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Horouta The History of the Horouta Canoe, Gisborne and East Coast Author: Rongowhakaata Halbert ISBN: 978-0-947506-20-9 RRP: $125.00 Specs: 280 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 496 pp, b&w Published: November 2012 The Book: Horouta is the definitive history of the descendants of the voyaging canoes that brought the first settlers from Polynesia to the lands that stretch from East Cape to northern Hawke’s Bay. Assembled through painstaking historical and genealogical research over more than 70 years by Rongowhakaata Halbert and his family, this outstanding work of scholarship is destined to serve the needs of all New Zealanders, and especially the peoples of Gisborne and the East Coast, for generations to come. -
Title: Te Arawa: A History of the Arawa People Author: Don Stafford ISBN: 978-0-947506-10-0 RRP: $98.00 Specs: HB, 240 x 150 mm portrait, 616 pp, 12 b&w photo sections, deluxe jacket Publishing: 25 August 2016 The Book: Te Arawa is the major work by one of the leading historians of pre-European New Zealand, the late Don Stafford. The book tells the complete history of the Te Arawa waka and its descendants until the late nineteenth century. This relates the iwi’s origins in the South Pacific; migration and settlement in Aotearoa; the exploits of ancestors including Tamatekapua, Ihenga, Hatupatu, Tutanekai and Wahiao; development and relations among the Arawa confederation; the arrival of Europeans; Te Arawa’s participation in Māori–Pākehā warfare; and the campaigns involving Te Kooti. Te Arawa was and remains a monumental work of research and writing, and as a 616-page hardback is also an impressive physical artefact. This handsome hardback edition includes photographic pages on glossy paper and extensive whakapapa (genealogies). -
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Title: Those Who Have the Courage The History of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps Author: Matthew Wright ISBN: 978-1-99-004255-3 RRP: $95.00 Specs: Jacketed hardback, 280 x 215 mm portrait, 648 pp, colour and b&w Published: 3 April 2024 EBOOK AVAILABLE NOW! PRINT EDITION HAS SOLD OUT.‘Those Who Have the Courage will be a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in the military and social history of New Zealand. It is a comprehensive history of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps, the Mounted Rifles and predecessor units ...’ — Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, from the Foreword The product of painstaking, multi-year research by esteemed historian and author Matthew Wright, this richly illustrated hardback is a must-have for the history reader. Part 1 covers the colonial cavalry that fought in the NZ Wars and Anglo-Boer War, then Part 2 moves to the Mounted Rifles distinguishing themselves in the First World War, at the end of which the tank came into play. Part 3 describes the Armoured Corps’ varied roles in the Second World War; Part 4 details what Wright calls an ‘armoured evolution’, through actions from the Korean War to Vietnam and Part 5 records action in East Timor and Afghanistan, and modern challenges, rounding out this readable story. The appendices include rolls of honour, lists of vehicles and organisational charts.E-book available from
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Wiremu Pere The Life and Times of a Maori Leader, 1837–1915 Author: Joseph Anaru Te Kani Pere & others ISBN: 978-1-877514-09-8 RRP: $95.00 Specs: Jacketed hardback, 240 x 180 mm, 448 pp, includes foldout land deed and map Published: November 2010 The Book: Wiremu Pere (Wi Pere) lived from 1837 to 1915, leading his tribes of Rongowhakaata and Te Aitanga a Mahaki through some of the most turbulent chapters of New Zealand history. He stood resolute against colonialism and entered parliament to stand up for his East Coast people, yet was astute in his business dealings and was compromised in the views of many Pakeha and Maori. This handsome book, illustrated with numerous photographs, whakapapa and maps, sets out the many sides Wi Pere’s life and times with a particular focus on his family life, parliamentary career and contributions to the East CoastE-book available from
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Title: Seek and Destroy: The History of 3 Squadron RNZAF Author: Paul Harrison ISBN: 978-0-947506-45-2 RRP: $90 Specs: 260 x 200 mm portrait, HB, 388 pp (52 pp colour) Published: 5 April 2018 The Book: In 2015 No.3 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force celebrated 50 years of continuous helicopter operations since it reformed in 1965. Seek and Destroy is the official history of the machines and personnel that make up the colourful and wide-ranging operations of this unique squadron, which was first formed in 1930 and whose aircraft and personnel have seen service all around the world from the UK to Asia, the Pacific and the Antarctic. Comprising 388 pages, including 265 black & white photos and maps, and 94 colour plates, this illustrated hardback brings together anecdotal stories of the operations and exercises conducted during the past 50 years, taking in numerous civil defence and peacekeeping activities. -
Title: The Camera in the Crowd: Filming New Zealand in Peace and War, 1895–1920 Author: Christopher Pugsley Foreword: Sir Peter Jackson ISBN: 978-0-947506-34-6 RRP: $85 Specs: 270 x 215 mm portrait, HB, 480 pp, b&w with colour sections Publishing: 29 November 2017 The Book: Filming and cinema quickly won the hearts of New Zealand from the mid-1890s, yet the story of the cameramen and the film they took here and in the First World War has never been fully captured. This attractive hardback brings to fruition years of original research and archival work by esteemed historian Christopher Pugsley, who was brought in by the then New Zealand Film Archive in the early 1990s to catalogue our earliest film — and uncovered a treasure trove in the process. Told with Pugsley’s brilliant and engaging style, The Camera in the Crowd features over 350 photos and illustrations — many of them precisely tied to early filming through website links. -
Takitimu A History of Ngati Kahungunu Author: J.H. Mitchell ISBN: 978-0-947506-21-6 RRP: $85.00 Specs: 240 x 150 mm portrait, HB, 312 pp, b&w with photo and whakapapa sections Published: October 2014 The Book: Takitimu is one of the great tribal histories in the New Zealand literary canon. It tells of the Ngati Kahungunu people – tangata whenua of Hawke’s Bay and parts of East Coast and Wairarapa – from their origins in the Pacific Islands to their lineage in Aotearoa up to the twentieth century. It is divided into four main sections: the history up to the departure of Takitimu and other canoes of migration; the history of Ngati Kahungunu; short biographies of Sir James Carroll, Sir Maui Pomare and the Rev. Tamihana Huata; and appendices describing charms, proverbs, the interpretation of dreams and signs, and the Maori almanac. Complete with genealogical tables, this is a book of great value for history enthusiasts and especially the people of Ngati Kahungunu – the third largest Maori tribe, with descendants throughout New Zealand and Australia. -
He Puna Iti i te Ao Mārama A Little Spring in the World of Light: Towards an Indigenous Māori Theology Author: Pā Henare Tate ISBN: 978-1-99-004203-4 RRP: $80.00 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 320 pp Published: November 2012 NEW EDITION PUBLISHED 10 NOVEMBER 2021 The Book: How to reconcile the deeply held Christian beliefs of Māori with the indigenous world view that they have inherited and are in many cases rediscovering? This far-reaching work attempts to develop the foundations of an indigenous Māori theology. In Pa Tate’s opinion, the traditional Christian message has fallen short of speaking intimately and powerfully to Māori experience in Aotearoa. Māori are crying out for a form of Christianity that is ‘theirs’. This book offers one response and contribution to this call by attempting to develop a theology that Māori can call ‘ours’. -
Title: Poutini The Ngāi Tahu History of the West Coast Author: Paul Madgwick ISBN: 978-1-99-004244-7 RRP: $75.00 Specs: HB, 250 x 185 mm portrait, 528 pp, colour Published: 5 November 2024Māori have lived on Te Tai Poutini for at least as long as anywhere else on these islands called New Zealand, bound by ancient stories and a unique affinity to pounamu. So why is the Māori story so impoverished in a region so rich in storytelling? — Paul Madgwick, from the Introduction
Poutini aims to correct this by recording the Ngāi Tahu history of the West Coast. Esteemed kaumātua and ‘Coaster’ Paul Madgwick guides the reader through early Poutini mythology, the discovery of pounamu, the story of settlement, battles between iwi, life in the pā and contact with Europeans.
The book then explores the land sales and Māori reserves, through to the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. It is rounded off by a look at modern challenges and opportunities, and topics such as the legacy of the World Wars.
Illustrated with beautiful images and extensive appendices, this is a landmark publication bringing together a lifetime of expertise and research, with special relevance to Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island).
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Title: Sea Edge: Where the Waitematā Meets Auckland Author: Bob Harvey ISBN: 978-0-947506-48-3 RRP: $75.00 Specs: 300 x 300 mm, HB, 260 pp colour Published: 19 June 2019 The Book: Since the first Polynesian voyagers made landfall in their double-hulled sailing canoes, new arrivals have continually rediscovered and redefined Auckland’s harbour. Waitematā, ‘sparkling waters’, originated as a name from a rock off Kauri Point. Settlers from Britain and other parts of Europe navigated into the Waitematā to create the ‘City of Sails’. Sea Edge: Where the Waitematā Meets Auckland is a collection of old and new stories, vignettes of the past and visions of the future, accompanied by many unpublished photographs and illustrations. It ranges widely, with 74 individual sections, each adding a fresh flavour to the story of Auckland’s vibrant, beautiful sea edge. -
Title: The Musket Wars A History of Inter-Iwi Conflict 1806–1845 Author: Ron Crosby ISBN: 978-0-947506-29-2 RRP: $75 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, flexibind, 432 pp (32 pp colour) Published: October 2012 The Book: First published in 1999, with an introduction by Michael King, The Musket Wars established Ron Crosby’s reputation as a daring, original chronicler of New Zealand history. This best-selling history provides the first comprehensive account of the wars that ravaged the country in the early 1800s, when iwi with newly acquired muskets unleashed terrible utu (revenge) on foes, helped by other introductions like potatoes that fuelled long-range taua (war parties). Ron Crosby weaves the strands of this conflict into an immensely readable narrative, guiding the reader through its complexities with lists of protagonists, a chronology, indexes and above all, superb maps and illustrations. This volume reproduces the revised 2001 edition with significant updates. -
Title: Hundertwasser in New Zealand The Art of Creating Paradise Author: Andreas J. Hirsch Translated by Uta Hoffmann ISBN: 978-1-99-004214-0 RRP:$70.00 Specs: 260 x 190 mm, portrait, 240 pp, colour, cloth cover with tipped-on art, reading ribbon Published: 16 August 2022; reprint now in stock‘New Zealand is for me a kind of promised land.' Austrian-born artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser arrived in New Zealand in 1973, seeking refuge from a world out of kilter with nature. After travelling and exhibiting, he settled at Kaurinui, the land he bought and restored in the Bay of Islands. Wishing to unite ‘nature and art, art and life’, he was ‘never nearer to this unity than in New Zealand’. Hundertwasser in New Zealand is a richly illustrated and accessible account of the artist’s love of Aotearoa, his interaction with the people and land, and the influence these had on his work. Andreas Hirsch explores in superb, lucid prose the artist’s trajectory in New Zealand, including the art, philosophy and architecture he created here, along with public projects like the Koru Flag and the Kawakawa Public Toilets. Illustrated with an array of paintings, drawings, sketches, photographs and the artist’s writing, this book is itself an artistic statement that will connect with readers of all kinds and truly enshrine Hundertwasser as a New Zealand icon. -
He Atua, He Tangata Author: A.W. Reed Revised by: Ross Calman ISBN: 978-0-947506-88-9 RRP: $65.00 Specs: 240 x 160 mm, HB, 400 pp, b&w Published: 6 October 2021In this updated edition of the Reed Book of Māori Mythology, esteemed editor Ross Calman comprehensively revises the core stories of gods (atua) and people (tangata) and the many other beings that sit on the continuum between the two. Divided into themes, this elegantly produced volume starts with traditions of the creation of the universe, and the separation of Rangi and Papa, then reviews the pantheon of atua (gods), the overworlds and underworlds. Next are the demigods and supernatural peoples, then legends of earth, ocean and sky, tohunga and makutu, and finally legends of love and endurance. He Atua, He Tangata presents different versions for stories, with sources identified where possible. Calman has modernised the language to give stories a contemporary feel, incorporating updates to the reo, making this timeless work ideal for twenty-first century readers. -
Title: Te Ahi Kā: The Fires of Occupation Author: Martin Toft ISBN: 978-1-911306-38-2 Imprint: Dewi Lewis Publishing; distributed in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific by Oratia Books RRP: $65.00 Specs: 205 x 165 mm portrait, HB, 200 pp colour; alternate female (green, fern) and male (yellow, ember) covers Publishing: 5 December 2018 The Book: Danish photographer Martin Toft spent six months living among iwi deep in the Whanganui River lands in the mid-1990s. They honoured him with the Māori name Pouma Pokai-whenua. By returning 20 years later, again with his camera, Toft completed part of a promise to the iwi, and publishing this book fulfils the rest of that pledge. Te Ahi Kā: The Fires of Occupation explores in photographs, archives and interviews some of the key political, environmental and cultural issues for the iwi as it has sought return of its historical lands at Mangapapapa. This sumptuous hardback production, with fold-out pages, fine binding and alternate female (fern) and male (embers) cover designs, is now featuring in photo book festivals worldwide. Te Ahi Kā evokes the physical and metaphysical relationship between a river and its ancestors, between Māori and the author. It aims to leave a legacy for future guardians of the Whanganui, and to share the aspirations and desires of this unique community. -
Title: A Spirit Companion: Celebrating the first 50 years of the Spirit of Adventure Trust Author: Roger McDonald ISBN: 978-1-99-004251-5 RRP: $60.00 Specs: HB, 220 x 170mm portrait, 344pp, 2 colour Published: 14 November 2023‘All a trainee needed to feel — could not help feeling — was that their feet were on the decks of something pretty big, and change was happening all around them just by the motion that happened when the wind blew.’ For 50 years, people from all walks of life have stepped aboard first the Spirit of Adventure, and today the Spirit of New Zealand Te Waka Herenga Tangata ō Aotearoa, for a voyage of personal discovery. They’ve had fun, made friends, and been given a taste of expanded possibility. Distinguished author Roger McDonald captures stories from over 70 people who have made ‘the Spirit’ part of their lives — from those who have worked and sailed for the Spirit of Adventure Trust to the young people whom it has introduced to sailing and self-recognition. This attractive cloth-bound hardback is illustrated with drawings by Sue Fisher, which combines with writing of the highest standard to make this an ideal memento for anyone who has ‘sailed the Spirit’ or loves the sea. -
Title: Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand Author: David McGee; edited by Mary Harris and David Wilson ISBN: 978-0-947506-24-7 RRP: $75.00 Specs: 245 x 155 mm portrait, PB, 896 pp, black & white Ebook ISBN: 978-0-947506-27-8 Ebook RRP: $45.00 The Book: Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand is the definitive work on practice and procedure in the New Zealand House of Representatives. This fourth edition incorporates a decade of developments since the third edition in 2005, and reflects many significant changes in parliamentary law, practice and procedure, including:- the Parliamentary Privilege Act 2014
- how the House and its committees conduct legislative and financial scrutiny
- the use of extended sittings by the House
- the increased role of the Business Committee to manage the transaction of parliamentary business
- how the work of the House and its committees is communicated to the public.
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Title: The Battlecruiser New Zealand Author: Matthew Wright ISBN: 978-1-526784-0-32 RRP: $59.99 Specs: Jacketed hardback, 234 x 156 mm portrait, 288 pp, b&w with colour Published: 16 November 2021 TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCKIn March 1909 New Zealand’s Premier Joseph Ward offered a ‘first-class battleship of the latest type’ to the British Navy as a contribution to the Empire (and to guard against the perceived threat of a newly rising Japan). Paid for by the people of New Zealand it would enter service in time to fight with distinction in all the major naval battles in the First World War. Born of the collision between New Zealand’s patriotic dreams and European politics, the tale of HMS New Zealand is further wrapped in issues of engineering, naval strategy and public opinion. Written as part naval history and part ‘biography’ of the vessel and its sailors, The Battlecruiser New Zealand is a fast-paced account of the ship’s career — brought to life through official documents, eyewitness accounts and new research. Extensively illustrated throughout with black & white and colour photos, plans and paintings, this attractive hardback will appeal to a wide audience, from naval enthusiasts to the general reader of New Zealand history. -
Title: Shipwrecked New Zealand maritime disasters Authors: Gavin McLean, with Kynan Gentry Illustrations: Eric Heath ISBN: 978-0-947506-66-7 RRP: $59.99 Specs: 280 x 215 mm portrait, jacketed HB, 264 pp, b&w with 16-pp colour Published: 11 November 2019 The Book: Shipwrecks litter the coasts and reefs of New Zealand. Disasters at sea are no longer the regular occurrence that led to drowning being known as ‘the New Zealand death’, yet recent wrecks like the Rena show that perils persist. This keenly priced, jacketed hardback retells the voyages of ships doomed never to make their next port. It features plentiful photos and ephemera — including two colour sections showcasing the superb illustrations of notable ships lost to the sea, by renowned artist Eric Heath. Before his untimely death Gavin McLean had been revising his previous histories of New Zealand maritime disasters for this new project. Completed by historian Kynan Gentry, Shipwrecked will be the definitive history of the subject for years to come. -
Title: Vikings of the Sunrise Author: Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) Foreword by Paora Tapsell ISBN: 978-1-99-004249-2 RRP: $49.99 Specs: PB with flaps, 210 x 140 mm portrait, 392 pp, b/w with 2 photo sections of 16 pp Published: 18 October 2023 Vikings of the Sunrise ranks as a masterpiece of Pacific studies. From the pen of one of the greatest Māori thinkers and writers of his generation, the settlement of the Pacific Ocean comes to life. The book ranges across the Pacific Ocean and the people who populated it, considering their physical and spiritual origins, and the ships they built to conquer this vast territory. It weighs evidence for different routes, retells myths of migration including the Māui series, recounts the author’s visits to islands and atolls across the South Pacific, and overall establishes the ‘vikings’ of the Pacific among the greatestever ocean voyagers. First published in 1938, Vikings of the Sunrise is here reproduced in an enhanced facsimile edition, including photos and maps compiled by the author on his voyages, and a new foreword by anthropologist Paora (Paul) Tapsell. Oratia Books is pleased to bring Vikings of the Sunrise back into print for modern readers as part of our NZ Classics series. -
Title: Te Kooti’s Last Foray Author: Ron Crosby ISBN: 978-1-99-004234-8 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, 288 pp (16 pp colour) Published: 8 August 2023 For Teacher Resource: click hereOn 7 March 1870 the prophet and rebel Te Kooti swept out of Te Urewera to Ōpape, east of Ōpōtiki, in what would be his last major action of the New Zealand Wars. His forces abducted 218 Whakatōhea (mostly women, children, and old men) and marched them into the bush to build a pā called Waipuna. Before long the government sent troops in pursuit — almost exclusively Māori.
In this captivating book, historian Ron Crosby draws on his decades of experience in Te Urewera and recently discovered diaries to recount this overlooked yet crucial episode in the New Zealand Wars — for the first time locating precisely where the events occurred, and telling what really happened. A foreword by Justice Joe Williams sets the scene …
Illustrated with detailed maps, sketches and photos, Te Kooti’s Last Foray sets straight the historical record of Ngāti Porou and Whanganui’s chase, casts new light on the character and abilities of Te Kooti, and brings to life an incredible story of hardship, endurance and conflicting loyalties in colonial New Zealand.
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Cover Story 100 Beautiful, Strange and Frankly Incredible New Zealand LP Covers Author: Steve Braunias ISBN: 978-0-947506-89-6 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 312 x 312 mm, PB, 168 pp, colour Publishing: 26 October 2021 REPRINT IS IN STOCK NOW!Music is a key to culture, no matter where in the world you are from and New Zealand is no exception. In the decades from 1957–87 the LP was king of New Zealand recorded music. To sell the music cover art was needed, and the book showcases 100 of the best examples at full LP size. Divided into themes, Cover Story brings Braunias’ inimitable wit and empathy to bear on the artistic flair, fashion and occasional gaudiness these album covers represent. Based on interviews and his own experience collecting over 800 albums from op-shops around the country, he reflects on what they say about our popular culture. Several hundred words accompany each of the albums — from Bill & Boyd to Tina Cross, Christian music to punk — while Katrina Duncan’s sharp design lets the art leap from the page. This is a big book in every sense, one that is a visual delight and full of quirky information, but that doesn’t take its subjects or itself too seriously. -
Title: Voices of Aotearoa 25 years of Going West Oratory Author: The Going West Trust ISBN: 978-0-947506-97-1 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 220 x 170 mm, HB, 384 pp, b&w Published: 16 September 2021Since 1996 the Going West Writers Festival has brought together literary voices from around Aotearoa to share a feast of ideas and words. Eminent New Zealand writers and commentators have launched each year with an opening address on the festival’s theme, most as part of the Douglas Orators series. Voices of Aotearoa draws on the Going West Trust’s complete sound archive to reproduce addresses about literature, politics, the environment, culture, personal lives and national identity. The stellar line-up of writers is: Dame Christine Cole-Catley • Nigel Cox • Allen Curnow • David Eggleton • Patricia Grace • Charlotte Grimshaw • Stephanie Johnson • Dame Fiona Kidman • Michael King • Elizabeth Knox • James Littlewood • Bernard Makoare • Paula Morris • Rod Oram • Geoff Park • Vincent O’Sullivan • Chris Price • Te Radar • Dame Anne Salmond • Maurice Shadbolt • Tony Simpson • Robert Sullivan • Ngahuia te Awekotuku • Marilyn Waring • Ian Wedde • Peter Wells • Maualaivao Albert Wendt An introduction by Naomi McCleary records the festival’s origins and evolution, and a postscript from current festival director James Littlewood takes Going West into the Covid-19 era. This beautifully designed hardback is destined to become a must-have collection from an A-team of New Zealand writers and thinkers, recorded at one of our most distinctive literary festivals. -
Title: Life with Cars New Zealanders' motoring memories 1950s–1980s Author: Stephen Barnett ISBN: 978-0-947506-74-2 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 260 mm landscape,PB with flaps, 168 pp, colour Published: 4 November 2020 For a preview of the book: Click here Book can be pre-ordered ahead of November publication The Book: Life with Cars is a like a national family photo album, albeit one with its focus on cars. It brims with evocative imagery of cars and automotive adventures from the 1950s to the 1980s, with the words of the contributors as told to the author.Their stories reflect New Zealanders’ creation and uptake of car culture — telling of breakdowns in the middle of nowhere, holidays at the beach, evading the law, Sunday drives and of course posing on, beside or in the much-loved four-wheeled family members.
Underpinning these stories are relationships — primarily between owners and their cars, but also between parents and children, partners in life, and young people and their peers — all during a time when cars had character, there was less congestion on the roads and petrol was cheap.
These stories will resonate with a wide audience, from those who owned cars then to those that love their cars as much today.
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Title: The New Zealand Experience at Gallipoli and the Western Front Author: Matthew Wright ISBN: 978-0-947506-19-3 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 170 mm portrait, PB with flaps, 392 pp, black & white Publishing: 6 April 2017 The Book: In The New Zealand Experience at Gallipoli and the Western Front, historian Matthew Wright goes to the heart of how the First World War affected the lives of ordinary New Zealanders. The book analyses what it was like for New Zealand soldiers at the two main battle fronts where they fought, and frames it with the social effects back home. Beginning with an outline of pre-war New Zealand society, Wright portrays the extraordinary world of war into which its young men plunged as they entered the baptism of fire at Gallipoli. The end of innocence that the withdrawal from the Dardanelles implied led to a harder, more fatalistic approach in the theatre of mechanised death that was the Western Front. By war’s end, hope and glory had faded, replaced by a new view of military heroism – in a country forever changed. -
Voices from the Surf 80 Years of the Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club ISBN: 978-0-473-33052-1 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 260 x 305 mm landscape, 208 pp (120 pp colour) PB Includes DVD documentary Published: December 2015 The Book: Karekare is one of the most iconic beaches of New Zealand – and one of the most dangerous. It has been said that in its 80 years the Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club has saved over 2000 people from death by drowning in the surf – beginning with New Zealand’s first seaplane rescue in 1935, a story brilliantly retold here by Charles Hamlin. Voices from the Surf collects the voices of generations of lifeguards since, with tales of brave rescues, competition success, club camaraderie, and many reflections on the bond that the ‘clubbies’ have with the special, spiritual landscape that is Karekare. There is a lot of yarn telling and living history in this book; open it anywhere to read a ripping story. -
The Anzac Experience New Zealand, Australia and Empire in the First World War Author: Christopher Pugsley ISBN: 978-0-947506-00-1 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 170 mm portrait, PB, 356 pp, b&w, 60 photos Publishing: 1 April 2025 ‘One of the best works of Australasian military history I have ever read.’ Allan Converse, The Journal of Military History This gripping book captures the evolution by trial and error of the New Zealand Army, alongside those of Australia and Canada, from the Boer War in South Africa to involvement in the First World War. It tells the story of citizen soldiers becoming professional as they learned the lessons of the Gallipoli landings and applied these to the Western Front – earning them the status of the fighting elite in the British armies in France. Richly illustrated with historical photographs and maps, The Anzac Experience blends social analysis and military history in a compelling combination. In its research and writing, Christopher Pugsley walked every New Zealand battlefield on Gallipoli and the Western Front. -
Title: Titirangi Fringe of Heaven Author: Marc Bonny ISBN: 978-1-877514-13-5 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 248 x 192 mm portrait, trade paperback + flaps, 276 pp (includes 4 x 8 pp colour sections) Published: April 2011 The Book: Titirangi, probably Auckland’s most beautiful suburb and on the edge of the dramatic Waitakere Ranges, is truly the ‘fringe of heaven’. This richly illustrated book, compiled over many years by the West Auckland Historical Society, tracks the area’s evolution from successive Maori settlements, the first European arrivals, forest clearings and the beginnings of Titirangi village through to the post-war era when artists and writers began gravitating to the community as its regenerating forest reached for the sky. Titirangi: Fringe of Heaven collects specialist accounts of Maori history, prominent settlers, architecture, the arts and the environment with personal recollections of Titirangi life. A must for anyone with a connection to this beautiful area or with an interest in the arts and environment. -
From Silence to Voice: The Rise of Māori Literature Author: Paola Della Valle ISBN: 978-0-947506-41-4 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 210 x 148 mm, 288 pages, PB, b&w Published by Oratia Books: April 2017 The Book: Before the 1970s, Māori existed in New Zealand literature as figures created by Pakeha writers. The Māori renaissance of the 1970s changed all that. Fiction writers led by Ihimaera and Grace challenged earlier stereotypes and inherited literary forms, creating a new body of writing that has redefined the Māori in literature. From Silence to Voice portrays the early ‘silence’ of Māori in New Zealand literature – characterised in caricature by colonial writers, then in increasingly sympathetic portraits from the likes of Frank Sargeson, Janet Frame and Noel Hilliard – through to the new and challenging works presented by Māori writers themselves. In an academically brilliant yet easily read analysis, Della Valle also stresses important links with the literature and culture of Italy.E-book available from
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Title: Gallipoli The New Zealand Story Author: Christopher Pugsley ISBN: 978-0-947506-07-0 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 170 mm portrait, PB + flaps, 400 pp, b&w Published: October 2014 SIXTH REVISED EDITION OUT ON 8 APRIL 2022 The Book: The definitive account of New Zealand’s role in the disastrous 1915 Gallipoli campaign, when a British-led expeditionary force met the Turkish army in an attempt to wrest control of the Dardanelles, comes alive in an updated edition, liberally illustrated and brilliantly analysed by the doyen of Kiwi military historians.This sixth edition builds on a revision of New Zealand troop numbers at Gallipoli to reassess the campaign, with extensive updates and a new preface. It shows us Gallipoli through the eyes of those who fought there — in their letters and diaries, illustrated with an abundance of original photos.
Gallipoli does justice to the reality of this epic campaign, and deserves a place on the shelves of any history enthusiast.
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Title: Te Toi Whakairo The Art of Maori Carving Author: Hirini Moko Mead ISBN: 978-0-947506-37-7 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 242 x 182 mm portrait, PB, 276 pp, b&w Published: September 2015 The Book: Woodcarving is one of the supreme expressions of New Zealand identity. Beginning with carving’s mythical origins, Te Toi Whakairo explores the evolution of styles and techniques through the four main artistic periods to the present day, and provides detailed explanations of carving styles in different parts of the country, using examples from meeting houses and leading artists. Later chapters delve into the main structures, forms and motifs, and the role of the woodcarver, and explore the status of the art in contemporary New Zealand. Practical guidance is given for use of materials, tools, techniques, surface and background decoration, the human figure, and carving poupou. -
Ngā Waka o Neherā The first voyaging canoes ISBN: 978-0-947506-05-6 RRP: $47.99 Specs: 245 x 175 mm portrait, PB, 224 pp, b&w Published: 2009; New edition: 2016 The Book: Ngā Waka o Neherā is the essential reference work to the traditions of Māori canoes that voyaged to New Zealand – including lists of the waka, names of crew members and vessels, karakia and waiata, and maps. A must for lovers of history, students of Māori and nautical enthusiasts, the book is concisely written with Jeff’s trademark clarity and solid research.E-book available from
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Title: Kiwi A Curious Case of National Identity Author: Richard Wolfe ISBN: 978-1-99-004264-5 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 250 x 185 mm, PB, 208 pp, colour Publishing: 10 October 2024 Kiwi is a fascinating deep dive into New Zealand’s curious national identity. Cultural author and avid Kiwiana collector Richard Wolfe explores the evolution of ‘kiwi’ from the Māori name of a secretive bird to its many uses today — renaming a fruit native to China, signifying a New Zealander, and a powerful term in national and international branding. With extensive colour illustrations, photographs and ephemera, and the author’s keen eye for the curious, Kiwi presents some outlandish stories, tales of cultural appropriation and recognition of ‘Kiwi’ around the world. A popular study on New Zealand identity, this is an entertaining and important work for fans of all things kiwi and Kiwis themselves. -
Title: Ratana the Prophet Author: Keith Newman ISBN: 978-1-99-004258-4 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 230 x 153 mm portrait, PB, 284 pp, colour and b&w Published: 7 May 2024‘A life-changing vision in 1918 inspired an ordinary man to accept an extraordinary challenge. In championing a deep cultural shift among the decimated Māori people of New Zealand, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana helped rechart the course of a nation.’ T.W. Ratana is a tōtara of modern history — the visionary founder of New Zealand’s largest homegrown religion, the Ratana Church and movement. Ratana the Prophet tells his life story, from his early days as a hard-working farmer, heavy drinker and gambler to the ‘divine’ encounters where he picked up the mantle of earlier Māori prophets, and championed the Treaty of Waitangi as the nation’s founding document. This new edition builds on Keith Newman’s decades of research into T.W. Ratana, updated to take in the events of the 2010s and early 2020s, and includes previously undisclosed and untranslated material. -
Title: Te Reo Kapekape: Māori Wit and Humour Author: Hona Black ISBN: 978-1-99-004237-9 RRP: $45.00 Specs: PB, 210 x 148 mm portrait, 308 pp, b&w Published: 1 September 2023Following on from the successful He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes, Hona Black's new book explores the rich vein of humour in Māori life.
Want to know how to call a silly person a ‘roro hipi / sheep’s brain’, or tell someone to get stuffed in te reo Māori? The answers are all in Te Reo Kapekape (literally, ‘the language of poking fun’), with more than 130 humorous and unique phrases in te reo and English that can be used to describe people, events and actions.
The sayings are divided into four chapters — above the hip, below the hip, other phrases, and idioms. Using a cast of characters and dramatised dialogue, Hona explains each phrase and gives examples and suggestions for use — whether to tease, crack a joke or just add some flair to your daily use.
This book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to spice up their te reo or English with some fun and cheeky sayings, and will appeal to both language learners and fluent speakers of Māori.
E-book available from
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Title: Auckland: The Twentieth-Century Story Author: Paul Moon ISBN:978-1-99-004235-5 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 360 pp, b&w Published: 5 April 2023 Auckland in 1999 would have been unrecognisable to the city’s residents at the beginning of the twentieth century — the result of dramatic changes in populations, cultures, beliefs, aspirations and senses of itself. Auckland: The Twentieth-Century Story journeys through the mosaic of cultures and lifestyles, anxieties and hopes, disasters and triumphs, virtues and vices that led to this transformation. Drawing on diaries, oral history, newspapers and other media, Paul Moon explores themes including housing, gardening, the harbours, tangata whenua struggles, shopping culture, the immigrant experience and the pervading sense that Auckland was simultaneously at the edge of the world yet at its centre. Readers across New Zealand will experience many ‘Where were you when …?’ moments as they explore the changing landscapes of our largest city. Moon’s crisp writing gives readers everywhere a sense of a city that has felt triumph and failure but continues to develop so its citizens can proudly call it home. -
Title: Footprints on the Land How Humans Changed New Zealand Author: Richard Wolfe ISBN: 978-1-99-004220-1 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 250 x 185 mm, PB, 184 pp, b&w with colour sections Published: 12 October 2022 The Book: Richard Wolfe eloquently summarises this book’s scope in his Introduction: For upwards of 800 years, humans have made New Zealand their home, modifying the landscape to suit their needs. Although there can be no going back to the land’s original pristine condition, an awareness of the history of these changes will provide both a background and surely improve understanding of our present circumstances and challenges. Footprints on the Land tracks those changes — from early settlement and wars through to state building, with railways, species introductions, milling, mining and farming. Later chapters recount the impacts of urbanisation, draining and flooding, and the car, before considering the threats and opportunities that now face New Zealanders as a result. Wolfe’s timely tour of the human place on these islands is distinguished by art and photography that display what we’ve created and what we’ve lost.
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