SUNDAY STAR TIMES

July 13, 2008

The Focus section of the Sunday Star Times today is a virtual treasure trove for readers. First up pages one and two are occupied by a superb essay by southern poet Brian Turner, (left), in which he explains how and why he lives in the coldest inhabited part on New Zealand. Accompanied by photographs and he even throws in a couple of poems including the atmospheric First Snow of Winter.

A page long interview with another southern writer, Montana NZ Book Award shortlister Laurence Fearnley, (Edwin & Matilda), follows, and then reviews of Mates & Lovers, Harry,Revised, Painted Poems:One Artist, 20 Poets, Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart, Matthew Wright on World War One, the usual Bedside Table column, a preview of the new TV crime series starting on TV3 this coming week based on the novels of James Patterson, and finally five crime novel mini-reviews.

$2.50 for the SST, worth it for the Focus section alone.