Best reads of 2014Like this list

15 items

1. 1. Dirty Politics

   How Attack Politics Is Poisoning New Zealand's Political Environment

   Hager, Nicky, 1958-

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   This is my book of the year - for its influence, impact, and importance. It is as precise as a scalpel in a world of murk. And as the year ends, again it is to the fore.

2. 2. The Book of Strange New Things

   a Novel

   Faber, Michel, 1960-

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   Oh gosh, this is one of those magic books that holds you in its grip and it is at once uncanny and realistic. Michel Faber is that rare author who can jump from genre to genre and make everything gold. This is quite classic sci-fi with lots of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

3. 3. Scent & Subversion

   Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume

   Herman, Barbara

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   If only this was a scratch n sniff title. Cue wistful sigh. As a perfume lover, I found this book hit the mark and hopefully it will wend its way to my bookshelf sometime soon.

4. 4. Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys

   Albertine, Viv, 1954-

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   A rather great year for music books I reckon. And this was a standout - from the brilliant title and right through. Viv is honest and interesting; I was glued to this book.

5. 5. Tell You What

   Great New Zealand Nonfiction, 2015

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   An omnium gatherum of great New Zealand writing, mostly from out on the Web. If you wanted to compare it to food - you could say a degustation or tasting plates - but actually the essays are more substantial than that. Each piece is a complete meal…Read moreRead more of this annotation

6. 6. When the professor got stuck in the snow by Dan Rhodes

   View on wordpress.com

   Dan Rhodes published this himself. When you realise the main character - The Professor - is called Richard Dawkins, you see why. It is short, sweet, clever, and funny. Bravo.

7. 7. The Cigar That Fell in Love With a Pipe

   Camus, David, 1970-

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   A little piece of unexpected magic.

8. 8. Wake

   Knox, Elizabeth, 1959-

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   This is brilliant stuff - up there with Stephen King at his best. It has so much New Zealand-ness in it too. It is scary and gory in bits, but also contains some pretty thoughtful stuff on surviving and coping and dealing with the unthinkable.

9. 9. Vivienne Westwood

   Westwood, Vivienne, 1941-2022

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   Vivienne Westwood has always been a culture hero of mine. This book has made me admire, respect, and like her even more. A brilliant mind and sense of history, and a very humane person. The book is told in a distinctive style of 3rd person and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

10. 10. Facing the Other Way

    the Story of 4AD

    Aston, Martin

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    I am no expert at 4AD but I don't think you need to be to enjoy this rather lyrical and involving story. A splendidly absorbing read.

11. 11. Saga. [Volume Three]

    Vaughan, Brian K.

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    Saga is such a ripper of a story. The only problem is it is way too easy to gobble up and then you are left wanting more.

12. 12. Once in a Lifetime

    City-building After Disaster in Christchurch

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    There were two essential non-fiction New Zealand books to read this year - and this was one of them. I especially liked that it didn't become an overly academic exercise - it has curiosity, diversity, and a plethora of ideas.

13. 13. Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

    Chast, Roz

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    Roz's story of her ageing parents is raw and real and told with such honesty that it's impossible to resist. I love this graphic novel memoir genre - this is one of the best I've seen of this type.

14. 14. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

    Murakami, Haruki, 1949-

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    A pure piece of fiction. The story was so compelling I sat down and read it in a couple of hours. Murakami nary puts a foot wrong. Brilliant.

15. 15. How to Build a Girl

    Moran, Caitlin, 1975-

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    Caitlin Moran is such a character, and in this book she manages to make a fictional heroine who shares her razor wit and fizzing brain. Lots of fun.