tina Makereti is a fiction and nonfiction author, with This Compulsion in Us being her first nonfiction book, though essays within the collection have been published separately. That alone should tell you the significance and extreme power of these writings. If you need further compulsion of your own, then consider this: This Compulsion in Us…
annafromuni
2026 ockham awards, 2026 ockhams finalists, 2026 ockhams winner, adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, essay collections, kiwi stories, kiwi voices, maori author, maori literature, maori non fiction, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, NZ author, nz authors and their accomplishments, NZ book recs, nz essays, nz literature, nz non fiction, nz reading, nz voices, This Compulsion in Us, tina makereti -
The Wonders of Memoir in Siobhan Harvey’s What We Remember, What We Forget
This post is a little later than my scheduled Saturday, as I have been enjoying Matariki and really focusing on what I want to prioritise for the year. I have also been reading an array of novels, and have been so immersed in them that I forgot to write up this review yesterday morning after…
annafromuni
academic writing, adult book recs, adult memoir, an essay concerning human understanding, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, annafromuni discussions, autobiography, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, creative non-fiction, essay writing, memoir, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, nz non fiction, orlando, poetic prose, queer book recs, queer representation, reflections on exile, searching for memory: the brain the mind the past, siobhan harvey, the well of loneliness, what we remember what we forget -
Listening to the Moon with Dr Hinemoa Elder’s Wawata
Matariki is almost upon us, so let me share a Mānawatia a Matariki with you all. May your family find love, happiness, and comfort in each other. May those who have passed since the last Matariki be at peace. May we all take the lessons we have learnt over the many years and reflect upon…
annafromuni
adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, ara, aroha, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, dr hinemoa elder, environmental non fiction, kiwi stories, kiwi voices, manawatia a matariki, maori author, maori literature, maori myths, maori new year, maori non fiction, maori proverbs, maori stories, maori voices, matariki, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, nz non fiction, te reo maori books, wawata -
Resonating with Dr Hinemoa Elder’s Aroha
In my journey to reconnect with my ancestors, my ao Māori, and myself once again through reading, and in light of July housing Matariki, the Māori New Year this year, I have opened my mind and soul to this wonderful pukapuka (book). Dr Hinemoa’s Elder’s Aroha is a collection of whakataukī (proverbs) that she has…
annafromuni
adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, ara, book recommendations, book review, contemporary non fiction, dr hinemoa elder, environmental non fiction, maori author, maori literature, maori non fiction, maori proverbs, maori stories, maori voices, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, NZ author, NZ book recs, nz history, nz non fiction, nz reading, NZ stories, nz voices, reading journey, reading local, reading new zealand, te reo maori books, waitohu, wawata, whakatauki -
My April 2026 Reading Summary
Overall mood: hopeful – As you may have noticed, I have been a little M.I.A. here on annafromuni over the last month. This isn’t a bad thing; if anything, it has been for a good reason. I have taken the time to do a system restart of my brain when it comes to annafromuni content,…
annafromuni
2026 monthly reading summary, 2026 reading, 2026 reading habits, 2026 reading plans, 2026 reading summary, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, annafromuni discussions, april 2026 reading summary, books about books, books about reading, contemporary non fiction, discussion post, every day i read, healing journey, hwang boreum, monthly reading, monthly reading recap, monthly reading summary, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, reading slumps, reading summary, welcome to the hyunam-dong bookshop -
Has Hwang Bo-reum’s Every Day I Read Broken My Reading Slump?
I am still easing back into reading, but I feel that I couldn’t have found a more perfect book for the task than Hwang Boreum’s Every Day I Read. I love the cosy slice-of-life atmosphere and introspective findings of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, so I knew picking this up that the narrative style and…
annafromuni
2026 goals, 2026 reading, 2026 reading goals, 2026 reading habits, 2026 reading plans, adult book recs, annafromuni, annafromuni 2026, asian books, asian lit, asian literature, book recommendations, book review, books about reading, contemporary non fiction, every day i read, foreign books, foreign lit, foreign literature, hwang boreum, Non Fiction, non fiction book recs, translated books, welcome to hyunam-dong bookshop