Biography (243)

Polly Plum

ISBN: 9780947522476

Author: Jenny Coleman    Publisher: Otago University Press

Polly Plum is a biography of one of New Zealand’s earliest feminists, Mary Ann Colclough, whose publicly voiced opinions saw her described in the nineteenth c...


Polly Plum is a biography of one of New Zealand’s earliest feminists, Mary Ann Colclough, whose publicly voiced opinions saw her described in the nineteenth century as ‘our own little stray strap of a modern female fanatic’. English-born Mary Ann Barnes came to New Zealand in 1857, and soon gained notoriety for her outspokenness on issues relating to women’s position in society. A teacher and also a journalist for the Daily Southern Cross and the Weekly News under the nom de plume ‘Polly Plum’, she also engaged in public debates through the letters to the editor columns, undeterred by becoming ‘the best abused woman in New Zealand in the present day’. In this fine biography, Jenny Coleman argues that Mary Ann Colclough’s contribution to the women’s movement in nineteenth-century New Zealand is at least equal to that of Kate Sheppard. A good two decades ahead of the organised women’s movement, ‘Polly Plum’ began politicising women by writing about the realities of their daily lives, what needed to change and how. Coleman here reclaims Mary Ann Colclough’s place in New Zealand’s feminist history by bringing her life and contributions to a wider audience.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 296


Dimensions: 165 x 230 mm


Tags: Biography   History   New Zealand
$39.95
Frank Gehry

ISBN: 9783791354422

Authors: Frederic Migayrou, Aurelien Lemonier    Publisher: Prestel Publishing

Arranged chronologically, this book follows the arc of Gehry's later career, during which he has focused mainly on public and cultural facilities. The book expl...


Arranged chronologically, this book follows the arc of Gehry's later career, during which he has focused mainly on public and cultural facilities. The book explores how Gehry has overcome technological setbacks and aesthetic backlash, never wavering from his vision. It examines his work in the context of the urban environment, showing how Gehry continually strives to make cities "less boring" and to create urban buildings that echo their surroundings. The buildings profiled here - including the Vitra International Furniture Manufacturing Facility and Design Museum in Switzerland, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the 8 Spruce Street Skyscraper (Beekman Tower) in New York, and the Fondation Louis Vuitton - are represented in dazzling colour photographs as well as preparatory drawing, plans and models. From his early years working within the L.A. Art Scene, to his Pritzker-winning stardom, to his current fascination with the application of computer-aided-design in such areas as cancer research, Frank Gehry, now in his ninth decade, continues to surprise and inspire the public. This informative, fascinating volume is a must-have for his ardent fans and anyone interested in architecture.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 242 x 289 mm


Publication Date: 05-03-2015


$125.00
Don't Worry He Doesn't Bite : Tales of a Country Postman

ISBN: 9781910723425

Author: Liam Mulvin    Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books

Liam Mulvin loves his job as a country postman. For decades he has crossed farmyards, moors and fields to deliver the mail to his appreciative rural customers. ...


Liam Mulvin loves his job as a country postman. For decades he has crossed farmyards, moors and fields to deliver the mail to his appreciative rural customers. As he goes about his work, Liam shares, in a series of short essays, the country characters he comes across, the unexpected dilemmas and dramas he encounters. He muses about the unusual wildlife behaviour he stumbles across, he battles with the weather and he delivers the mail come what may. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book in which to dip in and out – or to devour in one sitting. It is a refreshing celebration of a rural community which functions best when knitted together by those, like Liam, who go that extra mile.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 192


Dimensions: 138 x 216 mm


Publication Date: 04-09-2017


Tag: Biography
$29.99
This Girl Ran

ISBN: 9781786852175

Author: Helen Croydon    Publisher: Summersdale Publishers

If you had told Helen two years ago that she would be getting up at 6 a.m. on Sundays to swim in a freezing reservoir and spending her Saturday nights unshowere...


If you had told Helen two years ago that she would be getting up at 6 a.m. on Sundays to swim in a freezing reservoir and spending her Saturday nights unshowered and covered in mud in a pub, she would have spat out her champagne. But when everyone around you starts settling down, what else is a glamorous party girl to do but to launch herself into the world of endurance sport? For someone who didn’t even own a pair of flat shoes (and definitely no waterproofs), Helen would soon find she had a lot to learn. Join Helen on her hilarious and soul-searching journey as she swaps a life of cocktail bars and dating for the challenges and exhilaration of triathlons, trail runs, obstacle races, long-distance cycles and ocean swims… and sets herself the seemingly impossible goal of qualifying as a Team GB triathlete.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 320


Dimensions: 129 x 198 mm


Publication Date: 09-02-2018


$27.99
Run Mummy Run

ISBN: 9781786852373

Author: Leanne Davies    Publisher: Summersdale Publishers

If you’re a mum who wants to run, there’s nothing stopping you! When busy mum Leanne Davies set up a social media group for her and a couple of friends to ...


If you’re a mum who wants to run, there’s nothing stopping you! When busy mum Leanne Davies set up a social media group for her and a couple of friends to encourage one another to go running, she never imagined it would quickly become a nationwide network of thousands of women, all sharing a passion for the sport and a penchant for colourful compression socks. Gathering the very best of the advice and tips from the Run Mummy Run network, Leanne and co-writer Lucy have created this comprehensive beginner’s guide to running that includes sections on: From starting with a Couch To 5k plan to building up the confidence to race Fitting in running around work and family life Overcoming barriers to exercise How to keep on running when motivation wanes, and much more! Not just your average practical go-to, this book is filled with down-to-earth advice, training schedules and inspirational stories that’ll help you to be fit, healthy and happy.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 320


Dimensions: 129 x 198 mm


Publication Date: 12-01-2018


$27.99
Back From The Brink

ISBN: 9780473421700

Author: Bill Blaikie    Publisher: Nawmac Ltd

“Shall I shoot?”… “No don’t shoot”… I’m going to shoot”… “Don’t shoot!”. Rapid fire yelling within the confines of a vehicle stuck in ...


“Shall I shoot?”… “No don’t shoot”… I’m going to shoot”… “Don’t shoot!”. Rapid fire yelling within the confines of a vehicle stuck in the middle of stalled traffic, facing an unknown person wearing a full burqa peering into the car. Inches away from the driver’s face, a large hand pressed against the window. “We didn’t know if they were male or female or what was about to happen, but we were absolutely sure that if we shot this person, the crowd, including the armed policemen nearby, would turn on us and there’d be no escape.” In 2004, Lieutenant Colonel William Blaikie shipped out to Afghanistan, to head up a team dedicated to rebuilding the country after the war. As part of the New Zealand Defence Force, his skills lay in intelligence and communications – his mission was to form a team, develop and implement plans to work with USA and Coalition partners to help get Afghanistan back on its feet. Bill experienced situations that were beyond tense, often facing life and death situations and decision making that required deep and quick thinking, based on not always having enough information at hand. On his return home to New Zealand, his journey through coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder began, and the nightmares were not limited to sleep time. Everything has remained at life and death levels for Bill, and this book details how he and his wife Nancy have worked through suicide attempts, getting help, and finding answers to what is an epidemic level challenge for military personnel everywhere. “No amount of training can prepare you for what happens in your head after the uniforms are off and the guns are packed away.”


Bind: paperback


Pages: 164


Publication Date: 11-11-2017


$29.99
The Byrne Identity

ISBN: 9781784614614

Author: Lee Byrne    Publisher: Y Lolfa

Charting his unlikely route from humble beginnings on a tough Bridgend estate and working on building sites to the top of world rugby as a Grand Slam winner and...


Charting his unlikely route from humble beginnings on a tough Bridgend estate and working on building sites to the top of world rugby as a Grand Slam winner and Test Lion, Lee Byrne's autobiography sheds new light on one of the brightest talents to grace the Welsh game. Byrne talks frankly about the joy of playing at the highest level for Scarlets, ospreys, Wales and the Lions, as well as his off-field antics. He gives an insider's glimpse into Welsh rugby under Warren Gatland and the tactics and psychology employed. He reveals for the first time the true story behind the end of his international career and his struggles with depression following his forced retirement from the game after injury, and discusses his dyslexia, a condition he only recently discovered he has. A rugby memoir unlike others in its remarkable emotional range and its power to make readers laugh but also cry. Byrne's account of the aftermath of Jerry Collins' death makes for particularly moving reading.


Bind: paperback


Pages: 192


Publication Date: 23-10-2017


$29.99
Suicide; Aftermath & Beyond

ISBN: 9780473403652

Author: Paul Lynch    Publisher: Cabbage Press

"I believe we need to quit the approach in which we quietly come in through the frilly pink curtains and talk about suicide carefully so as not to cause upset o...


"I believe we need to quit the approach in which we quietly come in through the frilly pink curtains and talk about suicide carefully so as not to cause upset or offend anyone. I'm saying we should fire up the bulldozer, smash it through the wall and start yelling: "Let's talk about suicide and how much it suck"". This book is the story of the tragic death by suicide of Paul Lynch's brother Brett and the devastating effect it had on his family. It is also a powerful plea for us to face up to suicide as an issue and acknowledge that the way we're dealing with it at the moment isn't working. "If my story can prevent a person, or people, from leaving their family and friends to deal with the aftermath of their suicide and all that goes with it," says Paul Lynch, "then I will consider that to be a success".


Bind: paperback


Pages: 146


Dimensions: 130 x 200 mm


$29.50
Frida Kahlo : The Story of Her Life

ISBN: 9783791383880

Author: Vanna Vinci    Publisher: Prestel Publishing

The perfect subject for a graphic novel, Frida Kahlo’s brief life was dramatic and romantic, tragic and painful. In this illustrated “biography”, Vanna Vi...


The perfect subject for a graphic novel, Frida Kahlo’s brief life was dramatic and romantic, tragic and painful. In this illustrated “biography”, Vanna Vinci captures the spirit of Kahlo’s world in boldly colored, minutely detailed illustrations. Blending facts and history with dreamlike and surreal sequences, Vinci creates an intimate portrayal of an artist who incorporated her life experiences into her art. Burning love and crushing loss, incredible joy and deep despair—these were all part of Kahlo’s life and part of the paintings that are some of the most celebrated art of all time. Filled with images that populated Kahlo’s work—monkeys and parrots, traditional clothing and lush gardens—Vinci imbues her text and drawings with an artist’s perception and sensitivity. The result is an evocative, fittingly passionate tribute to a legendary figure.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 160


Dimensions: 200 x 260 mm


Publication Date: 15-09-2017


$59.99
Man-Eaters of Kumaon

ISBN: 9781910723432

Author: Jim Corbett    Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books

The presence of a man-eating tiger in the impoverished rural community of Naini Tal spread fear and panic among the terrified locals. This tigress had already d...


The presence of a man-eating tiger in the impoverished rural community of Naini Tal spread fear and panic among the terrified locals. This tigress had already devoured over 460 victims by the time Jim Corbett was approached to track and kill her in 1907. These ten thrilling and moving tales are Corbett’s first-hand accounts as he expertly tracks and kills many tigers and two leopards which had become man-eaters, driven to this by injury or extreme old age. No one understood the signs of the jungle better than Corbett. A skilled tracker, Corbett preferred to hunt alone and on foot, sometimes accompanied by his small dog Robin. He derived intense happiness from his observations of wildlife and was an important conservationist as well as a tracker and ace shot. He empathised with the impoverished people amongst whom he lived, in what is today Uttrakhand, and he established India’s first tiger sanctuary there. Corbett’s writing is as immediate and accessible today as it was when first published in 1944. All Royalties from this edition will go to the Jim Corbett National Park.


Bind: hardback


Pages: 256


Dimensions: 138 x 216 mm


Publication Date: 05-09-2017


Tag: Biography
$39.99
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