FOUR NEW, VERY VARIED TITLES FOR FATHERS DAY
the Mad Keen Wine Buff’s Road TripPhil Cooper – Random House - $34.99
This is the fourth in Random House’s Mad Keen Road Trip series. The other three didn’t interest me because I am not a golfer, fisherman or mountain biker but this one is definitely for me because I am an enthusiastic drinker of New Zealand wines.
Phil Parker works in wine tourism and although he is a regular wine magazine columnist this is his first book. I must say he has made a great job of it providing the wine buff reader with an insider’s guide on how to get out of the city “to explore the variety, flavor and colour” of our wine regions.
The contents are divided into separate regions and sub-regions each containing a number of two day packages. In addition to excellent information on each vineyard in the region there are also suggestions as to places to eat, where to stay and other things to do.
A chunky and impressively researched book well illustrated with useful maps as well as humorous drawings by Chris Slane.
Every wine-lover should keep this in the car glovebox.
BIGGLES’ DANGEROUS MISSIONSCaptain W.E.Johns - Crows Nest - $39.99
The enduring popularity of the Biggles books, featuring Squadron Leader James Bigglesworth, never cease to amaze me. Biggles was after all a pilot in both World Wars with the first books being published in the 1930’s. And they have not been without controversy siome titles being accused of containing racist content.. However they are dominantly about fair play, bravery and honesty and there is only the mildest of bad language employed.
The author died in the 1990’s and most of the almost 100 titles are now out of print so fans will welcome this new bumper omnibus edition running to almost 800 pages containing four complete stories – Biggles and the Secret Mission, Biggles – Secret Agent, Biggles – Flying Detective, and Biggles in Australia.
K
ATERINAGavin Bishop – Random House - $29.99 Hardcover
Originally published in 1990 and now reissued in Random House’s New Zealand Classic series this is what Wellington reviewer Ann Packer had to say about it when it first appeared:
In this picture book for older children Gavin Bishop beautifully mixes Maori and Pakeha in text and picture... Maori words and concepts fit easily into the English sentence structure, conveying that blend found in the speech of many older Maori, and extending the reader's knowledge too...This book...adds another significant story to our bicultural history.” - Ann Packer, Wellington Evening Post, NZ, January 1991
I agree with Ann Packer, and it is great to see this title back in print. Thank you Random House.
Also available in a Maori language paperback edition $24.99.
SNOW BUSINESS60 Years skiing in New Zealand
Ralph Markby – Longacre Press - $44.99
This beautifully illustrated, accessibly written and appealing title traces the history of skiing and the rise of ski culture in New Zealand during the past 60 years from the early ski clubs through to the impressive development of the commercial ski fields of today.
If you are not already a skier you will want to be after reading this.
Breath
taking photographs. 
I first learned to ski cross country in 1972 while doing my OE in Norway (having never been in the snow or stood on skis before then)- on my return to NZ, I had to re-learn my technique to become a downhill skier...hmmm I've never really gone past very average intermediate, but the one glorious fact of skiing is that you can keep on going at very average intermediate for years and years (and I hope even more years and years)revelling in the unbeatable joy of being on the mountain,competing with yourself to improve your turns, chatting to strangers on the chairlift who are just as utterly thrilled as you are to be there. It's never too late to learn. It still rates as one of the most physically uplifting and awe-inspiring activities (well, when there's packed powder and a blue sky, like a few weekends ago at Turoa).
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