RECENT READING

This is Modern Art

Weidenfeld & Nicolson NZ$40

Mathhew Collings was one of the stars at both the Auckland Art Fair & the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival and I was so taken by his address that I bought this book from the Festival bookstore.

And what pleasure it has given me. Modern art can be pretty intimidating for the layman but Collings is the master of demystification on the subject. Profusely illustrated and for me a dipping book rather than a straight read. A wonderful addition to our art books.

LOST IN TRANSLATION Charlie Croker

Callistemon Books (Bookwise) NZ$25

Subtitled Misadventures in English Abroad this is gauranteed to make you laugh right out loud. Although it is spoken by more than 700 million people world-wide English gets a fair old scrambling along the way.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Hotels -

India: Welcome to Hotel Cosy: where no one is stranger

Germany: It is our intention to pleasure you every day

Iraq : No consumation wahtever may take place in foyer

Restaurants-

Vietnam: Compulsort buffet breakfast

India: Seven days a week, and weekends too.

China: Dreaded veal cutlet.

Egypt: Prawn cock and tail

But this is only a taste, there is much much more.

THE SHORT LIFE & LONG TIMES OF MRS.BEETON Kathryn Hughes

Harper Perennial NZ$27

This is a big, fat paperback biography which is both warm, revealing and well-researched. It tells the story of the remarkable woman who died at just 28 years of age and how she managed in that short life to become one of the best-known names of all time in the world of household management. Today she would be regarded as a huge brand success.

Sadly Isabella Beeton while giving birth to her child and was never aware of her fame.

I am finding it fascinating because I recently also bought a 1930's edition of the book that made her a household name - The Book of Household Management. It is a truly mammoth compendium of recipes and domestic advice published originally in 1861 and reprinted endlessly for many years.

I LOVE YOU NEW ZEALAND - 101 MUST-DO'S FOR KIWIS

John McCrystal Random House NZ$40

What a stunner! This is a co-production between publishers Random House and the Automobile Association all wonderfully pulled together by talented and prolific Wellington freelance writer John McCrystal.

Chock-a-block with gorgeous colour photos and maps this book should be in the glove box of every car in the land. Covering the whole country, well-indexed and filled with all the critical information you need to make your next NZ holiday a delight.

Footnote: I uplifted the cover image for this title from the excellent website of independent booksellers Page & Blackmore, have a look. They are located in Nelson, New Zealand.