Tag: nz 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 -
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…
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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,…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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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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…
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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 -
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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