Book News
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Key To Victory
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Key to Victory is the story of the New Zealand general election of 2008, in which the experienced and long-serving prime minister, Helen Clark, was ousted by a political newcomer – National’s John Key.
Veteran academic commentators Colin James, Jon Johansson, and Therese Arseneau offer perspectives on what New Zealanders were voting for when endorsing John Key and National, and what they were voting against. Several MPs elected for the first time in 2008 provide first-hand accounts of their parties’ campaigns, including Labour’s Grant Robertson; the Greens’ Catherine Delahunty; the Maori Party’s Rahui Katene; ACT’s John Boscawen; and the director of National’s winning campaign, Steven Joyce, appointed to Cabinet following National’s victory. New Zealand First’s doomed campaign is described by its campaign director, Damian Edwards, while party strategists John Pagani and Rob Eaddy provide accounts of the Progressive and United Future campaigns.
Key to Victory also investigates the important issues of the 2008 election, such as the impact of the Electoral Finance Act, and the likely future of New Zealand’s remaining small parties.
During the 2008 campaign political parties started getting to grips with websites, blogs, Facebook and YouTube, and ‘prediction markets’ competed with traditional polls in forecasting the election results. The book describes these developments and provides insights into the use of the media by John Key and Helen Clark in their rival campaigns for leadership. International reaction to the New Zealand campaign and the country’s vote for change is also highlighted.
Key to Victory includes a special DVD with excerpts from key campaign events including the televised leaders’ debates, the leaders’ opening night campaign addresses, parties’ TV ads and campaign billboards. Key to Victory will be published in mid February 2010. -
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Praise for Somebody Loves Us All
- December 18th 2009
Damien Wilkins new novel Somebody Loves Us All has been receiving a number of very favourable reviews in the press, including an interview and feature in The Dominion Post's Indulgence weekend magazine; and a review and interview in The Sunday Star Times. Somebody Loves Us All has also been chosen as one of the best books of the year by the Sunday Star Times which describes it as "The New Zealand novel of the year and Wilkins' best work so far. A story about language, motherhood and the relationship of adult children with their parents, including a brilliant deployment of the story-within-the-story. The link to the rest of the list is here.
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Since June Launched at Unity Books
- December 8, 2009
The first book by poet Louise Wallace, Since June,was launched at Unity Books last Thursday amidst a large crowd including family, friends and fellow graduates from the 2008 MA Writing course. The book was officially launched by poet Jenny Bornhold and over 50 copies were sold on the night (photographs courtesy of Rory Mearns).
The full text of Jenny's speech can be found here.
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The Rehearsal Shortlisted for Guardian First Book Award
- December 2, 2009
VUP are delighted that The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton has been shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award 2010. From The Guardian: -
"Powerful fictional storytelling dominates the shortlist of this year's Guardian First Book Award, which includes works that range from a portrayal of Alzheimer's to a novel that was the subject of a bidding war between 10 publishers.
Three novels, one collection of short stories and a work of reportage are in contention for the £10,000 first prize won last year by a particularly strong work of non-fiction, Alex Ross's The Rest is Noise.
The shortlist was decided by a judging panel that included the novelist Tobias Hill and broadcaster Martha Kearney and, with one vote, Waterstone's reading groups in Oxford, London, Leeds, Edinburgh and Bath.
Claire Armitstead, the Guardian's literary editor and chair of judges, said the dominance of fiction in the shortlist was not mere coincidence. "It reflects the power of good storytelling and is a reminder that, despite regular cries that the novel is a dying art form, it is still the one we turn to – whether to explore the most troubling areas of society and public identity, or just to switch off and lose ourselves in something beyond our own small lives."
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Heather McKenzie
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We are devastated by the tragic death of Heather McKenzie, whose ebullience and warmth have been such a huge part of VUP for more than 10 years. The photos above are of Heather having a fine time in Santa Fe at Christmas 2005, and with her husband Neil Brown, Laura Kroetsch and Fergus Barrowman in late October this year.
Here is the funeral notice:
McKenzie, Heather Jean - On 1 November 2009 suddenly in Wellington aged 44 years. Loving wife of Neil Brown and daughter of Mavis and the late John McKenzie. Sister to Audrie, Don and Catherine. Step mother of Nyssa and Bret and Doggie mother to Cowboy and Islay. A beloved aunt, godmother and friend. Special thanks to the staff of A+E and ICU of Wellington Hospital for their loving care. Donations for the SPCA would be appreciated and may be left on the day of the service. Messages for Heather's family may be sent C/- 4 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville or may be placed in her online tribute book at www.tributes.co.nz. Please bring a garden flower for Heather’s casket. A service for Heather will be held in Old St Paul's, Mulgrave Street, Thorndon on Friday 6 November 2009 at 11:00am followed by burial at Makara Cemetery.
- November 3rd , 2009
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The 2009 Prime Minister's Awards
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Brian Turner, C K Stead, and Dr Ranginui Walker were honoured at the 2009
Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement at Premier House in Wellington this week. -
Brian's new book Just This was published to acclaim in July, with Peter Dornauf in the WAIKATO TIMES saying, More than any other New Zealand poet, Turner is doing with literary description what
Colin McCahon did for landscape in painting. -
Congratulations Brian, good on you!
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Time for a Rethink
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Four women's faces emerge from a tent pitched on the lawn in front of the Beehive in the cover image for Rethinking Women and Politics which was taken in 1984 by Phil Reid for the Evening Post. -
At first glance, significant changes have happened to women's roles in NZ political and economic life since then: Helen Clark was our first elected woman prime minister, we've had women as the CEOs of our largest companies and as the head of our judiciary.
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This book however urges us to look a little closer... just one example: "The Prime Minister's Summit on Employment" early this year included 26 women (16.8%) of the total 181 non-ministerial participants. The conference chair was male as were eight out of the 10 people co/chairing the 'workstreams' and according to one of the co-editors Elizabeth McLeay, "these figures raise questions about women's true status as full citizens".
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It's a timely and fascinating book.
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"Palmer’s book is outstanding".
- A Book by Matthew R S Palmer
None can gainsay the value and merit of Palmer’s work. It makes an immense contribution to the law, to the constitution, and to Treaty thinking and literature. The book deserves the widest readership. It also merits the open and honest public discussion about the issues, the problems and the possible solutions which Palmer invites – and even enthusiastically encourages. -
The New Zealand Law Journal's review of Matthew Palmer's book has recently been published and their reviewer E W Thomas, is unreserved in his praise. He goes on to say, The problem for a reviewer holding such a high opinion of the book under review is to do justice to it within the constraints that a review proscribes. What is said must necessarily be selective and incomplete. Palmer develops a comprehensive thesis and a review is no substitute for reading the book from cover to cover.
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We couldn't agree more!
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Fergus's Take On The Google Book Search Agreement
- 24 August 2009
A number of authors have asked me for advice about the Google Book Search agreement, in light of the September 4 deadline for opting out. With the caveat that I’m not an expert on copyright law and not qualified to give formal advice, I agree with the US Authors Guild, that you should only opt out if you intend to sue Google yourself: click here for the link
People have some legitimate fears about the implications of the settlement, but a number of the statements quoted in Saturday’s NZ Herald article by Geoff Cumming, seem over the top to me.
I think it’s useful to remember too that opting out is not a protest against the settlement, and will not stop Google scanning your book.
Fergus Barrowman
Publisher