Three musical sisters honour their mother with a piano recital every year in her memory. They compete with one another, practising in secret to see who can be the best. In other stories, music, food, and restaurants are themes. A woman fends off a seducer by cooking up a storm; there is a cat called Min; an elderly woman is the pet of a group of young men; an agonising breakup takes place in a luxury hotel; and a young woman is obsessed with her breasts. These are funny, tender, sharply observed stories written in a style that is engaging, humorous, but always compassionate.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 248

Dimensions: 153 x 234 mm

Publication Date: 30-06-2021

The balloon — now fully inflated — was restive and impatient, straining at the circle of men and boys holding it. Lillian’s scanty costume attracted even more admiring glances. All eyes stared at her in a blur of dread and desire as she positioned herself on the trapeze. ‘Ready … I mean right,’ she said with a catch in her voice. The professor gave the command and the men holding the balloon released their grip and stepped back. Testing her courage after her brother’s death, daredevil Lillian and her sister Ruby risk their lives for fame and fortune by parachuting from hot air smoke balloons throughout Australia and New Zealand. Feisty Lillian struggles to choose between love and her perilous career but in the competitive 1890s era of ballooning, is she brave enough to confront the truth about her past? Determined to take control of the balloon circuit and provide for her children, Lillian travels to New Zealand only to clash with charlatans, showmen, and disgruntled crowds when her exhibitions fall short of their expectations. A cascade of betrayals and reconciliations culminate in one last-ditch ascent from which there is no turning back.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 280

Dimensions: 152 x 229 mm

Publication Date: 28-06-2021

...there was an unwavering belief in the goodness of milk and orange juice. Soda energized and pleased palates without suspicion. THEN CAME A RECKONING... BETTER FOR YOU examines the rise of a global healthy drinks market and presents case histories of entrepreneurs who dared to create “better for you” beverages… enduring American brands and burgeoning New Zealand lifestyle drinks, Phoenix Organic, Karma Cola, Chia Sisters, Aotea Native Tonics & King of Kiwi. How did Phoenix Organic, an iconic Kiwi brand, come to be foreign-owned? How is Karma Cola going head-to-head with Big Soda? How does leadership from Chia Sisters founders dismantle Tall Poppy culture? Why did a successful Māori-led drink brand choose to forgo export? Included in BETTER FOR YOU is a “behind the scenes” account of Kiwi, Glenn Elliott, who travels to the USA to “give it a go” with his artisanal kiwifruit drink brand. Much more than a business book, BETTER FOR YOU, shows connections between products and consumers, Americans and Kiwis, and posits how commerce can relate to leading authentic, healthy, and responsible lives.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 140 x 215 mm

Publication Date: 02-08-2021

One day all the screens went dark—and we couldn’t even post about it. We all dream about it: a life free of scrolling, tweeting, liking, faving, streaming, replying, apologizing for not replying, and other assaults on our poor, saturated brains. But what would an analog world actually look like? Chris Colin, author of What to Talk About, paints a picture that's a little Edenic and a little demented. Un-barraged by celeb gossip and political news, we begin to notice nature again. We take walks, stare at the clouds, and listen to podcasts consisting of our own thoughts. Snapchatting gives way to endless rounds of Go Fish. Minecraft is a game involving sticks and leaves. We talk to our neighbors—not about the TV shows we’re streaming—and occasionally we fall in love. Delivered in a pitch-perfect, tongue-in-cheek biblical style, this little book imagines an alternate reality that will hit home in our tech-addled worlds. Rinee Shah’s playful illustrations perfectly capture the absurdity of life reflected in our screens. Whether you’re addicted to tech or not, you’ll see something of yourself when you put down your phone and pick up this smart, funny book.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 215 x 165 mm

Publication Date: 04-03-2021

It can be hard to fall asleep because who wants to stop playing, talking, and just having fun. Sometimes, it's just as difficult to stay asleep. There can be noises, lights, and many other distractions. Cat has this very problem in Sleep, Cat, Sleep! He's calmly resting until you open the book and wake him up. Every time he thinks it's safe to fall back asleep, you flip the page and bother him again! All he wants is for you to close the book so he can start dreaming away. Author and illustrator Antje Damm has created an uproariously funny book to help young children fall asleep. They will be delighted with all the different ways Cat can come up with to get kids to let him sleep. A new surprise awaits with every turn of the page, but we don't want to give away who falls asleep at the end of this book!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 24

Dimensions: 150 x 152 mm

Publication Date: 04-03-2021

As more and more families focus on local and organic eating, this delightful introduction to common vegetables offers a delectable serving of uncommonly beautiful illustrations and fascinating information. As in his hugely popular previous book, Flower Power, Olaf Hajek's wondrously imaginative and detailed portraits are paired with engaging and eye-opening texts. The book shows how each vegetable appears in its natural soil habitat, and how it might be eaten today. Health benefits, historical tidbits, and botanical oddities are seamlessly woven into each spread. From the first spring onion, to pumpkins harvested just before the frost, this inviting journey through the growing season celebrates the artistic, historical, and culinary bounty that awaits us in the garden and at the table.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 40

Dimensions: 260 x 350 mm

Publication Date: 04-03-2021

Traditionally a male-dominated field, street photography is increasingly becoming the domain of women. This fantastic collection of images reflects that shift, showcasing 100 contemporary women street photographers working around the world today, accompanied by personal statements about their work. Variously joyful, unsettling and unexpected, the photographs capture a wide range of extraordinary moments. The volume is curated by Gulnara Samoilova, founder of the Women Street Photographers project: a website, social media platform and annual exhibition. Photographer Melissa Breyer's introductory essay explores how the genre has intersected with gender throughout history, looking at how cultural changes in gender roles have overlapped with technological developments in the camera to allow key historical figures to emerge. Her text is complemented by a foreword by renowned photojournalist Ami Vitale, whose career as a war photographer and, later, global travels with National Geographic have allowed a unique insight into the realities of working as a woman photographer in different countries. In turns intimate and candid, the photographs featured in this book offer a kaleidoscopic glimpse of what happens when women across the world are behind the camera.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 230 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 02-03-2021

Where along the Rhine does the Nibelung Treasure lie? What river helps mark the prime meridian? Why do people make pilgrimages to the Indian city of Benares? Why is the Mekong called the "Nine Dragon" river in Vietnam? How does the Mississippi divide and unite the United States? These and hundreds of other facts are explored in this wonderfully illustrated atlas of the world's great rivers. Each spread in this book offers a colorful map packed with drawings, figures, and facts. Cities that border the rivers are highlighted, as are distinct flora and fauna, significant natural and human- made features, and fascinating historical details. A "biography" of each river describes where it flows, and its importance to the communities it passes through. Special attention is given to the ecological health of the rivers-those that are thriving and those in danger of losing their valuable habitats. Along the way, young readers will come to understand the enormous impact that rivers have on our lives, while learning valuable information in a way that will spark their curiosity and imagination.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 40

Dimensions: 277 x 370 mm

Publication Date: 04-03-2021

Two volumes in slipcase Famous First Edition: First printing of 10,000 numbered copies From the adrenaline-filled 24 Hours of Le Mans to the legendary Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lake Como's famed Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este to the premier Monterey Car Week, the collector car calendar and market has shown one of the most extraordinary growth trajectories of recent years. As thousands flock to specialized meet ups, rallies, auctions, and Concours d'Elegance around the globe, asking prices for the rarest motors have revved higher and higher. So much so, that the value of the 100 cars included in this book exceeds a staggering $ 1 billion. For the seasoned car collector or the awestruck newcomer, this double-volume is the unrivaled collector car anthology. Curating 100 of the most exquisite, remarkable, and desirable cars of all time to tell a spellbinding story of automotive design-and-engineering endeavor in the tireless pursuit of ever-greater performance both on and off the track, from the first Indy 500-winning 1910 Marmon Wasp to the futuristic 2020 Aston Martin Valkyrie. Laps ahead of any generic catalog, this superlative volume exudes authority and elegance, settling for nothing less than the very best of the best, and presenting each model with the lavish spreads it deserves, complete with stunning imagery taken by the world's leading car photographers alongside rare archival treasures, from original factory photos to famous motorsports event posters. Each entry is also accompanied by expert descriptive texts and specs, detailing each car's make, model, year, engine size, horsepower, top speed, transmission, and all-important production numbers. By passionately tapping into their transatlantic expertise and insider knowledge of car auctions, museums, and collections around the world, design authors Peter and Charlotte Fiell survey the autoworld's finest cars of all time. Their carefully curated selection spans the whole history of the automobile, taking in such rare models as a 1912 Stutz Model A Bearcat, as well as lesser-known jewels such as the astonishing 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS "Goutte d'Eau" Coupe by Figoni et Falaschi. This definitive compendium includes a foreword from Rob Myers, the founder of RM Sotheby's, and includes an introduction from the authors that gives a unique perspective on the ins and outs of car collecting at the highest level. The main content is interspersed with interviews with Dr. Frederick Simeone, founder of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum; The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival; Sandra Button, Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance; John Collins, leading dealer of historic Ferraris; and Shelby Myers, global head of Private Sales at RM Sotheby's, which offer key personal insights into the car-collecting world.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 904

Dimensions: 281 x 360 mm

Publication Date: 12-03-2021

Here, with Michelle Elvy’s the other side of better, are wise reflections cast through refracted light. Here is the scent of the sea, the rift and grit of childhood. Here is an absorbing cinematic poetry in the telling – breathtakingly honest and elegant stories (personal, yet universal) about how we live, how we struggle and, most enduringly, how we thrive. A wondrous collection! ~ Robert Scotellaro Well-turned stories, rich with wit and detail, that explore the spaces between people and places, from the ‘concrete weight’ of history to the secrets of creeks, islands and oceans. ~ Paula Morris A collection that surprises not just because it can, but because it understands the surprises of the world. ~ Erik Kennedy Michelle Elvy uses the economy of the form to keep her powder dry. Often, the full implication – sometimes enormity – of the story is only realised after the reading is over. ~ James Norcliffe Michelle Elvy’s new collection is released in June in conjunction with the 2021 National Flash Fiction Day events, with a launch party in Dunedin followed by readings in Auckland and Christchurch.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 172

Dimensions: 133 x 203 mm

Publication Date: 18-06-2021