PopculturAL blog merges with Auckland Libraries blog

Just a brief note to let you all know that our popculturAL blog has now merged with the new Auckland Libraries blog.

If you subscribe to popculturAL, then I encourage you to change your subscription over to Auckland Libraries blog to be sure of being kept up to date with Auckland Libraries pop cultural happenings, and to learn more about our collections and news.

Other blogs joining us at Auckland Libraries blog include All things musical and Books in the City.
Now these blogs will be together on the Auckland Libraries blogspot - so don't forget to subscribe to keep up to date!

See you there!

Emma Watson and Feminism

If you, like me, have been gradually discovering the awesome person that is Emma Watson, you would be excited to discover that she is just as obsessed with books as the bookworm characters she plays. As well as apparently taking a year off acting to ‘read more books’ (oh, the luxury!), she is an actress, an English Literature graduate, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador who launched a campaign to encourage men to advocate for gender equality,  and a woman who sometimes takes time off to hide books on trains. Whew. And yes, I may be fan-girling just a little bit.

At the beginning of last year, inspired by her collaboration with the UN, she decided to start a feminist book club online, on a popular book-sharing platform, to discuss the wealth of information about equality she had been reading. If you’d like to join, all you need is a Goodreads profile, and boom, you’re in. Every second month Ms. Watson selects a book, posts some questions and thoughts to start it off, and the community takes it from there. Currently there are over 190,000 members across the globe.

Curious about the books she chose? You can head over to Goodreads (incidentally; a great website for discovering and discussing books) and join Our Shared Shelf. If you want to get your greedy little mitts on the actual books, though, they are all available through your local library.

Emma Watson and her fellow ‘book fairies’ have got famous for hiding dozens of books on public transport, to the delight of fans. Unfortunately, unless you live in London, Paris, or New York, you’re unlikely to come across Our Shared Shelf’s new pick.

As well as the classics, there are some less well-known choices in there, ripe for exploring. Here is the full list:

1. My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
2. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
3. All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
4. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
5. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
6. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
7. Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein
8. Halfthe Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity For Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
9. Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
10. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler and Gloria Steinem
11. Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Coincidentally, for someone so identified with the ‘bookish’ characters she plays, nearly all the major film roles Emma Watson has taken on are based on books. She appears in the Harry Potter franchise, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Bling Ring, (all originally based on books), as well as Noah, based on a book of the bible, funnily enough.

Or maybe, knowing Emma’s love for reading, it is truly not a coincidence at all.

Why Don't You Blog About It: the best blog-to-books



With people these days spending half of their lives online, it’s no wonder that ‘normal’ has changed the world over. Even in book publishing, technology has been slowly reaching its’ tentacles in. While the concept has been building in popularity for a few years now, recently there has been an explosion of blog-to-book concepts.

From mega-famous YouTuber’s getting in on the act, including Pewdiepie, Miranda Sings, Shane Dawson, and Zoella’s bestselling effort (which outsold Harry Potter and Fifty Shades of Grey in its' first week), it seems that one of the best ways to get a book deal nowadays is to have a strong online following (*cough, cough* hello?). With a ready community to sell to, it seems an obvious way to re-start the currently struggling publishing industry.

The trend, however, started with the original digital over-sharers, the bloggers. Here are some of the best blog-to-book adaptions I have read.

Slaughterhouse 90210 is a book I stumbled on while checking in items, and I was struck by the unusual title. If you’re the type of person who loves keeping up with philosophy, but you also can’t turn down a good trashy TV show, you. will. love. this. It mixes the high with the low-brow, printing literary quotes alongside pop culture icons, and the results will surprise and intrigue you. It is a philosophy nerd’s dream.

The insanely popular twitter account Sh*t my dad says is one of the original examples of how online popularity has translated into other mediums. This bought the eponymous dad’s son a TV sitcom deal, which starred William Shatner (it was cancelled after one season), and several book deals. The first book on the shelves was ‘Sh*t my Dad says’ (funnily enough). The author, Justin Halpern has also recently published a book about his lack of talent with the opposite sex. The namesake book, however, is true to the original content, full of his Dad’s’ blunt and hilarious sayings, and personal anecdotes from their life. If you’re looking for a light read about a man who doesn’t know the meaning of ‘passive-aggressive’, this will be your cup of tea.

If you have been on Facebook recently, (and let’s face it, who hasn’t) you might have stumbled upon a striking photograph of a person, followed by a caption telling an intriguing story of that person’s life. This is the social media-famous ‘Humans of New York’ blog, which has gone on to spawn many imitations. Renowned for their share-ability, the posts provide a remarkable insight into the similarities and differences in humans across the world. This is obvious in the books they have spawned, the beautiful tomes a permanent record of the influence of the blog. As well as two separate volumes of the posts, there is also a picture book for the smaller humans on our planet, titled ‘Little Humans'.

Lastly, there’s Stuff White People Like. Yes, that’s the name of the book. Based on the blog of the same name, it is captioned ‘A guide to the unique taste of millions’. Taking aim at liberal, left-leaning white North Americans, it satirises their ‘unique’ tastes. The book includes the full list that first appeared on the website, including notable entries such as ‘#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes’, ‘#5 Farmer’s Markets’ and ‘#62 Knowing what’s best for poor people’, with pretty hilarious explanations. As a self-identifying Liberal White Person, it is scary how accurate it is. Read on if you would like to find out how to befriend your local “cute girls with bangs and cool guys with beards”.

Have any more recommendations of great books by bloggers? Comment below!



Churchill - movie review

If the thought of a Winston Churchill film has you reminiscing warily about your stuffy old history tutorials, cast your mind back instead to the amusing & unexpected tidbits you learned about history in class – because this is the essence of Churchill.

Churchill cuts an intimidating figure, and Brian Cox has it down pat. Much like the real Churchill, Cox appears in the film as a solid, rotund man draped in a thick trench coat, gnawing like a baby with a pacifier on thick cigars in both occasions of great satisfaction and moments of abject despondence.

This film stands in time on the precipice of D-Day, and Churchill is wavering as wildly as if he too is on a precipice. He was, unbeknownst to millions of people, deeply uncertain about Operation Overlord, and did attempt to have it cancelled right up to the day prior to D-Day.

Live Q&A with Brian Cox

Brian Cox, it turns out, is very unlike his Churchill! A man with a much less clipped tone, who only issues his startlingly hoarse bellows when in character – Mr. Cox is actually a charming guest and a generous question answer.

The Q&A runs overtime with his encouragement, and we learn about his hometown connection to Churchill (Churchill was MP of Dundee from 1908 - 1922); his opinion on the arts (vital); and his secret inspiration for Churchill’s characterisation (Stewie Griffin – from Family Guy. IT MAKES SENSE!).

Churchill is a human portrayal of a man otherwise sketched as a two dimensional legend, and isn’t it always more powerful to see a human struggle to succeed? History buffs and biopic fans alike will enjoy Churchill.

Churchill is in New Zealand cinemas from Thursday 15 June.

Watch the trailer here:

Our reviewer was generously provided with complimentary tickets to an advanced screening.

Viceroy's House - movie review

Today we have a rare treat: two perspectives on a new film soon to be in cinemas! Two of our library staff were lucky enough to attend a special pre-screening of Viceroy's House, starring Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson, as well as attend a Q & A with the director, Gurinder Chadha.

Viceroy's House is in cinemas from 11 May.

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Gurinder Chadha – of Bend It Like Beckham fame - has done a tremendous job of portraying a very complex historical event. The division of British India and the formation of the independent dominions of India and Pakistan resulted in devastating violence and the displacement of approximately 10-12 million individuals - including Chadha’s grandmother. Viceroy’s House focuses on the last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, as he oversees India’s bittersweet transition to independence. It’s not a light topic, nor is it simple – in fact it’s staggering, as is practically anything apropos of the kaleidoscopic realm of Indian religion and history.

But Chadha manages to make this film light in many fine ways. It’s a classic upstairs downstairs take (catch Hugh Bonneville aka Mr. Downton Abbey starring as Mountbatten) and there are plenty of chaste British laughs to be had – obliviously racist elders, long suffering wives (Gillian Anderson aka Dana Scully is expert here, naturally), Jane Austen references, posh people and their little dogs (and horses). There’s a romantic subplot that’s definitely okay to unashamedly indulge yourself in because of its serious and revolutionary context (and because Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi are both beautiful and brilliant.)

However, none of these things are at the expense of being truly chilling, horrific and revealing. The murky dealings of the men in power are punctuated brilliantly by touching domestic scenes of bustling villages comprised of Muslim, Hindu and Sikh families – and by shocking archival footage of the massacres that eradicated many of these communities. Without spoiling anything for those not quite au fait with their British-Indian history, Viceroy’s House is a revelation of invisible networks of power, political scapegoats, and of the cost of independence - and who ultimately pays it.

I laughed, I cried, and I found Michael Gambon as General Hastings Ismay more odious than as Albert Spica in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Lover. Overall I give Viceroy’s House a 7/10 and highly recommend seeing it.

This review by Amber of Parnell Library.

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The timeliness of the release of this movie coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India in 1947. The end of the British Raj after 300 years of domination over India, to the birth of two nations, India and Pakistan. This in itself would be an epic task for any director to undertake. Director Gurinder Chadha (Bend it like Beckham) hasn’t disappointed. 

Eight years in the making, before Downtown Abbey, a parallel is notable to Viceroy House (the building is now known as Rastrapati Bhavan).  Viceroy House is a period drama with divisions, upstairs home to the last Viceroy of India, Louis Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville, Downtown Abbey) his Vicereine Edwina (Gillian Anderson, The X-Files), below-stairs the 500 domestic servants, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh. It sets the stage with the Mountbatten’s arrival to give independence to India through to the aftermath of partition. 

Inside Viceroy House multiple viewpoints are explored between the key players. It is entertaining viewing. The theme traces the mechanism, political relationships against a background of civil unrest, pro-independence challenges and a romance. A romance between two of Mountbatten’s staff, a Hindu boy, Jeet (Manish Dayal) and Aalia, a Muslim girl (Huma Quereshi). A sign…hope for the future?

Mohandas Gandhi (Neera Kabi), Jawarhal Nehru (Tanveer Ghani), Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Denzil Smith) the actors playing these roles have a physical resemblance to the people they personified. Hugh Bonneville unfortunately does not, and at times this gets in the way of a convincing portrayal of Mountbatten. Gillian Anderson showcases Edwina Mountbatten’s style and comes across as astute, showing and understanding complexities with a genuine concern for the people. A very slight hint of the Edwina - Nehru relationship.

Controversial too, is the partition map drawn up two years earlier by Winston Churchill himself; is Mountbatten thus a pawn in an pre-prepared secret war cabinet plan? With Britain’s “divide and rule” policy drawn out on religious boundaries this would bring atrocities, death, destruction, and a mass migration of 14 million people in opposite directions, Muslims to West and East Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs to India. Death toll: one million.

A deeply personal connection for Gurinder Chadha as her own family (grandparents) were caught up in these tragic events. This movie is based on research from the British Library and guided from the book The Shadow of the Great Game, by Narendra Singh Sarile (2006). The music is composed by A.R. Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire fame. Ben Smithard’s cinematography is splendidly shot….while the use of black and white newsreels heightened the storytelling. Would I go and see it again: yes!

This review by Manjula of Avondale Library

Our reviewers were generously provided with complimentary tickets to an advanced screening.

Comics to movies: the 2017 edition

Since the rise of the comic book movie phenomenon, we've had a plethora of movies to feast our eyes on (and heavily critique) and 2017 is indeed the feast of all feasts!

First up we had Logan, and honestly, who doesn't love a bit of Wolverine! This is set in the near future of 2024, where an aging Wolverine and Professor X are protecting someone special, someone with some slightly familiar claws of her own. Ok, I have to confess, I DID cry when I saw this (and more than once), but it really is a comic book movie like no other. If you are wanting a Wolverine refresher before you see it, then you could check out earlier movies X-Men Origins: Wolverine or The Wolverine.

Or if you've seen it already and want EVEN MORE WOLVERINE GOODNESS, you could check out the incredible comic series Wolverine:Old Man Logan which features a much older time traveling Wolverine in an elseworld type adventure. Perhaps you want to know more about Laura (aka X-23), if so you may want to check out X-23:The complete collection.

Next up we had the Lego Batman movie, which all fans of the Lego movie are not going to want to miss. I am still a little heartbroken as I was sick when if first came out, and my mini-geeks went with their dad to see it without me *cries*. If anyone is looking for a date to go see it, PICK ME. They did come back and tell me it was the BEST MOVIE EVER that they had ever seen. But I have to confess they are fickle, and have since seen Moana and declared that the best movie they have seen, kids eh ;)

Right about now we have Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 hitting the ground. I've heard of people who have seen it three times already, and I admire these people greatly! In this new addition, the team continue their adventures and unravel the mystery around Peter Quill's parentage. If you want a heads up on that particular mystery you could check out the graphic novel series that starts with Guardians of the Galaxy (Volume 1). Or if you want a rewatch of the first film to refresh you (or tide you over until the new one hits DVD/digital release) you will find it here. I am seriously hanging out for my baby Groot fix.

Still to come this year, we have so much more awesomeness coming our way.  DC will be attempting to give Marvel a run for their money with Wonder Woman in June, and The Justice League in November. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one drooling over all those released scenes of Jason Momoa's Aquaman *drool*. I'm also pretty sure I really need to catch up on the previous releases Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of justice in order to really appreciate these new upcoming movies, better get on that!

Last up on my SQUEEEEEE list for 2017 is Thor: Ragnarok which is coming out this October. The third installment of Thor is directed by New Zealand's very own Taika Waititi, and if you haven't seen the trailer already then check it out below. There are a couple of cool little treats in there for fans of his previous movies Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What we do in the shadows . With gladiator Hulk and a super cool looking Cate Blanchett as the big bad Hela, this looks unmissable!

20 years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Last week over on Twitter, there was a glorious celebration of all things Buffy the Vampire Slayer in honour of 20 years of Buffy. Yes, you read that right, 20 years of Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang kicking butt and taking names. If you are on Twitter and want to catch up on some of the fun that was had, check out the hashtag #Buffyslays20. It was wonderful to see lots of the cast members including Sarah Michelle Geller coming on board and sharing their memories and favourite moments of the series as well.

I've managed to maintain my love of Buffy over the years by closely following the comic book series which was launched after the end of Season 7. Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy (you may have heard of him, he's done a couple of decent things since *giggles*) already had a plan for Season 8. So when the series was brought to a close by the network, he helped to produce Buffy the vampire slayer: Season 8 as a comic series instead. MORE BUFFY, YAY! I have collected every issue ever since :)

We are currently up to Season 11 in comic land, so if you would like to know just what happened next to Buffy, Willow, Xander, Spike or your favourite BtVS character you can still get your fix too. Auckland Libraries has Buffy the vampire slayer Season 8 available to borrow as an e-book graphic novel series, beginning with Volume 1. The long way home. Or we have the print copies of Series 9 and onward starting with Volume 1: Freefall.

Or maybe you would like to head back to the beginning of the series for a rewatch, in which case we totally have your back there too. We have Buffy the vampire slayer. Season 1 available on DVD for your viewing pleasure (and of course Season 2, Season 3, Season 4, Season 5, Season 6 and Season 7, oh so much Buffy goodness to marathon right there!)

We've also got a number of other Buffytastic goodies that you might be keen to explore. Buffy, the vampire slayer edited by Jennifer K. Stuller is a celebration in itself, with a collection of interviews and essays 'addressing how Buffy inspires the creation of, among other enduring artifacts of fandom, fan fiction, crafting, performance, cosplay, and sing-alongs' Or there is this teenage fiction series based in the world of Buffy. Or perhaps you'd be interested in Buffy: the making of a slayer: the official guide by Nancy Holder, a great behind the scenes book which offers a 'commentary on the creation of the show and explores the characters, the mythology, and the evolution of all seven seasons - and beyond'

So, regardless of whether you are Team Angel or Team Spike, there should be something in there to tickle your fancy, and remind you of just why this fantastic series has endured for the last 20 years. I'd love to hear about your favourite #Buffyslays20 moment in our comments below!

Fairy Tales and Peculiar Resolutions

Just about every year I resolve to add a new genre or sub-genre to my reading repertoire. As a library assistant I feel pangs of guilt when I'm unable to recommend the right book to someone - though I swear this rarely happens! Over the past few years I've resolved to get into crime, paranormal romance, historical fiction, etc etc. I haven't yet succeeded in fully diving into any of them.

Teen fiction has been one of my "must get into" genres for a while. Being a fairly advanced reader in childhood, by the time I got the appropriate age for teen fiction I was passing them over for more serious, literary adult fiction tomes that in hindsight I barely understood. So, there's a giant gap in my adolescence where I missed out on the Hunger Games and Twilight's of  my time.

However, each time I've picked up a work of teen fiction, it's failed to grab me. I cringe at the self conscious descriptions of outfits and the hammy dialogue. Ever an optimist, I kept telling myself that eventually I would find a work of teen fiction that I would love, and I finally did!

I decided to jump on the Ransom Riggs bandwagon and have a go at reading Tales of the Peculiar, and I'm so glad! If I'm honest, I'd decided to read it based on the beautiful cover alone (all books should look like this!) but after realizing the connection to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (also a work of Riggs) I was sold. Those more ahead of the times might have seen the film by now, however it's *still* on my to do list!

Much unlike the teen fiction I'd encountered, Tales of the Peculiar is beautifully written in a way that's complex without being inaccessible to a teen audience, and totally devoid of cringe-worthy outfit descriptions and unnatural 'cool' slang. Essentially a collection of fairy tales, this book reminds me of my favourite authors of magical realism: a little bit Angela Carter in prose, and a little bit Italo Calvino in dark humour. While they all hint at some sort of moral lesson (or lessons) they're not as straight forward as many other fairy tales, allowing the reader to bemuse for a good while after closing the book. The brief sojourns into darker territory (capitalism, cannibalism, greed, murder) are chilling without being *too* scary. Perfect for teens but also wonderful for adults, I would recommend it to just about anyone looking for a good old fashioned cautionary tale, and for anyone who might have grown up on things like Struwwelpeter!

I will definitely be seeking out more teen fiction in the same vein - and you can borrow it here if you'd like to read it too :)

And I Brought Some Corn For Popping...

Christmas cake, mince pies, candy canes, chocolate... food is endless at this time of year, what with work functions and family gatherings and drinks and nibbles with friends.  

I'm kind of glad that I don't cook and that I'm very fortunate to have such lovely people around me who do all the hard work.  

Thanks Mum.

If you're struggling for inspiration for yet another Christmas get-together then why not check out some - if not all - of the books above and below.  There's pretty much something for everyone, be you a vegan, a paleo or raw lover.

And if you more of a traditionalist then we've got you covered too.

There's books on cakes and desserts, both large and decadent; and vegetables from artichokes to zucchinis.

And last but not least books on how to make every kind of cocktail imaginable.

G & T anyone?

Deck The Halls...

Some years Christmas just seems a little blah.  It's either too hot or too wet and there's a serious lacking of snow and blazing fires and mulled wine.

Decorating your home and making your gifts to hand out is definitely one way to get into the Christmas spirit. 

Whether you want to make your own cards or get out the wool and make your very own Rudolph there is something for everyone among our huge range of Christmas books.  Even better you can make some Christmas cookies before you get stuck into the decorating and crafting and have a munch... or two as you go.

Counting down to Christmas

Can you believe there is only a little over three weeks left to Christmas! Usually I have been a little more organised with my Christmas shopping, but I have to admit this year has gotten away from me a little, arrgh!

So let me help you feel a bit more organised as we head into the festive season, with some geekalicious book suggestions for making gifts, decorating, Christmas Day meal planning (lets face it, the food is a pretty important component of the day) and entertainment.

First up has to be getting those gifts ready. Harry Potter fans are sure to love anything you make them from The unofficial guide to crafting the world of Harry Potter : 30 magical crafts for witches and wizards by Jamie Harrington. From Butterbeer Lip Balm to your very own golden snitch necklace, this book is a treasure trove of gift ideas.

Another excellent book to check out is Bonnie Burton's Star Wars craft book, with ideas such as an AT-AT herb garden, an Ewok flower vase, and my personal favourite, the Chewbacca sock puppet - every household needs one!

And now to the decorating, what could be cooler than Lego themed decorations! The LEGO Christmas ornaments book: 15 designs to spread holiday cheer by Chris McVeigh has a stunning array of Lego plans for you to build the most gorgeous tree decorations, you'll be looking truly festive in no time at all, and have fun doing it.

Now, if you are a bit of a The Great British Bake Off fangirl like I am, you will totally love The great British bake off: Christmas by Lizzie Kamensetzky. What better way to plan your Christmas menu! This gem will make you look like a true Christmas goddess with recipes from a variety of contestants and judges Mary and Paul. If someone feels like whipping me up some of Mary's ultimate Christmas Pud, I will forever be in your favour :)

Now that we have made some gifts, got the place looking festive, and cooked up some amazing Christmas noms, you'll be about ready for something nice and relaxing to do.
Personally, I love a good wee Christmas story and every year the lovely Debbie Macomber kindly provides one that really warms the heart. Some of my past favourites have included Dashing through the snow, Starry night and Call me Mrs. Miracle. I'm eagerly awaiting her latest for this year 12 days of Christmas.

Another one of my favourite things to look forward to at Christmas time is the Dr Who Christmas specials. I may still be getting over last year's Doctor Who: The husbands of River Song, which made me laugh and cry in fairly equal portions. The previous years installment Dr Who: Last Christmas kind of terrified me (along with making me want to laugh and cry), guess that is just the magic of Doctor Who!

Righty, I think we're looking pretty organised now - back to finishing that shopping :)

A wretched hive of scum and villainy

Following on from my previous blog post 'I need a (Super) hero!', I'm feeling the need to add some balance to the force by sharing some of my all time favourite villains with you. I'm sure you'll agree there is nothing like a good villain, and several of the ones on this list are super good indeed. Or is that bad? So bad they are good anyway! So in no particular order I bring you:

Kingpin. I might not have put Kingpin on this list, if it wasn't for the fact that I am currently working my way through Daredevil on Netflix. Kingpin is the ultimate scheming crimelord, and apparently first appeared in the pages of Spider-man. But he really made his mark as Daredevil's archenemy. Vincent D'Onofrio is a revelation, playing Kingpin (also known as Wilson Fisk) in a superb manner. Fisk is a brute of a character in the comics, and while he still is in the series, there is so much more depth to his character. Even as you (really really) want to see his downfall, you still can't help being sucked into his burgeoning relationship with Vanessa, and feel a little sorry for him after THAT backstory. For a bit more post Netflix Kingpin, check out Daredevil: The man without fear or Daredevil: Born again.

Next up is Spike from Buffy the Vampire slayer. The bleach blond vamp was most definitely a highlight of the series for me. Watching him transform from the earlier days where he was one of Buffy's greatest foes, to becoming a sometimes unofficial member of the Scooby Gang, to finally becoming Angel's competition for Buffy's affections, he always entertained and was never boring! I was always Team Spike I have to say, sorry Team Angel fans. I think it may have been the accent, I'm always a sucker for an accent ;). For anyone wanting some more Spike in their life, you can either start watching the series from the very beginning here, or check out his very own comic Spike: The complete series.

My next villainous bad boy is Loki, as in the Marvel version of. Loki is the adopted Asgardian brother of Thor, Son of Odin. He wants the throne his brother will inherit for his own, and is constantly scheming up ways to take it. Tom Hiddleston brought Loki to life rather deliciously in the Marvel cinematic universe, and made the villain everyone's favourite (sorry Thor!). You can see just how deliciously for yourself in the movies Thor, The Avengers, and Thor: The dark world. I just love it when he pops up for cameos in other comics, such as the third volume of Ms Marvel: Crushed, and even better, he has his own series you can check out called Loki: agent of Asgard. I almost think he wrote the blurb for it himself, "The God of Mischief is stronger, smarter, sexier and just plain sneakier than ever before".

On my list next is Moriarty. While I'd like to pretend I was being all literary here, and a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, in reality this is all about Sherlock, the TV series. Sherlock is AMAZING, and so his nemesis Moriarty as played by Andrew Scott. I'm not sure if it is that fabulous accent (I think I mentioned my weakness for accents earlier), or the slightly unhinged yet hilarious way that Moriarty plays games with Holmes that makes the series for me, but it definitely would not be the same without him!

Last up is Darth Vader, who is quite literally the Daddy of all villain hood *giggle* (On discussion with some of my fellow librarians, they felt that joke was a little misleading, as he's really the Daddy of a hero, but I'm going with poetic licence here). When I researched all time great villains, Darth Vader came in at the top of many lists, and I 100% have to agree. Lets not talk about his less than stellar days as Anakin (I try to pretend the prequel trilogy doesn't exist), but his height of glory in the original trilogy which you can check out here. This is the villain that launched thousands of cool toys (just look at that photo above) and has been cosplayed in so many awesome ways (that pink Vader princess is a huge favourite of mine!). Don't just take my word on it, I hear Kylo Ren agrees big time ;) If you want more of a Vader fix, check out his newest comic series Star Wars: Darth Vader.

We love you too Spike

A musical education

Music has always been a big part of my life. Well, actually, that’s a lie. Music became a big part of my life when I hit my teenage years, when like any young person, I looked to music to help forge my identity. Up until then, I basically listened to what my parents listened to; the local ‘classic hits’ station, and their records of Elton John, Abba, The Bee Gees and Celine Dion. (A bit daggy, but it influenced my taste: I still love that classic-with-an-edge sound) I have vivid memories of a young me climbing on top of furniture and ripping off my t-shirt to spin above my head to the sounds of Tina Turner, which might have been a sign of my taste to come.

In my early teens, wanting to know what all the fuss was about, I got into music magazines. I eventually discovered a love for folk, blues, indie and rock n’ roll music, which persists, and hosted a rockabilly-themed 21^st. Along the way of my musical education though, I ended up listening to almost every type of radio known to Auckland; classic hits, pop, more poppy, student radio, all rock, all kiwi, and even all Christian.

I am more settled in my tastes now, but this brings me to two of my favourite loves: music and books. Ohh, there are some good musical autobiographies out there, and no shortage of people wanting to spill the beans about their fifteen minutes. However, what separates pure, delicious, gossip fodder from a great autobiography, to me, is the level of self-awareness an author brings to their story, to an art form which has attracted and repulsed, mythologised and angered, or just been plain tolerated for as long as humans have consumed art. Here are some great examples of musical biographies I have discovered over the years.

All cards on the table, Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield, is one of my all-time favourite books. It tells the story of the rock journalist Rob, and two of his greatest loves in the world; music, and first wife Renee Krist, who passed away suddenly after five years of marriage. What could easily be a depressing read instead becomes a vehicle for a celebration of life.  Music was a huge part of their life, and a backdrop to the momentous and mundane moments of their lives; developing their writing careers, adjusting to married life and doing small-time America. You will marvel at the way a connection between two people grows, mostly based on a shared appreciation for some groups who happen to make noise with their mouths. There is also, for extra music geek credit, a mixtape relating to certain periods of the author’s life featured at the start of each chapter, which makes for some fun googling.

The more I’ve read, the more I’ve seen that partners of (the mostly male) famous musicians tend to be relegated to the background, even when they were perfectly influential people themselves. You might have heard of the name of Pattie Boyd. Famous for marriages to George Harrison and Eric Clapton, she was a well-known model in the 1960’s, who withstood years of intense public scrutiny, witnessed Beatlemania up-close, interested The Beatles in spiritual matters, survived two neglectful marriages, and later in life, became a respected photographer. Her autobiography ‘Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and me’, tells all of this with gusto, and gives an un-blemished view of the behind-the-scenes life of living with worldwide fame. Especially inspiring for the casual reader is her late-in-life resurgence to re-claim her sense of identity, after years of being in the shadow of her partners. Although it is not a literary masterpiece, it is an interesting cultural snapshot of the 1960’s.

For anyone who enjoyed the movie ‘Walk the Line’, like me, which lead to my obsession with Johnny Cash, ‘I Walked the Line’, will be an interesting read. I’m currently reading an excellent biography of the man himself, but I became curious to read Johnny’s first wife’s memoir, which was released in 2008, after it was revealed that it would publish of scores of letters from Johnny, and tell Vivian’s side of the story of the most famous love triangle in country music history.

Modest and wary of fame her whole life, Vivian wanted to redefine what she called the ‘Nashville view’, of her presence just being a roadblock to Johnny Cash’s and June Carter’s storybook romance. More than half of it is taken up by Johnny’s letters to Vivian in the early days of their courtship, when he was posted in Germany during WWII. While a bit long and tedious, they provide some interesting tidbits into the psyche of Johnny Cash, and his early dalliances with alcohol and women. The second half mainly focuses on Vivian’s story of being on the receiving end of June Carter’s determination to get Johnny Cash. Not as much a technical history, it is more of an emotional history, and shows how the truth tends to get twisted into rock n’ roll mythology over the years.

Please let me know of any great music autobiographies you love!

World's biggest zine!

On July 21st  2016, Zine Library Day, in a public workshop at Auckland Central City library, we created one of the world’s biggest zines.

Our zine, titled Zine doggo yeet crocco yeet nice crocco dile dun deet look nice on feet has a page size of 1240 x 845mm (slightly larger than A0), and has 8 pages, excluding covers. It is a collection of mostly art, with some poetry and prose, made by the general public as well as feature artists Chippy and Holly Paynter.

In preparation for the event we researched other large zines and found two main competitors: one created at the MCA in Australia in June this year, and one at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, USA in 2012.

Both of these zines were fold-out, and when folded, are smaller than ours.

The MCA zine is an A6 concertina, and though it has many pages, its page size is much smaller than our A0+, therefore we win.

The Carnegie Library Zine has 6 separate sections that collective fold out to 6’ x 8’, but folded up it is approximately 13” x 13”.

So yet again it folds down smaller than ours and therefore we are the champions.

But seriously, it’s the biggest zine in the world, or at least in the top 3 depending on how you look at it. Thanks to everyone who came along and helped us make it happen!!

Disney's Pete's Dragon - movie review

I'm not ashamed to admit that I spent 60 percent of this film trying not to cry into my 3D glasses lenses. It's so sad and it's so sweet! Disney are the kings of pulling at the heart strings. They don't hold back with their orphans (Pete played by Oakes Fegley); their talented actors (Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Karl Urban); their thoughtful music score (note however, that it is not a musical!); their lost dog picture book allegories (꒰๑•̥﹏•̥๑꒱); or their lost dragons!

Elliot the dragon is an especially quality piece of CGI from Weta Digital, and he was clearly perfectly thought out to appeal to kids. I'd certainly buy a stuffed Elliot, and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw him in Disneyland stores on my next visit! Think...enormous, green, fluffy dog, with all the cute doggy mannerisms.

I'm a little too young to remember the original Pete's Dragon (1977) with any clarity, so this charming remake was entirely new to me, and likely will be to most children. Although elements of the animated dragon remain (clumsiness, traditional neck spines, a vivid green shade), new Elliot is the perfect cuddly protector. I haven't seen so many small children so quietly enthralled in a long time.

More than anything, this film evoked nostalgia and memories in me! Every moment of lush New Zealand greenery was a reminder of my own childhood, which consisted on occasion of playing for hours on end, nearly completely alone, in the New Zealand bush.  Although my young dragon years were spent trespassing in private bushland behind Blackpool Beach on Waiheke Island, the lush foliage of the filming locations, particularly the Rotorua Redwoods Forest, will feel familiar to many bushwhacking kids and adults.

As a child it certainly seemed as if a taniwha could rise at any moment from the underground streams that ran through the bush, and in Disney's Pete's Dragon, this thrill finally becomes real!

Disney's Pete's Dragon opens in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 15 September, 2016.

Our thanks to Disney for providing tickets to an advanced screening for our reviewer.

I need a (Super) hero!

So I was at the gym earlier this week, and the song Holding out for a hero by Bonnie Tyler came on my workout playlist. As I puffed along, I suddenly thought YES! my next blog post has found me! My previous graphic novel posts (Graphic novels for Grown Ups: Terry Moore and Graphic novels for Grown ups: Part 2) have been for the most part not very superhero focused. Sure, Powers by Brian Michael Bendis is about cops solving crimes that involve capes, but the focus of the series is more of a crime noir one than that of your traditional superhero book.

But I'm pretty broad in my comic book reading tastes, and love me some superheroes as much as the next fangirl or fanboy. In fact, in the early 90s, it was those cool Fleer Ultra Marvel collectable cards that got me back into comic reading in the first place. My younger brother brought some home from school, and before I knew it, the collector in me took over, and the Card Crazy stores were my favourite place to hang (anyone else remember them?). Those Marvel cards were intriguing, I loved the art, and was fascinated by the characters, and so I got hooked. I'd also always had a soft spot for Batman, so DC was my friend too. There's no DC vs Marvel favouritism here, I love 'em equally, along with Image, Dark Horse and way too many other publishers to name.

This is an exciting time to be a fangirl or boy, with the plethora of movies and TV shows based on all our favourites (and can I tell you HOW MUCH I geeked out about Tyler Hoechlin from Teen Wolf being cast as Superman in Supergirl...YES YES YES...ahem, sorry, sidetracked there). So here are a few of my favourite heroes.

First up is a bit of a newcomer, but I gotta tell you, I adore her! In Ms Marvel, G. Willow Wilson introduces us to Kamala Khan, who takes on the Marvel mantle (as in Captain Marvel) in a spectacular fashion. Kamala is the first Muslim character to headline her own book, which in itself is a wonderful thing. But she is also such a fangirl (she even writes fanfic I would totally read), which makes her in book cameos from characters such as Wolverine, Loki, Carol Danvers and so many others such a joy. This is such a well written book, watching Kamala juggling her new role as a superhero with her role within her family and community and finding her place in both makes for a superb read. I couldn't read this series fast enough, and I can't wait for what's up next for Kamala. (And can I please have my Kamala Pop! figure now Funko, thank you very much).

Talking about Wolverine, he's up next on my list. He has always been the highlight of the X-men books for me. In fact, don't tell anyone, but our youngest son MAY have the middle name Logan for this very reason. He's gruff, slightly antisocial, but is often the best mentor around (just ask Jubilee, Kitty Pryde or even Ms Marvel). For many years, the origin of Wolverine was unknown, even to himself. A mutant with a healing factor, he was a subject of the Weapon X Programme, where Adamantium was fused to his bones turning him into a super soldier.  Wolverine: Weapon X by Barry Windsor-Smith tells this tale, and is considered to be one the best of them all.

And how could I miss Wonder Woman! Oh how I wanted to be Lynda Carter when I was younger, with those cool bracelets and that lasso. I love that Diana more than holds her own in the Justice League (where would those boys be without her!), and yes, I am hanging out for her stand alone movie which can't come soon enough. We have loads of great Wonder Woman titles in our collection, but I'm going to share Wonder Woman: Warkiller mostly because it is written by the brilliant Gail Simone, but also because it features a team up with another favourite of mine, Black Canary.

Next up is Daredevil. I'm proud to say I had read several Daredevil titles before the Netflix series came out, mostly because one of my favourite artists David Mack did some of the art for them (he also did the covers for the Alias books, featuring Jessica Jones). If you are a fan of the Daredevil of Hell's Kitchen, you really want to check out Daredevil: End of days by the sublime Brian M Bendis. This series features the death of Matt Murdock, and has Ben Urich hunting down the meaning of his mysterious last words. A number of Matt's former foes and lovers feature in this compelling story.

And I have to finish with Batman, because I do have a bit of a soft spot for Mr Wayne. It wasn't really the movies (ALL the movies), because none of them really quite get it right for me. I think it may be because he is a self made hero, he isn't from another world, he didn't get bitten by anything radioactive, he just worked at making himself a hero. Sure, a dark broody vigilante orphaned one, but a hero nonetheless. I also think he has such a great gallery of villains to play off against. There are so many fab Batman comic series, but I'm going with Batman: The long Halloween as one of my all time favs. I love the stunning art by Tim Sale, and Jeph Loeb has crafted a must read series about a new serial killer in Gotham called Holiday, who is killing to a monthly schedule. This is a classic Batman, the detective at work title.

So who are your favourites? and do you have a whole new appreciation for the character Aquaman after seeing that latest Justice League trailer?
Jason Mamoa, you are 100% rocking it dude ;)

Disney's The BFG - movie review

I was always going to love The BFG. Roald Dahl has forever been a fixture in my life, and what’s more, I snagged a free ticket – the greatest of many perks in library work! However, I was honestly surprised at how much I loved it, nay, respected it.

Firstly, whatever kind of new-fangled expensive CGI techniques they used, I am on board completely. I generally have a fairly low cringe tolerance for anything even facing in the direction of the uncanny valley, but I am very happy to say they the film was never even close to such territory. The BFG’s enormous mug is actually very realistic, alternating between crinkly and charming and touchingly solemn. At first I was furious to discover that my primary school teacher was NOT cast in this role, but I’ve since eased up. Peter, you would have been marvellous – but Mark Rylance does a wonderful job.

The landscapes are colourful, fantastic, stunning enough to rival your favourite avant-garde/surrealist directors. I cannot stress enough how much I appreciated the use of colour, and the palette is very of the moment in its techni-coloured shades of nebula/galaxy. In true Dahl fashion, there are plenty of silly gags (read: farts) to allow for chuckles across the age spectrum, and also some sage life lessons – i.e., bullies sadly exist (Jemaine Clement is brilliant as the main antagonist, the Fleshlumpeater), families are often neither neat or nuclear, and happiness invariably occurs alongside a dose of sadness. Of course in the end, kindness prevails – but if you’re into having your heartstrings tugged *gently* then it’s pretty much a winner in that respect.

If I had any complaints, I suppose it would be that there was nothing really scary about the film, which, to dedicated Dahl fans, may seem an aberration – especially as (in my opinion anyway) the trailer seemed to promise some chills. And you know, it’s about a little girl being kidnapped by a giant man and taken away to a land where other giants – GIANT giants considering that The BFG is really a runt of a giant – eat little children. But, if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief, giving up on the more sinister side of Dahl’s oeuvre and making way for his sentimental elements, then I believe you will enjoy it. What it lacks in wickedness, it more than makes up for in lovely visuals, charm, silliness and warmth.

The BFG opens in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 7 July, 2016.

Our thanks to Disney for providing the movie passes to our reviewer.

Popcultural Picturebooks: Spotlight on Elys Dolan

Image by Elys Dolan  www.elysdolan.com

One of the best things about becoming a parent was the wonder of sharing all things magical, geeky and pop cultural with our two mini-geeks. I'm not sure who was more enraptured about their first viewing of Star Wars: A new hope, but I suspect it may have been their Dad and I. We have since gone on to share the geek loving wherever we can, with Dr Who, Star Wars and Minecraft themed Christmas trees, themed birthday parties (we have a Harry Potter one coming up in the few months) and visits to Armageddon all on the agenda.

We are equally as big on reading to our mini-geeks, and I'm fairly proud of the fact that I can use the threat of one less bedtime story to get them to behave at the end of the day, they NEVER want to lose a story. So when we find our two great loves intersecting, life is extra good!

One of the VERY BEST authors who successfully does this, is the fantastic Elys Dolan. Her picture books are a marvel, with big glossy pages full of super fun art, hilarious dialogue and sneaky humour. There are always lots of hidden in jokes to be found. Her books are rather like Pixar movies, kids love them, but there is a little something there for the grown ups to get a sneaky laugh from too. There are references to Star Wars, Star Trek, and Ghostbusters, and her latest offering even has a bit of a throw back to those fun action movies of the 90s. What more could a geek parent and mini-geeks ask for really? Here are some of her book highlights which you can borrow from our collection.

Weasels was the first Elys Dolan book we had the good fortune to come across. I initially borrowed it because I noticed that one of the subject headings on the library catalogue was Megalomania: Children's picture books, and that is just not something you see every day!
In this book, the author asks what is it weasels do all day? and would you believe it is PLOT WORLD DOMINATION. They have created a machine to enable them to take over the world, but just as countdown commences, disaster strikes. The boys loved seeing the plotting weasels and working out just what happened to the machine, Mummy loved all the coffee and health and safety in jokes.

When I found Nuts in Space on the shelf at the library I was so excited. The weasels lady had done another book AND it referenced both Star Trek and Star Wars, it really can't get much better than that. (And no, I am not one of those purists that thinks there can only be one great Star thingy, I love them equally, so there ;) ) In Nuts in space, a rather furry Trekkie type crew have found the celebrated Lost Nuts of Legend and are on a mission to return to their home planet. Unfortunately, a hungry crew member has eaten the map, so they have to make a few stops on the way to ask for directions. The highlight for the mini-geeks and I had to be the Death Banana, which was a super fun spin on the Death Star.

The mystery of the haunted farm introduced the boys to the joys of Ghostbusters, or rather the Three Pigs Ghost-hunters, who are on the job at Farmer Greg's place with their Phantom Finder 5000, the latest in Scare-o-Meter equipment. Something is amiss down on the farm, with zombie ducks at the pond, and an array of other supernatural creatures taking over the barn (Frankenhorse and The Mighty Donkula anyone?) We didn't expect that twist in the ending, which made the book even more fun. There is nothing like a good twist!

My Mr 6 was very proud that our libraries ordered Steven seagull: action hero after he put in a suggested purchase for it. Steven Seagull is a retired cop (I hear there are rumours he was kicked from the force for being too much of a renegade) who is asked to come back and help save the beach. Some perpetrator has been stealing the sand and leaving massive holes everywhere. A gull's gotta do what a gull's gotta do, and Steven takes on the case and checks out the usual suspects. Does he manage to save the day? I'll leave that for you to find out, I'm off now to look up old Steven Seagal movies ;)

Fractured Fairy Tales

In our library, the staff all take part in a reading challenge we call DER (Dare to Extend your Reading). Every few months we read a book based on a different theme. We do it so that we read something that we might not have read ordinarily, which is a great way of growing our collection knowledge so we can help our lovely customers to find just the perfect book.

Over the last two months, our theme was a book that was a modern retelling of a classic. It was really interesting to see how many of us ended up reading retold versions of classic fairy tales such as Snow White, Cinderella, The little mermaid and so on. You can check out some of the reviews here on our Pinterest page.

I really loved my book, and it got me thinking about just how many fractured fairy tales I have enjoyed over the years. Fractured fairy tales are the fairy tales we know and love, but changed up a little, such as changing the characters, setting or the point of view. I just love seeing favourite characters doing new and unexpected things!

So here are a few of my all time favourites, and I would LOVE to hear about yours in the comments. I'm always looking for another good read.

First up is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I loved this when it first came out, and was even happier when it was turned into a movie featuring Anne Hathaway several years later. This is a retelling of Cinderella, but this Ella (who was cursed at birth to always be obedient) is incredibly smart and sassy. Yes there is a glass slipper (and a happily ever after), but Ella doesn't wait to be rescued by her Prince, she takes matters in her own hands and heads off on a quest to reverse her curse, with many adventures along the way.

My read for the DER challenge was Spelled by Betsy Schow, which was a whole new spin on The Wizard of Oz. In this version,  our main character Dorthea, the Emerald Princess, is a bit of of spoilt brat. She is sick of being cooped up in the castle due to a family curse, and when her family decide to marry her off to a prince without her consent, she makes a bit of a bad wish, undoing magic in the realm and losing her parents. It is now up to her, Prince Kato (who is now a chimera)  and insolent servant Rexxi to try and put things right, without dying in the process as the Gray Witch chases them, intent on stealing Dorthea’s magic for herself. Many other fairy tale favourites pop up along the way during this fun read. 

I've already blogged about graphic novel series Fables by Bill Willingham before in my Graphic novels for Grown Ups post, but it is definitely worth a second mention. In this series, all the fairytale and folklore characters we know and love have been forced from their homelands by the big bad 'The Adversary', and they are living in a secret community called Fabletown within our world New York. They call themselves Fables (we're the mundys), and anyone who can't pass themselves off as a mundy ends up at the Farm in upstate New York. All of your favourites are there, mostly in whole new ways you have NEVER seen them before. The central ongoing relationship between Snow White and Bigby (also known as the Big Bad Wolf) is possibly my favourite literary relationship ever!

And from one for the grown ups to one for the kids. The true story of the 3 little pigs by A.Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith  is a fun wee tale I've loved sharing with my mini-geeks at home. The wolf tells his version of those famous events concerning those certain pigs in this entertaining read. Who knew just how much trouble a sneeze can get you into?