Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
A whole two months ago, books editor Catherine Woulfe wrote: “Jo McColl of Unity Books in Auckland is picking this one [Cloud Cuckoo Land, obvs] to beat Sally Rooney in the Christmas charts. If there is justice in the world then Rooney’s about to get gazumped.”
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
After scolding other Franzen novels for deploying “bells and whistles” (crime syndicates, crooked politicians, murderous hackers) to compensate for their focus on the minutiae of the festering American family, The Atlantic calls Crossroads “marvellous” for jumping all in on the domestic:
“Its protagonists could not be less glamorous, its intrigues less international. Its action is concentrated within a crumbling community, its focus trained on a family’s everyday recriminations. Though its stakes are high, psychically speaking, its core predicament is modest and emotional. Here we wonder not whether a bird species will go extinct, but whether any of the Hildebrandts can shed their selfishness and muster some measure of goodness.”
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad
What differentiates this Ottolenghi from all of its fantastic predecessors? Well, the publisher describes it as “unplugged”, which makes us think that the leftovers won’t clog your sink, but then explains: “The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team takes you on a journey through your kitchen cupboards, creating inspired recipes using humble ingredients … This book is all about feeding ourselves and our families with less stress and less fuss, but with all the ‘wow’ of an Ottolenghi meal.”
Featuring curried cauliflower cheese filo pie; soda bread with figs, star anise and orange; and smoky, creamy pasta with burnt aubergine and tahini.
Cover Story: 100 Beautiful, Strange and Frankly Incredible New Zealand LP Covers by Steve Braunias
New offering from our ex-Books editor! As advertised on the cover (get it?), Braunias’ new book comprises 100 beautiful, strange and frankly incredible New Zealand LP covers. Not on the cover: the LPs date from between 1957 and 1987, and the book includes quirky tidbits from the stories behind the artwork.
Woman in Love: Katherine Mansfield’s Love Letters edited by Nicola Saker
A beautiful little book which the Katherine Mansfield House & Garden website reports has already sold out of its first print run (don’t worry, a second is coming soon). They also have this to say: “There are letters to lovers, but also to family, friends, and fellow creatives, including Virginia Woolf. The letters paint an intimate picture of Mansfield’s relationships and capture her love of nature, art, the details of daily life, and Life itself – always with a capital ‘L’.”
