The latest Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list, described by Steve Braunias
FICTION
1 The Bone Tree by Airana Ngarewa (Moa Press, $37.99)
WOAH! Well, this is huge; the year-long stranglehold that Te Herenga Waka University Press has applied on the number one bestseller spot (with Eleanor Catton, then the two novels by Catherine Chidgey) has finally been broken – in spectacular style, by a young Māori writer who has nowt to do with the literary establishment, born and raised in Pātea, now a Year 9 schoolteacher in New Plymouth and champion kickboxer(!), and the author of a debut novel published by a newly formed imprint. ReadingRoom went crazy for the book by devoting all of last week to it, including a portrait of the author and a review by David Hill.
The Bone Tree is – naturally, of course – this week's free book giveaway. To enter the draw, make any kind of remark about the author or his book, based on what you've read or heard, and email it to stephen11@xtra.co.nz with the subject line in screaming caps I WANT TO WIN THE NEW NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING NOVEL. Entries close at midnight, Sunday August 20.
2 Pet by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38)
3 Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38)
4 The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $35)
5 Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories by Paula Morris & Darryn Joseph (Auckland University Press, $45)
Exciting new anthology featuring established authors, and new writers, in English and in Te Reo. Three stories will appear over the next three weeks at ReadingRoom, each illustrated by Māori artist Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. Tomorrow: "Work and Income Gothic" by Jack Remiel Cottrell (Ngāti Rangi), "a queer flash fiction writer with an expensive rugby refereeing habit".
Two of the featured authors are J Wiremu Kane and Colleen Maria Lenihan (pictured, above), both past winners of the Surrey Hotel Writers Residency Award in association with Newsroom and Dick Frizzell; the deadline to apply for the 2023 prize is midnight on Sunday, August 20.
6 The Seasonwife by Saige England (David Bateman, $37.99)
7 Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts by Josie Shapiro (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)
8 The Waters by Carl Nixon (Penguin Random House, $37)
9 Kāwai by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)
10 Tarquin the Honest by Gareth Ward (David Bateman, $34.99)
NONFICTION
1 The Art of Winning by Dan Carter (Penguin Random House, $40)
2 Our Land in Colour by Jock Phillips & Brendan Graham (HarperCollins, $55)
This beautiful new coffee table book of colourised images of colonial and 20th Century New Zealand was last week's free book giveaway; and it was just about the most popular we've ever staged. Readers were asked to send in colour photos of New Zealand. There were very many photos of waterfalls, rainbows, native birds, little kids, and scenic vistas. There were also very many really good photos. A portfolio of the best four is as follows.
Jane Coleman photographed mural art in Whanganui.
Trish Giblin photographed the famous clay cliffs near Omarama ("It’s taken me 64 years to go and look at them").
Karin Bathgate writes, "I took this photograph in Otago Harbour, near Lower Portobello. It is of seaweed, but if you look closely you can see some amazing little red critters. They are Munida gregaria, a small red crustacean that is actually a miniature lobster. It's Māori name is koura rangi."
But the winner is famous comedian Radar, for this evocative, 100% New Zealand image, titled "Urinal. Winchester A&P showgrounds. July 2023." Huzzah to Radar! A free copy of Our Land in Colour is his.
3 Fungi of Aotearoa by Liv Sisson (Penguin Random House, $45)
4 From the Pilot’s Seat by Fletcher McKenzie (Penguin Random House, $40)
5 Eat Up New Zealand: The Bach Edition by Al Brown (Allen & Unwin, $49.99)
New book of recipes; "specially aimed at easy bach living". What?
6 This is ADHD by Chanelle Moriah (Allen & Unwin, $32.99)
7 Whakawhetai: Gratitude by Hira Nathan (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)
8 Good Vibes by Alby Hailes (HarperCollins, $55)
New book of recipes; cakes made in the author's home-based kitchen in Ōtepoti, Dunedin.
9 Head On by Carl Hayman & Dylan Cleaver (HarperCollins, $39.99)
10 Aroha by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin Random House, $30)
