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Father Joe, Tony Hendra

Penguin
Reviewed by Jan Treliving-Brown
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

Father Joe. Everybody I know will be getting a copy for Christmas. If you enjoy the sensation of being moved by an emotionally and spiritually charged book, let Father Joe in.

Is it a biography? It's more a profound treatise on life, faith and friendship. Author Tony Hendra, not so well known downunder, gives a pretty frank account of his life from Cambridge Uni days to editing National Lampoon and Spy magazines, to New York and the film industry.

Full review here

Fifity Years of Volkswagens in New Zealand, Philip Coyle

Transpress
Reviewed by Rex Trye
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

At last the definitive book on the Volkswagen motoring legend in New Zealand.
Full review here

Fire Along the Sky, Sara Donati

Bantam
Reviewed by Kath Brown
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

This is the fourth book about the adventures of the Bonner women, which started with Into the Wilderness.

Set in the American north-east, this episode in the lives of Elizabeth Bonner, her daughter Lily, step-daughter Hannah (whose mother was Mohawk) and their various men, opens in 1812.

Full review here

Flesh and Blood, John Harvey

William Heinemann
Reviewed by Lisa Hoult
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

It's a claim that's all too common days – you know, the one seen on a book cover touting it as the "ultimate cliffhanger to rival all others", "one that will leave you stunned and amazed" etc, etc.

Well, this one's no exception. "A gripping and powerfully atmospheric thriller", it says under this title – but wait, in this case it's true. Oh, thank heavens – a proper thriller at last.

Full review here

Fleshmarket Close, Ian Rankin

Orion
Reviewed by Nick Churchouse
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

As my first Ian Rankin novel, I resented having to embark on Fleshmarket Close to the tune of 64 million people saying, "Oh, he's really good", or the infinitely and detestably worse, "I've heard he's really good".

The result of these unsought opinions was that Rankin got the full brunt of my cynical snubbery before I'd even graced the pages with my bookmark. I cannot and will not equate a mile-long list of successful sellers and award citations all over an author's latest book cover with a guarantee that I'll lap it up. You can imagine my disappointment when I actually quite enjoyed the book.

Full review here

Frangipani, Celestine Hitiura Vaite

Text
Reviewed by SHeila Forbes
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

Don't let the rather garish cover put you off this delightful book. Set in Tahiti, it explores the relationship between a mother and daughter with warmth and humour.

As the story opens, Matarena, champion professional cleaner, is expecting her second child, which she knows is going to be a daughter. After all, a needle suspended over her belly has indicated as much. Of more pressing attention, however, is how she is to get her hands on some of her husband's pay before he drinks it all at the bar with his friends. Her solution is a drastic one of which, naturally, he does not approve.

Full review here

Freyberg's War, Matthew Wright

Penguin
Reviewed By James O'Sullivan
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

This book will change the way you see General Freyberg. Well, that's what it says on the back cover.

There has been some debate concerning Freyberg's leadership abilities, or lack thereof. Wright proposes to set the record straight.

Full review here.

From Weta to Kauri, Janet Hunt and Rob Lucas

Random House
Reviewed by Peter Watt
(Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

Award-winning author Janet Hunt is on to another winner with From Weta to Kauri. The former Inglewood woman, now living on Waiheke Island, wrote A Bird in the Hand, which won the Book of the Year in the NZ Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2004.

This time she has teamed with photographer Rob Lucas to produce an outstanding field guide to the New Zealand forest.

Full review here