New Zealand - have you read these nz books?

craig1234564

11th June 2008, 10:40 AM

Potato

11th June 2008, 10:45 AM

I've only read A Land of Two Halves, it was awful. It's about a bloke travelling the country, his method seems to be "Hitch, Go To Pub, Moan, Sleep, Hitch, repeat".

gil

11th June 2008, 10:51 AM

Have a look at the Reading Group thread for some opinions on some of these http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4096&highlight=Reading+Group

Gil
PS Totally agree with Potato re Land of Two Halves!!

CJ22

11th June 2008, 12:49 PM

I've only read A Land of Two Halves, it was awful. It's about a bloke travelling the country, his method seems to be "Hitch, Go To Pub, Moan, Sleep, Hitch, repeat".

I'll second that - not half as funny as he thought he was. Didn't learn much other than you can make anywhere seem bleak if you really want to.

nippa&pippa

11th June 2008, 04:14 PM

A new life in new zealand : paul goddard
Got that one, it is ok as it is about setting up new business in NZ.

chocolate cake

12th June 2008, 12:09 AM

Slipping into paradise : jeffrey moussaieff masson

Kiwi tracks : andrew stevenson

A land of two halves : joe bennett

Straying from the flock : alexander elder

Culture shock new zealand : peter oetti

A new life in new zealand : paul goddard

Motorhome magic, paradise found in new zealand : jane dunn

Which of these books have you read and what did you think? Whats the best and most useful book on new zealand you have read?

Agree re: earlier comments i'd agree Land of Two Halves is a dull read.

I'd highly recommend Andrew Stevenson's Kiwi Tracks, I read it a few years back and recall it being an interesting read.

Another to add to the list is 'Kiwis might fly' by Polly Evans which also a good read though not as good as her earlier books 'It's not about the Tapas' and 'Fried Eggs with Chopsticks' based on Spain and China respectively.

I got 'Straying from the flock : alexander elder' while I was in the UK and haven't yet got round to reading it.

Janey

12th June 2008, 02:23 AM

I read a book by Stephen Horrell I think called emigrating to NZ very informative also a book endorsed by the Sunday Times written by Georgina? this was very dry!

Moorf

12th June 2008, 02:41 AM

It's a shame about Joe Bennett's Land of Two Halves - I really quite like his newspaper columns but the book was a bit too whingy and gloomy, some bright spots, but not a great read imvho

Bozeman

12th June 2008, 08:15 AM

We bought the Culture Shock book. It is just OK. More useful I suppose if you know absolutely nothing about NZ. "The Long White Cloud" (don't have the author's name but was originally written during the late 19th century and then updated sometime around 1920) is a great read for Kiwi history.

Elainep

12th June 2008, 08:44 AM

I have read Land of Two Halves (agree with the crowd: dull and not at all inspiring), Slipping into Paradise (a good read, lots of background information, natural history and written by a real convert to NZ - he's American) - I am selling my copy on amazon for £3.40 :) and a New Life in New Zealand (again a good read, from an author with real enthusiasm for life). And I once read one called Emigrate with Caution (truly awful). Anyone recommend a good 'living and working in NZ' type book or do most of them really only contain information readily available on this forum and the internet in general?

slider

12th June 2008, 09:42 AM

The only one from your list I have read is Kiwi Tracks.
An easy read and particularly useful if you plan on hitting the tramping trails :yes

Agree with Janey about the Sunday Times recommended book - Working and Living in New Zealand by Georgina Palffy - lots of useful info. but very hard work.

Leccy-Lee

12th June 2008, 01:35 PM

Yes i read Kiwi Tracks before i came over, i thought it was excellent and even partly inspired my adventure, the beauty of tramping for a few days in the remote countryside...

JoHnH

12th June 2008, 10:39 PM

From a native Kiwi perspective:
Kiwis Might Fly, if that's the one by a zany London girl touring on a huge motorbike, was quite funny.
I thought Joe Bennett was also quite amusing, and wasn't aware of him offending my patriotism.
Alexander Elder was reasonably accurate, from a wealthy and rather patronising American perspective.
Jeffrey Masson is/was a bit of an idiot, IMHO, and I think he's left NZ now. He lived at Karaka Bay, Glendowie (just nearby. Hardly recognised it from his description.)
Kiwi Tracks was a great read, I thought. I liked him meeting the DOC hunters, who told him they were after noxious animals.
"Like deer?"
"Like tourists. Don't worry, we'll give you a head start."

JoHnH

13th June 2008, 12:18 AM

Oh, yeah, and his encounter with the embittered Kiwi girl:
"Do you know the Aussie idea of foreplay? Hey, Sheila, are you awake?"
And the Kiwi approach?
"Well, at least the Australian asks."

craig1234564

25th June 2008, 03:19 PM

Jeffrey Masson is/was a bit of an idiot, IMHO, and I think he's left NZ now. He lived at Karaka Bay, Glendowie (just nearby. Hardly recognised it from his description.)

Oh he left did he, what a prat it was the only book on the list that i couldnt finish !

dharder

25th June 2008, 03:44 PM

Agree with Janey about the Sunday Times recommended book - Working and Living in New Zealand by Georgina Palffy - lots of useful info. but very hard work.

I got that one, too, and found there to be a number of significant factual errors in it. It's been a year now, but I seem to remember that her advice on various visa types was in some cases very wrong indeed.

Would proceed with caution on that one.

Daniela

mgbridges

25th June 2008, 04:03 PM

I've read Slipping Into Paradise by JM Masson and it was just 'OK', some bits made me cringe and and few bits made me say 'Oh get over yourself' but it was OK as something to read in the earlier days of arriving in NZ.

Emigrating to New Zealand by Steve Horrell, rather dry and factual and probably now out of date. Most of the information is available from other sources.

The Sunday Times Working and Living: New Zealand by Georgian Palffy was more useful but again very factual.

My OH has read The Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King and keeps going on at me to read it - OH says its well written, balanced and he learnt loads about NZ.

Also on our shelf is Long Cloud Ride: A Cycling Adventure Across New Zealand by Josie Drew which the Times Literary Supplement quote on the front says "A female Bill Bryson..." I haven't read it yet so I'm afraid I can't comment.

Have a look at this thread for other ideas: http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14641

HTH
Anneliese

Gemini

25th June 2008, 04:09 PM

I found Paul Goddards book Emigrate to New Zealand quite negative. However, I read it in the UK before coming here. I suppose it is a bit more relevant and easier to relate to once here.

craig1234564

15th July 2008, 11:57 AM

just towards the end of the alexander elder book now, i have really enjoyed reading it,
one interesting thing is that on his travels alexander meets a guy who is also writing a book on NZ and is called Jeff - it sounds like he met jeff moules masson - its funny because he doesnt like him either heh heh