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

This is the story of a New Zealander living in Australia, who died in 2004, and whose body was left in the Glebe Morgue in Sydney for eight months unclaimed before being buried in a mass grave for five years. His next of kin was not informed of his death. Neither were New Zealand representatives in Australia. The family suffered five years of torment while they lobbied to bring Paul Tait home. With the Australian Government ducking responsibility, Paul's sister Deborah Wylie went looking for someone in the New Zealand Government who'd be outraged by the disposal of a deceased New Zealander abroad in contravention of international law. But she found no one brave enough to take on the Australians except for one opposition member of parliament. Wylie wrote Duty of Care to tell the story of what her family endured, and to support her demand for an apology from the Australian Government and an acknowledgement from the New Zealand Government of the part they played in the debacle.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 100

Dimensions: 127 x 197 mm

Publication Date: 01-04-2021

Masterton-born Len Frances joined New Zealand’s war effort when qualifying for service in November 1940 and training became serious with the Pacific War’s outbreak in December 1941. He was called into camp immediately, spending the first months of 1942 at Masterton’s Solway Military Camp, training for the infantry. After officer training, he was posted to anti-aircraft guns and helped prepare reinforcements in the Wellington area – and married Jean. Part of the 10th reinforcement, Len left New Zealand in July 1943, reverting to the ranks in Egypt to join 6th Field Regiment as a gunner. He served right through the Italian Campaign, feeding the guns at Sangro River, Cassino, Florence and up the Adriatic coast to Trieste, occasionally taking a little time out to continue accountancy studies. Len kept a diary for 31 months, detailing military and other experiences in the land of his father’s birth, a Kiwi-Italian in the midst of total war. His story is also that of a young husband separated from wife and family half a world away. The Author A lifetime interest in military history led Masterton-born author Neil Frances to write on these aspects of Wairarapa’s past. On the Move Again is his sixth book published by Wairarapa Archive/Fraser Books. While previous volumes examined people, events and places, this new book is more personal, based on the diary of his father, a gunner in Italy during World War Two.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 170 x 245 mm

Publication Date: 24-04-2021

The story of the magnificent passenger and cargo ships that made New Zealand – and the colourful characters who manned them. Masters, engineers, deck officers, radio operators, seamen, cadets, shore staff and passengers talked to maritime historian Nick Tolerton for this brilliantly illustrated book, full of salty tales of adventures at sea and ashore, war, storms, smuggling, eccentric characters, and fun and misadventures in port. Special features include harrowing excerpts from the previously unpublished diary of a passenger on New Zealand’s worst immigrant ship on which 44 people died on the voyage to New Zealand and the recollections of New Zealand’s last Cape Horner. This fascinating story of the golden age of seafaring is complemented by 400 photographs, most of them previously unpublished.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 329

Dimensions: 210 x 295 mm

Publication Date: 30-07-2021

Finally, the complete story of NZR’s most powerful conventional steam locomotive class has been documented. Author Jonathan Shingleton details the operational constrictions of the Midland line, history leading up to the development of the KB class, including proposals to transfer X class to the South Island and add boosters. Learn how Midland Line east-bound loads were governed by EO haulage capacity through the Otira tunnel, the manufacture and bedding in of the KBs, their daily operation, the booster operation and maintenance, trialling of KB operations out of Dunedin, a proposal to transfer all KBs to the North Island, and their eventual displacement onto the Main South Line. Detail of the KB operations are neatly interspersed with crew accounts of operating the KB class; the firemen, drivers and fitters. Complementing the text is a lavish selection of black and white and colour images from the era.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 272

Dimensions: 210 x 295 mm

Publication Date: 21-06-2021

Create wonderful pictures using simple shapes. This is a how-to-draw book like no other, to be enjoyed by both children and adults. Written after 20 years teaching children art, basic drawing lessons are supplemented with practice pages that give plenty of scope for the skilled or imaginative. A "For Parents and Teachers", section highlights age related difficulties encountered by youngsters.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 44

Dimensions: 208 x 270 mm

Publication Date: 07-05-2021

This gorgeous book explores a wide array of feelings. No emotion lasts forever and each situation brings something new. The simple story gives children the chance to identify the feeling, and opens up a discussion about what makes them feel that way. The theme of the story overall is ‘resilience’, not giving up when things get a bit tough.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 28

Dimensions: 216 x 216 mm

Publication Date: 23-05-2021

SATELLITES ARE FALLING OUT OF THE SKIES When rogue junk collides with a television satellite 22,000 miles above the Earth, blind cosmologist Harry Stones approaches Film Director Nathalie Thompson to make an investigative documentary. Undeterred by Harry's lack of sight, their quest leads them from the peaks of Arizona to a mile-deep mine in Yorkshire, and finally to a Launchpad in Kazakhstan. As more and more satellites keep falling out of the sky, their curiosity turns to fear. Forewarned of the possible outbreak of World War Three, can Harry and Nathalie prevent the space collision of all time?

Bind: paperback

Pages: 320

Dimensions: 138 x 216 mm

Publication Date: 14-05-2021

There's no two ways about it: life is better by the beach. The salty air, the sound of the waves and, above all, the relaxed way of life. This low-key attitude to living manifests itself in how we decorate our homes by the sea. Life's A Beach takes readers into beach homes around the world - from the hills of New Zealand to beaches of Brazil to the remote islands of the Aegean - exploring the many ways to decorate a cozy home by the sea. Handmade touches, natural materials and eclectic interiors all imbue a sense of wellbeing, and are found throughout the homes in Life's a Beach. From humble little beach cottages to extraordinary modern bungalows, these spaces are designed for respite and relaxation, and for enjoying the beachy surrounds.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 240 x 300 mm

Publication Date: 20-05-2021

In recent years, the beauty industry has shifted the conversation towards the individual in a way it hasn't done before. While people, and women in particular, have historically been enticed into this industry to achieve rather rigid ideals set by society, the current conversations brands and consumers are establishing embrace individuality and celebrate identity. From using makeup as a means to challenge gender, to the link between hairstyling and community-building, or the rituals of skincare as a form of self-care, we are rediscovering beauty as a way of defining who we are and what we value. Modern Beauty explores this shift from historical, scientific and journalistic perspectives, in a title that will not only appeal to industry insiders, but also to all those readers with an interest in feeling well in their own skin - and letting the world know. What to expect: - A contemporary look at the universe of beauty, as told by New York Times wellness and beauty writer Kari Molvar. - A relevant insight for those linked to the beauty industry, which is in a moment of transformation, as concepts such as wellness, feminism and inclusivity become equally important. - An exploration that goes beyond the superficial and presents beauty from historical, scientific and journalistic perspectives.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 210 x 260 mm

Publication Date: 11-05-2021