Take a break this Easter and put your feet up with a good book. We’ve checked out some rollicking good reads to suit any curiosity.
Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces
Laurie Winkless
Bloomsbury Sigma
RRP $32.99
When you think about it, the world is full of sticky stuff. From the soles of our shoes and tyres, the Post-it notes on your laptop, the dimples in a golf ball, even your fingertips…there’s sticky everywhere. In Sticky, Irish physicist and author Laurie gets ‘stuck into’ (sorry) the fascinating ways that friction shapes both our manufactured and natural worlds. Our understanding of surface science has given us an ability to manipulate stickiness right down to the level of a single atom – but even this doesn’t tell us the whole story. Even as we push the boundaries of science and engineering, we are still discovering that friction still has plenty of surprises and even mysteries in store. It’s fascinating stuff, but a warning – you might finish it with more questions than you started with!
Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World
Peter S. Goodman
HarperCollins
RRP $37.99
The history of the past half century in major world economies is in large part the story of wealth flowing upward. The richest people emerged from capitalism’s triumph in the Cold War to loot the peace, depriving governments of the resources needed to serve their people, leaving them tragically unprepared for the worst pandemic in a century. In Davos Man, the New York Times’ global economics correspondent masterfully reveals how billionaires’ systematic plundering of the world has transformed 21st century life, dangerously destabilising democracy. Powerful and fiery, this book draws on the author’s decades of experience covering the global economy in a rollicking and revelatory exposé of the global billionaire class, revealing their hidden impact on almost every aspect of modern society. An essential read for those concerned with economic justice, the capacity of societies to grapple with their greatest challenges, and the sanctity of representative government.
Wellington Architecture: A Walking Guide
John Walsh
Massey University Press
RRP $30.00
This is the third book in born-and-bred Wellingtonian John Walsh’s series guide to our urban architecture, and a must-read for anyone who likes taking to the streets and learning about the area’s heritage. This handy pocket-sized book, with photographs by Patrick Reynolds, curates a series of the city’s walks that take in Wellington’s remarkably rich architectural heritage. There are walking routes from Oriental Bay through to Thorndon, and many places in between. With an introduction that explains the fascinating history of Wellington’s architecture, John’s book takes us through a guided tour of the city using its architecture and significant buildings as a guide, with most walks under 3km. Whether you’re a first-time visitor to the Windy City or you’ve lived there for years without really knowing its background, this is a fascinating book that will make you see this remarkable city in
a whole new light.
The Match
Harlan Coben
Penguin Books
RRP $37.00
If you enjoy psychological suspense and tense thrillers with jaw-dropping twists, chances are Harlan Coben needs little introduction. The top-selling American author of 33 novels is also a Netflix favourite, with The Stranger, Stay Close, The Woods and Safe (which starred the brilliant Michael C Hall) among his many hits. This next novel continues in similar tradition with protagonist Wilde (originally from Coben’s The Boy From The Woods), a man with a childhood shrouded in mystery, who appeared one day in the Ramapo Mountains with no memory of how he got there, or the parents who abandoned him. Now older – ‘…at the age of somewhere between 35 and 45 – he didn’t know exactly how old he was…’ – Wilde has uncovered a major break that may hold the key to revealing the truth about where he came from. But with that discovery comes a present-day disappearance and a presumed suicide that is much more than it originally seems.
A Better Brain for Life: Preventing Dementia and other Chronic Diseases
Angela Caughey
Calico Publishing
RRP $34.95
If you feel like you’re losing your mind half the time, don’t worry, you’re very far from alone! Our brain is the powerhouse of our body, so keeping it healthy is key to preventing – or at least slowing down – the brain’s decline. Author Angela Caughey spent more than 12 years taking care of her husband, who had dementia, and in this book, she explains that everyone is responsible for their own health, and asks you to examine the way you live from day to day to significantly reduce your risk of dementia and other chronic diseases. Much can be achieved with simple lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, mental stimulation, social connections, stress reduction and sleep. This book provides practical steps we can all take to enjoy the long-term benefits of good brain health.
The Library of Unfinished Business
Patricia Bell
Cloud Ink Press
RRP $34.95
Maurice, a small-time librarian, dies one Monday morning in a car crash. Finding himself in a very unexpected afterlife, he befriends Kit, who knows more than he should about Heaven, and about Maurice’s own life on earth. Meanwhile, Maurice’s estranged daughter Andy struggles to come to terms with her father’s rather unimpressive life, and begins writing letters to him in an effort to make sense of her family’s history, with some very unexpected results. As the title suggests, libraries feature in the story, and they are very important – as is fire, along with everything it symbolises. The Library of Unfinished Business is Auckland-based Patricia’s first novel.
