Books on the Radio

We get told all the time (and read) that when writing in a blog, the key is consistency. If you start something, you are supposed to keep going.

So it is with a reasonably pink and shamed face that I write this particular entry. It has been some time since I last blogged about what books are being reviewed on the Radio New Zealand Nine to Noon programme. However better late than never and just in case I fall down on the job again, maybe you should bookmark this website link for National Radio Books if this is something you are interested in (although I will try to do better).

The books for that are being reviewed this week are:

Monday 12 October
And another Thing by Eoin Colfer
Tuesday 13 October
The Complaints by Ian Rankin
Wednesday 14 October
Truth by Peter Temple
Thursday 15 October
Summertime by J M Coetzee
Friday 16 October
Lustrum by Robert Harris

And they are all available (or soon to arrive) at Rodney Libraries. This schedule is subject to change so it pays to visit the website and check it out each day. The NZ Booksellers website has a link with a forward schedule, but this can also change. You can also download the reviews onto your computer or MP3 player, so if you don't catch it the first time it is still there.

Snippets

Lots of different News snippets from authors, books and the publishing world to finish off this week.

Novelist J.G. Ballard has passed away. He was best known for The Empire of the Sun which was turned into a movie. He was 78.

Marina Lewycka, who wrote the international bestseller A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian and Two Caravans, wants to join her husband of 22 years, Dave Feickert, in Wanganui. However, NZ Immigration have some red tape that has to be satisfied first. Read the full story on this link

To find out what books are going to be read, discussed, reviewed on National Radio during May, check out the NZ Booksellers Link.

If you are a Patricia Cornwell fan, how do you picture Kay Scarpetta? If they made a movie, who do you think should play her? Well check out one of New Zealand's best literary bloggers Graham Beattie on Beattie's Book Blog to find out what Hollywood has planned.

And I'v just discovered a whole new way to watch the new TVNZ book programme. I'v actually only just discovered the new TVNZ book programme because it's on TV6 and I don't receive that. However, to get my fix of The Good Word, hosted by Emily Perkins, I use the internet and TVNZ On Demand. One of our customers told me she does something similar, downloading the Book reviews off the podcast option on the National Radio website to her MP3 to listen to while walking.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone.

Speaking Volumes

Speaking Volumes is the Book Review programme on National Radio's Nine to Noon session. We often get people in telling us about the books they have heard on this radio show. Here is a quick update of what has been reviewed so far during March and what is coming up.

2nd Darwin's Island by Steve Jones
3rd Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell
4th The Missing by Tim Gatreaux
5th Fire and Sword by Simon Scarrow
6th Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the search for home by Kim Sunee
7th The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl
10th Valley of Grace by Marion Halligan
11th Wars without End by Danny Keenan
12th To Do List by Mike Gayle
13th Childrens Book Reviews
16th The Great Lover by Jill Dawson
17th The Girl on the Landing by Paul Torday
18th Drood by Dan Simmons
19th First Touch of Light by Ruth Pettis
20th UFO in her eyes by Xiaolu Guo
23rd Dirty Money by Richard Stark
24th The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell
25th Leaving the World by Douglas Kennedy
26th Sectioned by John O'Donoghue
27th Childrens Book Reviews
30th Kill Khalid by Paul McGeough
31st The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong

If you can't remember the name of the book when you come into the library tell us that you heard it on the National programme and we will check it out for you. Happy reading everyone.

Books on the radio

If you want your fix of radio book readings during Christmas week (Monday 22nd to Friday 26th December) the WEEKDAY BOOK READINGS are continuing on the National Programme, all concentrating on unpublished short stories. This is your chance to perhaps discover the next big thing in literature. You can catch the book readings at the following times.
NINE TO NOON 10.45am
AFTERNOONS 2.30pm
ALL NIGHT PROGRAMME 3.15am

Meanwhile the 10.30am Book Review programme on Nine to Noon will discuss The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite by Colin Beatrice on Monday 22nd, Reporting America by Alistair Cooke on Tuesday 23rd January and a special Christmas Show on Wednesday 24th January.

Radio books this week

Here's a quick rundown of books and authors you can either listen to or hear reviews of this week on the National Programme.

Monday 10 Nov - The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
Tuesday 11 Nov - The Devil’s Own War by John Crawford (ed)
Wednesday 12 Nov - On Top of Everything by Sarah-Kate Lynch
Thursday 13 Nov - Goldengrove by Francine Prose

Children’s book review with John Macintyre
Piano Rock: A 1950's Childhood – Gavin Bishop
The River Runs – David Hill
Kaimanawa Princess – Diane Haworth

WEEKDAY BOOK READINGS
NINE TO NOON 10.45am
Monday 10 to Friday 14 November
Unpublished short stories
AFTERNOONS 2.30pm
Monday 10 to Friday 14 November
Allen Adair – Jane Mander; Eps 1–5 (of 12)
ALL NIGHT PROGRAMME 3.15am
Monday 10 to Sunday 16 November
The Wedding at Bueno-Vista – Shonagh Koea; Eps 8–14 (of 15)

And just to finish off, TV One’s Good Morning programme will be reviewing these books:
True stories – Elizabeth Knox
Disguise – Hugo Hamilton
The darkness looking back – Andrea Jutson

Snippets

Lots of snippets of book news for you all from the literary world.

Duffy Books in Homes and Whitcoulls have announced that they are going to join forces to give kids the gift of book ownership. The partnership is being launched this week. To find out more about Books in Homes go to their website http://www.booksinhomes.org.nz/foundation.htm

Meanwhile the 2008 Six Pack Three released in conjunction with New Zealand Book Month has hit the number one spot on the NZ Bestseller list. At only $6.00 it’s great value. And there is still plenty happening around the area in the last week of NZ Book month so check out the events page on the website http://nzbookmonth.co.nz/blogs/events/archive/2008/07/26/1406.aspx
And while you are there surf the blogs, competitions, and news.

I didn’t get a chance to post book reviews on the radio this week. So for the rest of the week in the 10.30 am book review on the Nine to Noon programme on National Radio, these books will be discussed.
24 Sept – Ngaio Marsh – Her Life in Crime, by Joanne Drayton
25 Sept – Urban Village, by Jenny Carlyon & Dianna Morrow
26 Sept – Children’s books
29 Sept – Dreams of Rivers and Seas: A Novel, by Tim Parks
30 Sept – A Beautiful Place to Die, by Malla Nunn

There was an interesting article in the UK Independent recently where Annie Proulx talked about how irritating the film “Brokeback Mountain” is to her personal life. Check out that article and other book news at http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/

Meanwhile the popular “Twilight” series by Stephanie Meyer has hit a snag when some of the fifth instalment was leaked through the internet. These books are really taking off here at Rodney so fans will be a little disappointed. Find out the full story here http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSSP22059520080904?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews

If any of these links don't work (because I am having computer "issues" today), just cut and paste the addresses into the address field of your computer and hit enter.

That’s just some of the news in the book world this week. Ka kite ano

Book news snippets

Lots of little bits and pieces this week.

Once again, if you are a radio listener as well as a book lover there are a lot of reviews that you might like to tune in to. One of the most popular will probably be Tuesday morning on Radio New Zealand when The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer will be discussed. Several librarians have their names down to read this as it has had some good write ups. Get full information on what station and when you need to have the radio on at the Booksellers NZ website or at Radio New Zealand.

Science Fiction fans will be interested in the 2008 Hugo Awards winners which were announced last week. Best Novel was awarded to The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon. The list of winners can be found in full at www.thehugoawards.org/?p=146. As well as perennial favourite Dr Who, a dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's Stardust was one of the winners - another book that is sitting on my "To be read" list. Rodney Libraries has the book, the graphic novel and the DVD of this so check them out.

Local Warkworth GP Stephen Barker has just released his first children's fiction novel, The Secret of Spirits Bay. Our copy hasn't arrived yet but as soon as I get my hands on it I will let you know what it's like. Ask at your Library if you want to put a request in for it.

I madly dashed from the netball courts to Borders in Westfield Albany on Saturday afternoon (driving to the legal speed limit of course) to pick up a copy of Monty Betham's biography Baring my Soul and get it autographed by the man himself (for my brother's birthday). He was gracious and smiling at the start of his national publicity tour and if my brother doesn't let the book go, there are plenty of copies in the library for me to request one and read.

Books on the radio

Books and authors that will be discussed on the radio over the weekend include:

THE ARTS ON SUNDAY
The Arts on Sunday on Radio New Zealand National. Interviews and discussions about the following New Zealand books will feature from 2pm – 2.30pm on Sunday 10 August 2008.
Etiquette for a Dinner Party – Sue Orr
The End of Atlantic City – David Beach

We have no information on whether or not a book discussion will occur on Saturday morning with Kim Hill on the National Programme.

If you want more information on a book you have heard about on the radio, try the Radio New Zealand website here

Radio and TV Books this week

BOOK OF THE DAY ON NINE TO NOON
Speaking Volumes is the 10:30am book review slot on Radio New Zealand National’s Nine to Noon show.
Monday 4 Aug - Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston
Tuesday 5 Aug - Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
Wednesday 6 Aug - As If Running on Air: The Journal of Jack Lovelock. Edited by David Colquhoun
Thursday 7 Aug - A Guide to Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson

CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW WITH JOHN MCINTYRE
A Selection of titles by Shel Silverstein, including A Light In The Attic, Falling Up, Where The Sidewalk Ends, The Missing Piece and The Missing Piece Meets The Big O.

WEEKDAY BOOK READINGS
NINE TO NOON 10.45am Monday 4 – Friday 5 August
The Mesmerist by Barbara Ewing; Eps 11–15 (of 15)

AFTERNOONS 2.30pm Monday 4 – Friday 5 August
Lovelock – James McNeish; Eps 16–20 (of 20)

ALL NIGHT PROGRAMME 3.15am Monday 28 July – Friday 1 August
Alex – Tessa Duder; Eps 1–4 (of 10)

BOOKS ON TV ONE's Good Morning show
Tales from Outer Suburbia – Shaun Tan
Etiquette for a Dinner Party – Sue Orr
Chasing Darkness – Robert Crais

Books on the Radio

Catch these titles on the Radio New Zealand National over the weekend.

SATURDAY MORNING WITH KIM
Hard Cases – Bryan Bruce
Every Day’s a Good Day – William Pike
Tall Tales (Some True): Memoirs of an Unlikely Writer – Greg McGee

CHILDREN’S BOOKS WITH KATE DE GOLDI
Duck, Death and the Tulip – Wolf Erlbruch
The Pencil – Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman
Not a Box – Antoinette Portis

THE ARTS ON SUNDAY 2pm - 2.30pm hosted by Lynn Freeman
Ringmaster – Vanda Symon
The Life and Death of Laura Friday and of Pavarotti, her parrot – David Murphy

Books on TV and Radio

If you are stuck inside today because the predicted storm has come a little earlier than forecast, you can always get your book fix by putting batteries into your radio and checking out the following programmes over the weekend on Radio New Zealand.

Saturday Morning with Kim Hill 26th July
Books that may be mentioned or reviewed include:
The Echo Maker – Richard Powers. Kim may discuss his earlier books as well.
Wetlands of New Zealand: A Bitter-Sweet Story – Janet Hunt. Winner of the Environment category and the Montana Medal for Non-fiction at the 2008 Montana New Zealand Book Awards.
Kate Camp's Klassic is John Wyndham’s 1951 post-apocalyptic novel, The Day of the Triffids

The Arts on Sunday. 2pm Sunday afternoon 27th July on Radio New Zealand National.
Interviews and discussions about the following New Zealand books will feature
Calypso – Bob Orr
Beyond the Breakwater: Stories 1948-1998 – O.E. Middleton, edited by Lawrence Jones

Books on the Radio

If you are sensible and don't HAVE to leave the house this weekend (or next week), you can always check out what's new in the book world on the Radio.

SATURDAY MORNING WITH KIM HILL - Radio New Zealand
On the 28th of June the following books are scheduled for mention or review:
Snowdon: The Biography – Anne de Courcy
Smoke: the Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilisation
Waimarino Country & Other Excursions – Martin Edmond
Paddington Here and Now – Michael Bond

THE ARTS ON SUNDAY
Every Sunday afternoon on Radio New ZealandNational. Interviews and discussions about the following New Zealand books are scheduled for 2pm –2.30pm on Sunday 29 June 2008.
Dame Fiona Kidman on her Michael King CNZ Fellowship Award plans.
Kapka Kassabova – Street Without A Name: Childhood and Other Misadventures in Bulgaria

BOOK OF THE DAY ON NINE TO NOON
Speaking Volumes is the 10:30am book review slot on Radio New Zealand National’s Nine to Noon show.
Monday 30 June Reappraisals by Tony Judt
Tuesday 1 July The Flower Hunter: The Remarkable Life of Ellis Rowan. Christine and
Michael Morton-Evans
Wednesday 2 July Bright ShinyMorning - the latest offering of James Frey
Thursday 3 July A Perfectly Good Family by Lionel Shriver

WEEKDAY BOOK READINGS
NINE TO NOON 10.45am
Monday 30 June & Tuesday 1 July : Unpublished short stories.
Wednesday 2 July & Thursday 3 July : Stories Bodies Tell – Maxine Alterio, Eps 1–2 (of 2)
Friday 4 July : Unpublished short story
AFTERNOONS 2.30pm
Monday 30 June – Friday 4 July
Let Me Sing You Gentle Songs – Linda Olsson; Eps 6–10 (of 12)
ALL NIGHT PROGRAMME 3.15am Monday 30 June – Sunday 6 July
Dogside Story – Patricia Grace, Eps 1–7 (of 10)