Christmas Events and Holiday Hours
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Stalin's Englishman: the lives of Guy Burgess
by Andrew Lownie
Guy Burgess was the most important, complex and fascinating of 'The Cambridge Spies' - Maclean, Philby, Blunt - all brilliant young men recruited in the 1930s to betray their country to the Soviet Union. An engaging and charming companion to many, an unappealing, utterly ruthless manipulator to others, Burgess rose through academia, the BBC, the Foreign Office, MI5 and MI6, gaining access to thousands of highly sensitive secret documents which he passed to his Russian handlers.
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Message to my girl: a dying father's powerful legacy of hope
by Jared Noel
Christchurch doctor Jared Noel knew he was dying for almost six years, from the age of 25. But when it looked as though he would not live to see the birth of his child, he began a Givealittle crowd-funding campaign to raise money for a course of chemo treatment that would keep him alive long enough to meet his unborn child. Jared's blog, initially written to alleviate boredom during rounds of chemotherapy, attracted hundreds of thousands of readers. He used it to challenge the taboos of death and dying with humour and unnerving honesty, and wrote with clinical precision and pragmatism. Jared had the knack of turning conversation stoppers into conversation starters. In his final weeks, Jared put his story together with the help of writer David Williams, primarily so that his baby daughter Elise might one day know her father.
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Standing my ground: a voice for nature conservation
by Alan F. Mark
For more than five decades, Alan Mark has been a voice for conservation in New Zealand. From his call in the 1960s for the establishment of tussock-grassland reserves in the South Island high country to his involvement in the 2011-13 campaign to save the Denniston Plateau from mining, he has been a passionate and effective advocate for the preservation of areas of ecological importance. In Standing My Ground, Alan describes the challenges and achievements, the frustrations and successes that have made up his remarkable life, now in its ninth decade.
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Horncastle's Hero or Hell Raiser Charlie Jacobsen: an ancestor of the Horncastle family
by Graeme Horncastle
This new book explores the life of Charlie Jacobsen, grandfather and great-grandfather of generations of Horncastles who, often from humble beginnings, have achieved success in many fields including building, hospitality, fishing, retail, property management and advertising. "Old Charlie" Jacobsen led an extraordinary life of adventure and mayhem - gold miner, fisherman and launchmaster in the remote French Pass and Marlborough Sounds, and the first in New Zealand to discover uranium, in 1955. Spanning the 1880s to the 1960s, this book provides a snapshot of life in New Zealand and an often hilarious background to one of New Zealand's most interesting families.
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The outsider: my life in intrigue
by Frederick Forsyth
Trained first as a pilot, then as a journalist, Frederick Forsyth finally turned to fiction and became one of the most lauded thriller writers of our time. As exciting as his novels, Forsyth's autobiography is a candid look at an extraordinary life lived to the full, a life whose unique experiences have provided rich inspiration for thirteen internationally bestselling thrillers.
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Island home: a landscape memoir
by Tim Winton
'I grew up on the world's largest island.' This apparently simple fact is the starting point for Tim Winton's beautiful, evocative and sometimes provocative memoir of how this unique landscape has shaped him and his writing.
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I'll never write my memoirs
by Grace Jones
A legendary, influential performer offers a revealing account of her spectacular career and turbulent life -- from her strict religious upbringing in Jamaica to her sharing screen time with Arnold Schwarzenegger --- charting the development of a persona that has made her one of the world's most recognisable artists.
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Tragedy: the sad ballad of the Gibb Brothers
by Jeff Apter
This is the story of all four brothers' incredible careers, lives and influence. A beautifully drawn examination of the Gibb 'curse' and an all-too-human look at the rollercoaster ride of fame. Captures the incredible highs, and the terrible lows: divorce, drunkenness and death.For Bee Gees fans, and for everyone, because we've all been touched by the music.
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Doujon's heart
by Greg Callaghan
A beautiful, inspiring story about two families united by tragedy and how a selfless and courageous gift of love keeps on giving to this day.
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| The new Tsar: the rise and reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee MyersIn The New Tsar, former New York Times Moscow bureau chief Steven Myers recounts in great detail the career of Vladimir Putin, who emerged on the Russian political scene in the 1990s and succeeded Boris Yeltsin as President in 2000. Myers describes Putin's initial economic reforms, which transformed the Russian economy, but which he soon followed with oppressive authoritarian measures and military actions that created global angst. Offering a personal assessment and political analysis designed to help Westerners understand the Russian leader. |
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Prick with a fork: the world's worst waitress spills the beans
by Larissa Dubecki
A hilarious and horrific dissection of the restaurant industry from the waiter's point of view, Prick with a Fork is a statement rather than an instruction! This gorgeously written treat combines the gritty take-no-prisoners attack of Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential with the gross confessions and forensic grunge of John Birmingham's He Died With a Felafel in His Hand. Dining out will never be the same again! Therapy for former waiters, revelation to diners, pure reading pleasure for anyone interested in what really happens out the back of the restaurant.
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The dreaming land
by Martin Edmond
Martin Edmond recalls his experiences of growing up in rural New Zealand in the 1950s and 60s. The son of schoolteachers, Edmond's early life was shaped by his father's developing career and the moves it dictated: from Ohakune, to Greytown, to Huntly, to Heretaunga. The Dreaming Land shows us the making of a thinker and a writer. Edmond documents the people, locations, and events that made a lasting impression on him, and maps the development of his mental landscape - a landscape marked by curiosity, empathy and the capacity for acute observation.
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Kieran Read: tribute to a great eight
by Matt Elliott
In an era of some of the greatest All Blacks the game of rugby has ever seen, Kieran Read counts as one of the best. Stepping up to the role of captain in the absence of the legendary Richie McCaw, Kieran Read exhibits a rare blend of leadership, fearlessness and outstanding skills and game smarts on the paddock, and is hugely popular with players, coaches and administrators alike. Matt Elliott offers a tribute to this world-class number eight for his fans in New Zealand and around the world.
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Messi: more than a superstar
by Luca Caioli
Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of our time: a magician with uncanny ability to beat defenders, find space and score goals. At the peak of his powers during Barcelona's 2015 treble win, a decade on from his first Spanish title, the four-time Ballon d'Or winner has again eclipsed his rivals and proved emphatically that he has no intention of surrendering his crown just yet. Messi is Luca Caioli's classic portrait of modern football's star turn, now fully updated to include all the action from 2014/15. Featuring exclusive testimony from those who know him best, including coaches, teammates and even Messi himself, it offers an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at the life of a football superstar.
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Dan Carter: my story
by Duncan Greive
The great All Blacks pivot with the model good looks, opens up for the first time about his stellar 13-year career. He looks back on the myriad highs, including that virtuoso performance for the All Blacks against the Lions in the second test of the 2005 series. And, with an equal measure of honesty, he reflects on the lows of his career, speaking frankly of the mental anguish he felt after twice being invalided out of Rugby World Cups. As well, he talks about his unflinching loyalty to the famous black jersey and the reasons why he elected to make a long-term commitment to New Zealand.
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Ivan Lendl: the man who made Murray
by Mark Hodgkinson
What did Lendl do to turn Murray from a perennial runner-up to US Open Champion and the first Briton to lift the Wimbledon trophy in 77 years? Going back to Lendl's roots and through extensive interviews and analysis of the Murray-Lendl axis seen at close quarters, Mark Hodgkinson reveals the magic formula that Lendl used to turn Murray into a champion. In so doing he lifts the lid on their relationship, and how it came to an end, which made this left-field combination the most successful in British tennis history.
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Adventurer at heart: an autobiography
by Nathan Fa'avae
Adventurer At Heart is a story of courage and perseverance, and of overcoming tremendous challenges. Nathan's career as an adventure racer has been made even harder by atrial fibrillation, a heart condition which has threatened many times to stop his sporting endeavours. Nathan Fa'avae is a remarkable New Zealander, and this book is a moving and inspiring account of what it takes to become a world champion.
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Jammin' with Steven Adams
by David Riley
The story of how a troubled young man from small town New Zealand achieved his dream of playing in the best basketball competition in the world: the NBA.
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Balotelli: the remarkable story behind the sensational headlines
by Luca Caioli
Mario Balotelli has a reputation like no other in football. Since exploding on to the scene at Inter Milan in 2007, he has won league titles in both Italy and England, moving between Europe's elite clubs. Yet for all his undoubted talent, he is better known for his off-field antics not least his infamous run-ins with both the police and Manchester's firefighters. Once described by Jose Mourinho as 'unmanageable', match-winning performances at the highest level have continued to convince clubs such as AC Milan and Liverpool to give him a chance. With exclusive access to friends, teammates and coaches, acclaimed football biographer Luca Caioli talks to the people best placed to explain the mystery that is Mario Balotelli.
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Blindsided
by Michael Lynagh
Former Australian rugby union legend and World Cup winner, now acclaimed television sports pundit, on his glittering career in the game and how close he came to losing his life.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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