Latest from Books

Book of the day: Bird Deity by John Morrissey

A premise of alien worlds works best as a lyrical depiction of the human condition.

Book of the day: Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity by Paul Kingsnorth

An activist’s visionary new work urges a return to ancient thinking on people and place.

Our clothes reveal much about us, so what happens when fashion conformity turns toxic?

Dressing for identity is powerful, but fashion obsession can come at a cost.

Book of the day: Soft Serve by George Kemp

Debut Australian novel has tight focus but predictability and over-familiar ideas fail it.

Seed provides bountiful ground for Elisabeth Easther’s story of fertility struggles

Seed grapples with some big ideas but remains a light-hearted book.

The 2026 Ockham NZ Book Awards longlists are out – so who’s made the grade and who’s in the shade?

Jacinda Ardern memoir in the running for prestigious NZ book award.

A midsummer miscellany of notable new books for younger people

Ann Packer rounds up her latest top picks.

Nicholas Wade's The Origin of Politics is a sustained attack on the political project of the modern left

Book argues that the “blank slate” ideas of the left can’t compete with human nature.