WARM WINTER READS

Selected by Carole Beu from The Women’s Bookshop.

The Deck – Fiona Farrell $37

Stories about their lives, shared with food and music, by a group of friends escaping to a country house during a time of pandemic and social collapse. Based on Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, this wise, gentle novel from one of New Zealand’s most outstanding writers, explores the value of story-telling and imagination. Marvellous!

The Bookbinder of Jericho – Pip Williams $38

A companion to the wonderful Dictionary of Lost Words, this brilliant novel is set during WW1 in the book bindery at Oxford University Press, where the women are expected to bind the books, not read them. Peggy longs for knowledge but has responsibilities, especially towards her vulnerable sister Maude. Delightful and subversive.

Where Light Meets Water – Susan Paterson $38

This is a truly lovely debut novel that beautifully evokes art and the sea and human connection. The loving, respectful, central relationship is between equals who treasure each other and their work. This New Zealand author who lives in Melbourne, vividly creates Victorian England and delicately explores the intersection between art, passion and duty.

Whakawhetai Gratitude – Hira Nathan $37

This gorgeous bilingual daily journal, stunningly designed and illustrated, is bursting with simple exercises to help you stop and take a breath; to reflect positively on the people and experiences in your life; to have a moment of gratitude – and incidentally to learn a little te reo Maori on the way. Based on hauora, the Maori holistic approach to health, it is absolutely beautiful.

A Kind of Shelter Whakaruru-taha –edited by Witi Ihimaera & Michelle Elvy $40

This brilliant collection, an anthology of new writing for a changed world, containing fiction, essays, poetry, art and photography from some of New Zealand’s most prestigious writers and artists, is beautiful and breathtaking. You’ll recognise many of these names and discover exciting new ones, as they korero about love, family, decolonisation, climate change, equity and more. Glorious.

Fungi of Aotearoa – Liv Sisson $45

This ‘curious forager’s field guide’ is full of astonishing colour images, photographed by Paula Vigus. Identifying over 130 New Zealand species, with cooking tips for the edible varieties, this fascinating book will send you out into the natural world, will improve your health and will make you smile as you turn the pages to reveal these colourful works of art.

THE WOMEN’S BOOKSHOP, 105 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 4399, E: books@womensbookshop.co.nz Shop online: www.womensbookshop.co.nz