Our New Zealand nonfiction section features books and eBooks about travel, history, law and more. This list updates when we add new titles to our collection.
The topic NZ nonfiction has been added to your favourites.
The topic NZ nonfiction has been removed from your favourites.
The topic NZ nonfiction will be added to your favourites. What does this mean?
Book
In 1918, from deep within the West Coast bush, a miner on the run from the military wrote a letter to his sweetheart. Two months later he was in jail. Like millions of others, his letter had been steamed open by a team of censors shrouded in secrecy....
"Profiles and portraits celebrating the successes and diversity of New Zealand women across many spheres - politics, arts, science, community development, business innovation and health.These leaders share their views on what it's like to be a woman in...
"`I was a lost little boy, trapped in a world where I didn't belong, one that would tear me apart and build me back into someone new . . .' Twenty-three-year-old Josh Komen is on track to represent New Zealand in running at the next Commonwealth Games...
"Brings together for the first time her 'Poems 1960-2000' and four subsequent collections. Adcock writes about men and women, childhood, identity, roots and rootlessness, memory and loss, animals and dreams, as well as our interactions with nature and...
Auckland is at a turning point. At current growth rates it will pass two million people sometime during the decade beginning 2022, at which point social and infrastructure problems will begin to compound. This book is for two groups of people: new re...
"A 20th-century saga of interracial Anglo-Indian tea dynasties prised apart and scattered as far away as New Zealand"--Provided by publisher.
eBook
According to Bill Manhire, Rhian Gallagher is one of the quiet, astonishing secrets of New Zealand writing. Her collection Shift encompasses a departure from London, where she lived for eighteen years, and a return to the pines and paddocks of the So...
"In February 1945, with no veterinary training available in New Zealand, Graham Wallace braved a German raider in the Tasman Sea to begin his studies in Sydney. The potentially explosive journey setting the tone for a colourful life working with big ...
"It's now a year exactly since my urologist told me I had an aggressive cancer that was incurable. I was rushed into hospital and thus began a year of chemotherapy, radiation and all the ups and downs of a sickness that arrived in my life with the noise...
"Being diagnosed with cancer is completely life-changing, and thyroid cancer is no exception, this book is a record of the author's surgery." --Publisher description.
"In the summer of 2018 Neil & Liam Finn teamed up with A Low Hum for a tour that took them to spots even the most ardent of Kiwi nomads would be hard-placed to point out on a map - communities such as Purekireki, Tauhei, Tirohanga, Himatangi Beach an...
This book records the evolution of Maori spirituality from early contact to the end of the prophetic period that had been launched by the translation of the Old Testament in 1858. It analyses the principal influences in Maori religious movements during...
Negotiating a claim before the Waitangi Tribunal can involve troubling challenges to an iwi’s legitimacy, sometimes from unexpected places. In this unique behind-the-scenes account of the negotiation of Ngāi Tahu’s Waitangi Tribunal claim, Tipene O’R...
"At his brother's wedding in 2002, 30-year-old Josh Kench sat with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other, and announced that he was going to do the Coast to Coast. His pronouncement was met with derision, but he's proved his doubters wrong....
Who said what to whom when the Treaty was negotiated - and what lay behind subsequent misunderstandings about its wording? In this extract from her bestselling book The Treaty of Waitangi, Claudia Orange reports in detail on the dramatic events that led...
How do you deliver a googly or make chin music? What are a beamer, a flipper, a corker, and a jaffa? What do a bunny, a cherry, a dolly and a royal golden duck have to do with sports? Readers will discover the answers to these questions and learn much...
This is the second book of Auckland Multicultural Society Inc. which was started by the late Catherine Caughey in 1978.
The Community Law Manual 2018-19 is a trail-blazing resource that helps New Zealanders (and their advocates) help themselves. The Manual contains over 900 pages of easy-to-read legal info, on just about every area of community and personal life. Re-r...
"Kiwi equestrian Chloe Phillips-Harris shares her story of growing up in rural Northland, living on the breadline with her single mother, working endless hours in a dressage barn, competing at the highest levels of eventing, training wild Kaimanawa s...
A celebration of an outstanding leader who continues to strive and work for change, and it's a rallying call for other women leaders, whether they are in positions of political, economic or social power. Helen Clark has been a political leader for more...
"Theater in New Zealand began as a tool of the British Empire, imported along with Christianity, seeds, and other commodities as a way of acculturating the indigenous Maori population. In the decades since, it has been turned to different ends, and is...
A comprehensive history of the struggle for women's suffrage in New Zealand, including short biographies of the main people involved. In 1893, wearing white camellias meant you supported women's right to vote - a red camellia in your lapel signalled...
Facing danger, despair, back breaking work and heart breaking loss and loneliness, the women who forged a new life in New Zealand in colonial times have never been celebrated, and their stories, with a few notable exceptions, have not been widely sheared....
On My Way to the Somme examines New Zealand's role in the Somme battles of 1916. In telling the story of New Zealand soldiers who took part in the bloody offensive Andrew Macdonald has used a wide range of primary and secondary resources, most of them...
Land of the long white cloud showcases a series of photographed landscapes in New Zealand see through the lens of Korean Chef and professional photographer Charlie Yang, now based in Auckland. In this book he takes you through a journey of his favour...
With the publication of her book Two Worlds, Anne Salmond introduced a penetrating rewriting of our traditional views of first contacts between the Māori and European worlds, helping us to view these meetings with fresh eyes. In this account of the d...
A brilliant rugby player and a war veteran, Dave Gallaher symbolizes the two elements on which New Zealand formed its identity: our wartime triumphs and disasters, and our peacetime success on the football field. Dave Gallaher was an Irish immigrant who...
The history of named student flats in North Dunedin reaches back to the 1930s. The authors share some of the stories of these flats, how they got their names, who lived in them and what life was like there. The book also features essays by Otagoites about...
"In the summer of 2017, Stefan Fairweather took six months off work to walk the length of New Zealand on the 3,000-kilometre Te Araroa trail. Stefan blends the story of his Te Araroa journey with personal anecdotes and humorous tales of characters he...
"Lucas Putnam and Marianne Elliott opened their Mexican restaurant, La Boca Loca in April 2011, with a clear goal: to bring the freshest flavours of Mexico to Wellington using fresh and locally available ingredients. Their customers loved the taste of...
Read this one book, set up your money, and get on with your life! Read this one book, set up your money, and get on with your life!Find out what many in the financial world don't want you to know. Laid-back investing is not only easier, it can actually...
Kiwi truckies are the unsung heroes of New Zealand - the men and women who make great personal sacrifice and often risk their lives to keep our country running. The people who devote their life, in some way or another, to what is often a hard and lon...
"In this pocket guide, well-known architecture writer John Walsh teams up with architectural photographer Patrick Reynolds to offer a self-guided walking tour of 50 significant Auckland buildings, from the Victorian era to the brand new. The informative...
"Enjoy the simple pleasure of a leisurely bike ride to a cafe, playground or picnic spot. These safe and easy cycle paths enable you to enjoy the outdoors at your own pace. 62 leisurely rides, traffic free and safe, 1–3 hours riding time, maps include...
"Packed with Lyn Webster's common-sense attitude, this challenging and informative guide can help you change the habits of a life time. If you want to get ahead in life, both financially and sustainably, budgeting guru Lyn Webster can help. In Save Make...
Laid-back Kiwi humour at its best, this will have you laughing out loud and cringing in recognition at the same time.
One Hundred Poems and a Year is Bob Orr's ninth poetry collection, and was mostly written when he was Writer in Residence at the University of Waikato in 2017.
"Time Flowing Backwards is the fascinating and revealing story of Graeme Jefferies--one of the most inventive and influential musicians to emerge from New Zealand's vibrant independent music scene in the 1980s. This memoir spans over three decades of...
"The heartwarming story of a young woman with cerebral palsy and her struggle to get out of the intellectually disabled system into which she had been misguidedly placed."--Publisher information.
"Following on from Mike's hugely successful How to catch fish and where, this book tells you how to catch the biggest of all your favourite fish like snapper and hapuka, as well as big game fish. Drawing from more than four decades of fishing experie...
"The Tour Aotearoa is the ride of a lifetime: a 3,000-kilometre journey from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Erik Westra, an avid cyclist, raced past deserted beaches, native animals and friendly locals until a dream-shattering fall forced him to withdraw. Determined...
"For Jared Gulian, leaving the United States and moving to the capital of New Zealand was a big enough switch from the bright lights of big cities. So when his partner decided they just had to buy a rundown olive grove out in the middle of nowhere, it...
"The phenomenal rise in popularity of vintage and classic caravanning in recent years has had a rather wonderful side effect: a huge increase in the numbers of owners pairing their van with a classic or vintage tow car. These car and caravan combos a...
"This is the story of three men - a doctor, a soldier and a judge. They are men of rare achievement. The doctor has the gift of saving others but not himself. The soldier disobeys orders and abandons his command post in a bid to die with his men. The...
'This is a masterful tour through the mystery and majesty of modern medicine, guided by a world-class physician who has the mind of a superb scientist and the soul of a fine poet. David Galler also shows rare courage in weaving his own, personal stories...
The Vietnam War provoked a major crisis in New Zealand attitudes to foreign policy, breaking for the first time the almost universal consensus about how the country should handle political and military issues beyond its shores. The dispatch of troops...
The war in the South Pacific saw some of the most gruelling fighting of World War Two. Conditions - heat, rain and a hostile jungle - were unpleasant, while the Japanese enemy was ruthless. Pacific Star sheds new light on the sacrifices and tribulations...
Every child loves their pet, and this beautiful book portrays the special connections between children and their chosen animals. Rachael Hale McKenna's stunning photographs catch the joy and delight that exist between children and animals. Taken on l...
The Grey Ghosts were New Zealand's Vietnam veterans. Their powerful story includes chilling accounts of death, injuries and emotional breakdown, along with the intense comradeship of soldiering, and a pervasive sense of humour that is uniquely our own....
Who knew that a fire killed 39 people at Seacliff Mental Hospital in 1942? That 10 people died in a lahar on White Island in 1914? That a yacht race between Lyttelton and Wellington in 1951 resulted in 10 fatalities? That a tornado ripped through 150...
His Way was based on many hours of conversation with Muldoon himself as well as colleagues, friends, and family, and wide access to the prime minister's official and private papers and diaries. Leading political biographer Barry Gustafson shows Muldoon...
Gallipoli, for the average australian, is the most famous battle that our volunteer soldiers ever fought, because it was our first entry as a nation into the war, and our people were keen to prove themselves. It would be, however, a long time before ...
Many braved the deadly German U-Boat threat during the Battle of the Atlantic - the longest campaign of the war - and sailed in perilous convoys to Arctic Russia, Malta and other high risk routes. Others manned transport and hospital ships and took part...
"Journey through the painted landscape of New Zealand seen through the eyes of artist Graham Young as he endeavors to capture the character and motifs of the various regions with his colourful paintings coupled with his own thoughts of his travels. T...
"James K. Baxter was not a man of few words, and his private correspondence was no exception. Letters of a Poet, edited by his good friend and frequent correspondent John Weir, contains almost 900 of Baxter's letters from 1939 to 1972, covering his t...
"From a battle to overcome suicide in his teenage years to an encounter Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit, Matthew Needham became a street and nightclub evangelist, taking the light of Christ into places of spiritual darkness."--Back cover.
"A contributing photographer to house and garden, lifestyle and travel magazines--Jane has travelled New Zealand capturing stunning images of wild coastline, ancient forests, rivers, lakes, mountains and wildlife. After 40 years working as a photogra...
"Whether you plan to sample fine wines in Hawke's Bay, canoe along the Whanganui River or hike across the Franz Josef glacier, The Rough Guide to New Zealand will show you the ideal places to sleep, eat, drink, shop and visit along the way. Independe...
"Edmund Hillary is a towering figure among adventurers. His conquest of Everest and his dedication to the welfare of the Nepalese people is well known. While much has been written about what Sir Edmund Hillary did, 'Ed', the man behind the legend, is...
"New Zealand music was made on beer-stained stages, in grimy toilets and smoky back rooms. Venues like Dunedin's Empire Tavern and the Gladstone Hotel in Christchuch were the cradle for scenes that won worldwide acclaim, where idiosyncratic styles were...
Four classic New Zealand plays from the South Island.
Following on from volume 1 of Australians on the Western Front 1918: Resisting the Great German Offensive, volume 2, Spearheading the Great British Offensive, concludes with a detailed account of the final battles of World War I and the defeat of German...
"The University of Otago has always taken pride in its status as New Zealand's first university. Starting a university in 1869 was a bold move: other regions observed Otago's action with a mixture of surprise, scepticism and envy. The venture paid off:...
"The International Board of Books for Young People, IBBY, presents a collection by scholars of children's literature about outstanding stories and picture books that explore issues of identity, belonging and empathy in many parts of the world. The bo...
"Born in 1949, Bluff-based Cilla McQueen is one of New Zealand's best-loved poets. Poeta: Selected and New Poems brings together a definitive selection of her poetry spanning five decades, arranged by the poet in a thematic narrative that elucidates ...
"Ken Kendalls deep desire to live by his art took him around the world through thick and very often thin. For forty years his response to what he saw took form, initially in ceramic and terracotta, then flourishing in bronze, with many sculptures cast...
"From green forests to blackened basalt, from snowy mountains to golden beaches, adventure awaits around every bend on these dramatic islands. Dive into Middle Earth with Moon New Zealand. Inside you'll find: Strategic itineraries including a week on...
The experience of parenthood is different for everyone. And every day can be different too. Read a hilarious and moving collection of perspectives from the well-loved Emily Writes and her friends. Some of them are experienced writers, others have put...
Lonely Planet's Hiking & Tramping in New Zealand is your passport to the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Spot seals and laze on golden sands along the Abel Tasman Coast Track; explore...
My childhood abuse in the orphanage, is New Zealand's shameful, dirty secret of physical, mental and sexual abuse of innocent children by nuns, lay staff, the older girls and the priest and bullying at two orphanages in Christchurch New Zealand. From...
"Following the success of Wine Trails, we now bring you 40 perfect weekends in Australia and New Zealand wine country, introducing vineyards in regions including the Clare Valley, Margaret River, Hawkes Bay, Tamar Valley and Marlborough, as well as c...
Was this page useful?
How can we improve this page?