Today’s titles:

Santa’s Kiwi Holiday, Pukeko in a Ponga Tree, Baby’s First Touchy-Feely Christmas,

Mary’s Christmas Yarns, The Little Drummer Boy, Jan Pienkowski’s First Christmas

]]> http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/12/06/the-childrens-book-a-stocking-essential/feed/ 0 http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/12/05/o-n-e/ http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/12/05/o-n-e/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:44:44 +0000 admin http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/?p=649  

Rochelle’s Christmas Pick:

One is a celebration of individuality and life. Author Victoria Alexander writes with humour and wisdom about the importance of believing in and valuing ourselves. She reminds us to trust in ourselves, try things on for size, take risks and ask for what we want – after all, we might just get it. At its heart, this beautifully layered collection of stories, quotes, reflections and evocative images is about the power of choice and about enjoying life, with all its shifts and changes. Its message is universal: accept who you are and who you can be, whether you live alone, or whether you are one of many.

We have cardboard advent calendars starting at $10. Yet this year brings a new wave of advent calendars, perfect for those who want something more durable, as an heirloom, environmental or creative.

Pop in to Pop out.

20 days to go!

Love,

The Paige’s / Stead & Daughters team.

wooden advent calendar

Fabric advent: invent your own scene with velcro

But let’s face it, there are a fair few of us out there who a 1) lament the poor memory of males and 2) never know what to buy them for Christmas. This book will solve both your problems in one hit. Furthermore, it is an entertaining read and up there as one of our best books of 2011. So on the off chance you are battling with a memory malfunction of your own… gift this book to a loved one then have a sneaky read.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything – Joshua Foer

“On average, people squander forty days annually trying to remember things they’ve forgotten. Joshua Foer used to be one of those people. But after a year of training, he found himself in the finals of the U.S. Memory Championship. He also discovered a truth we too often forget: In every way, we are the sum of our memories. In “Moonwalking with Einstein”, Foer draws on cutting-edge research, the cultural history of memory and the techniques of ‘mental athletes’ to transform our understanding of human remembering. He learns the ancient methods used by Cicero and Medieval scholars. He meets amnesiacs, neuroscientists and savants – including a man who claims to have memorized more than nine thousand books. In doing so, he reveals the hidden impact of memory on our lives, and shows how we can all dramatically improve our memories. At a time when electronic devices have all but rendered our individual memories obsolete, Foer’s book is a quest to resurrect the gift we all possess, but that too often slips our minds.

For more information see www.simplicitycollective.com  or www.earthsong.org.au

to order a copy of ‘Voluntary Simplicity: the poetic alternative to consumer culture’ , contact us directly.

Overall Book of the Year:

Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of NZ Popular Music 1918-1964 by Chris Bourke 

Fiction:The Hut Builder by Laurence Fearnley

Poetry: The Mirror of Simple Annihilated Souls by Kate Camp

General Non-Fiction: Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of NZ Popular Music 1918-1964 by Chris Bourke

Illustrated Non-Fiction: The Passing World: The Passage of Life: John Hovell and the Art of Kowhaiwhai by Damian Skinner

]]> http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/07/27/new-zealand-post-book-award-winners/feed/ 0 http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/07/23/happy-national-poetry-day/ http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/2011/07/23/happy-national-poetry-day/#comments Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:50:52 +0000 admin http://steadanddaughters.com/wordpress2/?p=532 It’s New Zealand Poetry Day! If there is just one poetry book you get your hands on this year, make it Western Line by Airni Beautrais.

The follow-up to Airini Beautrais’s acclaimed debut collection Secret Heart demonstrates the growing reach and authority of her writing. The three sequences of ‘Love Poems’, ‘Charms’ and ‘Curses’ are an arrestingly original mix of observation, performance and jokes. A section of lyric poems slows the pace, and then four powerful long poems take the reader travelling, through memory and into the present, through the Whanganui backblocks, rural Germany, and other places.

It may well be the best $28.00 you’ll spend this poetry day. Click here to order.

Also be sure to friend us on facebook to learn about upcoming readings with Airni Beautrais at Paige’s Book Gallery. You’ll also find a full list of poetry day events around the nation.

From the Poetic People at Paige’s

Ka puta Matariki ka rere Whānui.

Ko te tohu tēnā o te tau e!

Matariki re-appears, Whānui starts its flight.

Being the sign of the [new] year!

Matariki is the Māori name for the small cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters, in the Taurus constellation. In New Zealand it comes into view low on the north-eastern horizon, appearing in the tail of the Milky Way in the last days of May or in early June, just before dawn. This heralds the Māori New Year.

Each tribe had its own lore around Matariki, a time for considering the rhythms of the land and how to protect and sustain resources. Connected with this were the protocols that taught people how to live in balance with the natural world. Traditionally, it was a time for remembering the dead, and celebrating new life. In the 21st century, observing Matariki has become popular again. Heaven-bound kites, hot-air balloons and fireworks help mark the occasion.

Purchase your Matariki Calendar here

However notable New Zealand author Joan Rosier-Jones has brought this true and intriguing story to life, scrutinizing the facts. With an objective viewpoint and an inquisitive approach she pulls the threads of evidence into a compelling read, and offers insight into the dismal and friendless conditions faced by Chinese immigrants at the time. The book also unmasks a botched police investigation: which blindly follows one line of enquiry, detrimentally disregarding vital evidence.

The result? An unsolved murder reeking with racial discrimination. Through sound enquiry, a probing approach and leaving no stone unturned, Rosier-Jones single-handedly all but solves the case.

“There was a time when New Zealanders could not have cared less about the death of a lone Chinese man tending a cabbage patch,” stated New Zealand Chinese Association National President Steven Young. “Joan’s efforts in writing this book should be seen in the context of an increasing interest in incorporating New Zealand Chinese history as New Zealand mainstream history.”

In 2002 the New Zealand Government formally apologized to the Chinese community for the conditions faced by immigrants during what is termed the ‘Poll Tax’ period. ‘The Murder of Chow Yat’ is not only a thoroughly good read, but informative into a frequently suppressed period of NZ history.

The Murder of Chow Yat

by Joan Rosier-Jones

9780986453717  RRP $31.99