Darkly comic, surreal and full of perceptiveness about human vulnerability and eccentricity, Frankie McMillan’s small fictions often duck and dive away from the reader’s expectations. With a poet’s sense of how single words or phrases ripple out with alternate meanings, and a dramatist’s feeling for how apparently small gestures reveal character, and how sudden, cataclysmic change can wrench us out of comfort, routine and unthinking assumptions, the author leaves us ransacking the language for finer genre definitions. This collection teems with both the animal world and a vivid circus of quirky human individuals. The pieces globe-trot all over the planet: from Russia to America to New Zealand; and yet often their piquant wisdom comes from how they bear down into ‘micro-geography’ of intimate relationships: the troughs, peaks, cliff-sides, the warm, still pools of recognition. Frankie McMillan is like a quietly outrageous Zen master, showing us human folly and idiocy, steering us carefully over the dark river of vulnerability that swells under it all. "The Father of Octopus Wrestling, and other small fictions" is an artisan production, designed and printed by Ilam Press, Ilam School of Fine Arts and is published with the support of Creative New Zealand.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 146

Dimensions: 165 x 230 mm

Publication Date: 23-08-2019

Pip Murdoch offers us a raw and honest account of her personal journey, giving birth and placing her child up for adoption during early seventies New Zealand. Her frank and gritty portrayal is set against a period of rapid social change within a narrow and judgemental environment. Pip gives us intimate descriptions of the challenges she faced. She expresses the fear, shame and trauma of having to part with her baby and demonstrates a tireless determination to make the most of every situation. Her story begins with a girl coming of age in the constricting world of the nineteen sixties, when the sexual revolution overlapped the bigotry and puritanism that were our post-Victorian legacy. The cultural context of the time had a big effect on the choices Pip made and profoundly influenced her life. She gives us an insight into the harsh imposed adoption laws and the impact of institutional processes. Relative Strangers captures the realities of female adolescence, its innocence and excitement, accompanied by new freedoms, with the added ingredients of peer pressure and guilt. The memoir reminds us how far we’ve come in our societal attitudes. Pip then takes up the story twenty years later as she endeavours to search for her son. She takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of disappointment and hope through the process of her adoption reunion.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 260

Dimensions: 130 x 211 mm

Publication Date: 16-08-2019

It has been 20 extraordinary and exciting years since SCAPE Public Art began to revolutionise the open spaces of Ōtautahi Christchurch – and public arts practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. This bold initiative stepped outside the gallery and into the streets, to make contemporary art, both national and international, truly public in a fresh and invigorating way. And it did so, uniquely for this country, by involving industry and business, and the city’s various communities, in commissioning and realising arts projects and permanent works. Out There: SCAPE Public Art 1998–2018 tells the story of this fruitful association and celebrates two decades of achievement since SCAPE’s first biennial, then known as Art & Industry, was held in 2000. Drawing on more than 100 interviews with the originators and supporters of SCAPE, and with many of the more than 230 artists who have been involved, well-known arts commentator Dr Warren Feeney has written a lively and appealing account. He considers both the stunning works made possible by SCAPE and the unexpected and beneficial partnerships that have developed in Christchurch, particularly after the 2010–11 earthquakes. Fascinating, richly illustrated and superbly designed, Out There: SCAPE Public Art 1998–2018 is a beautiful and significant book. No one interested in the visual arts will want to be without it.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 245 x 245 mm

Publication Date: 06-09-2019

Ces Gledhill hired on with New Zealand Railways in 1925. Forever the rolling stone in search of better money, overtime and promotion, Ces transferred around New Zealand seeking out opportunities within the railway service. Starting as a cleaner, he worked his way up through the ranks of fireman and eventually first-class enginedriver. Working through the Depression years and the boom of war-time rail traffic, Ces recounts with interest his time living at the various towns and cities, working on both isolated sections, branch lines and main trunk trains. Told with passion are many of his footplate escapades. After a wartime absence, he returned from railway military service in the Middle-east, he settled down on the West Coast of the South Island, both operating and keeping operational, run-down locomotives on the post-war railway. This work is well illustrated with images of the period, many taken by the author.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 115

Dimensions: 210 x 296 mm

Publication Date: 16-08-2019

Not all superpowers are a good thing. Especially NOT if your mum has them. Or if they're fuelled by embarrassment. And what if you can't find your way back home? Jump out of your skin with these hilarious short stories by Tom E. Moffatt. Bu don't leave your body unattended for long!

Bind: paperback

Pages: 266

Dimensions: 127 x 203 mm

Publication Date: 19-07-2019

Ultimate Toys for Men New Edition is the definitive catalogue for any discerning gentleman. Richly illustrated and meticulously curated, it gathers the best bespoke and luxury products and premium experiences around the globe, anchored in the belief that only top quality is true value for money. Whether a sports car or mega yacht, a weekender bag or a boutique hotel, editor Michael G rmann selects the best the world can offer the modern cosmopolitan man. Age is irrelevant; the boys' toys just get bigger, or more exclusive. The much-anticipated sequel to Ultimate Toys for Men, this updated edition includes a dazzling array of slick new gadgets for guys, handmade beauties, customizable accessories, and all manner of luxuries to rent, buy, and experience. Special features cover the "Best of Mallorca," "Best of London," and the finest collector's items.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 304

Dimensions: 275 x 340 mm

Publication Date: 23-08-2019

teNeues is proud to present this lush, large-format compendium of over 300 pages, showcasing the best and the most beautiful of contemporary design worldwide, from custom-made, one-of-a-kind luxury pieces to indispensable mass-market products. Whether it’s a kitchen appliance or an elegant piece of furniture, great design combines form and function to make everyday life more enjoyable, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable. Contemporary Design Review curates some of the finest contemporary designs around the globe across various design genres, from architecture to product design, to interior and garden design. All the designs in the book are shown in careful detail, including rich product descriptions, insightful interviews, as well as over 300 brilliant photographs. Lively behind-the-scenes profiles add a revealing perspective on the designers shaping our today and tomorrow. A treasure trove of sparkling treasures to inspire and inform design professionals and enthusiasts with style, elegance, and supreme performance!

Bind: hardback

Pages: 304

Dimensions: 250 x 320 mm

Publication Date: 23-08-2019

Just by looking at the luxurious hotels and retreats in this book, holiday mood and relaxation sets in. The lushly-illustrated volume from the Review Books series presents outstanding and unique getaways all over the globe, from the best ocean-view hotels to extraordinary mountain chalets. Over more than 300 pages, Best Unique Hotels & Retreats presents absolute highlights of the hospitality industry. Whatever you're looking for--safari lodges, boutique hotels, ocean retreats, or ski hotels and chalets--this lush compendium of hotels and retreats has something to capture your heart and imagination. With breathtaking images, accompanied by vivid and informative texts, this new book in the Review Book series brings the holiday home and provides all the inspiration--and information--you need to plan for your next vacation. Curated by Sebastian Schoellgen and Martin Kunz, experts in specialist and boutique hotels, this is the ultimate address book for stylish places to switch off, retreats to recharge your batteries, and blissful places to have some time for yourself.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 304

Dimensions: 250 x 320 mm

Publication Date: 23-08-2019

Discover magical, remote locations around the world, from Africa to the Arctic, that will help you disconnect from modern life and enter a state of wonder. Silence. Calm. Open spaces. These are the new luxuries. In this turbulent era it has become ever more crucial to disconnect and slow down. Remote Places to Stay shares 22 out-of-the-way places where you can get off the grid and reconnect to the essentials, surrounded by raw pristine nature. Some of these remote places are only accessible by foot, others by train, small boat, or bush plane—but they are all places with a very strong sense of space. From lavish to spare architecture, from the Arctic to the desert landscapes of Africa, from a peaceful retreat in the Himalayas to a secret convent in the south of Italy, each exceptional retreat has been carefully selected to inspire and spark a state of wonder. Exploring the pages of Remote Places to Stay is a visual journey you will never forget.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 312

Dimensions: 205 x 270 mm

Publication Date: 31-08-2019

It is often said that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In The Touch, Kinfolk and Norm Architects present an alternative: that good design is not only visually appealing—it engages all of the human senses. What do a museum in Marrakech, a mid-century apartment in Berlin, and a graveyard north of Venice all have in common? In The Touch, creative collaborators Nathan Williams of Kinfolk and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects explore the idea that these inspiring spaces, and many more like them, share the five essential tenets of haptic, human-centric design: materiality, light, color, nature, and community. Revealing some of the world’s most sensual architecture and interiors, The Touch offers a wealth of inspiration through stunning photography, philosophical essays, and practical tips from the minds of design industry leaders.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 245 x 330 mm

Publication Date: 30-08-2019