From the Auckland Writers Festival

FRESHLY MINTED  Each month we highlight one New Zealand work that showcases local writing, illustrating and publishing. This month's Freshly Minted pick is: The Auckland Book, a visually stunning memento of what it’s like to live in one of the world’s most desirable cities. It is entertaining as well as educational, and filled beautiful illustrations, facts and figures about contemporary and historic Auckland. The Auckland Book follows on from the highly successful Wellington Book and NZ Books. Look out for it in your nearest bookstore. 2014 BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD  Jill Trevelyan's Peter McLeavey: The life and times of a New Zealand art dealer has won the prestigious New Zealand Post Book of the Year 2014. It is also the winner in the Awards’ General Non-fiction category. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton wins the Fiction category as well as the People’s Choice award. Dunedin poet and New Zealand Poet Laureate, Vincent O’Sullivan wins the Poetry category with Us, then. The Illustrated Non-fiction winner is Coast: A New Zealand journey by Bruce Ansley and Jane Ussher. The Nielsen Booksellers’ Choice winner, voted for by members of Booksellers NZ, is Molesworth: Stories from New Zealand’s largest high country station by Harry Broad and Rob Suisted. Congratulations to all winners and finalists. The full list of awards and winners is available here. More