Christchurch City Libraries Blog

On 10 December, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While the intent may be clear, are human rights actually enforceable?

At the 100th anniversary in 2048, how will the world look a century on from the adoption of the Universal Declaration?

A recent book by J. Kirk Boyd, 2048 : Humanity’s agreement to live together opens up the discussion about the international movement for enforceable human rights. The 2048 Project aims to create an agreement that will guarantee global human rights and the rule of law, and have it in place by 2048.

Find out more information about Human Rights on our Internet Gateway, or find titles on human rights in our collection.

Primary school holidays are fast approaching and our teenagers are already lounging in bed as we leave for work in the morning. Unfortunately we can’t leave our under 14s home alone so what are we to do with them when school gets out? Let the library come to the rescue.

Christchurch City Libraries website has a fabulous page fun things for kids to do which has heaps of help to entertain our kids. There is the Summertimes Reading Club with lots of prizes. A special Christmas page links to Christmas books, DVDs and music, and Christmas websites with information and fun things to do online or print out and do at home.

Your local library will have their own personal Christmas display and decoration ideas too. So pop down and see us.

We also have reading lists and If you like that author – you may like this one lists to help you and your kids choose some great titles to read over the holiday period.

So, best of luck keeping your wee bairns entertained these holidays.

Sunbathing at New Brighton beach, Christchurch. 1918.

Do you have photos of Christchurch? We love donations.

Also contact us if you have any further information on any of the images. Want to see more? You can browse our collection.

Gods and Little Fishes: A Boy and A Beach is set in the most lucrative spot in the country: New Brighton.

Yes, New Brighton! Before the 80s and the opening up of weekend trading to the rest of the country, this local community had a buzz about it that brought swarms of ‘townies’ to the seaside in Christchurch. With a theatre, pier, shops, surf … it was a giant playground. And this is where writer Bruce Ansley grew up. After chatting with some old mates at the New Brighton Working Mens Club he decided to not let the glory days of this era go by unnoticed and wrote a memoir of his growing up years. Alternately poignant and hilarious, this book comes highly recommended for those who love local history and a good laugh.

• Read our interview with Bruce Ansley
• See more on local history landmarks and resources
• See more books by Bruce Ansley

December 8  is the anniversary of John Lennon’s death.

Christchurch has its own memorial to John Lennon – a plaque surrounded by wild strawberries in Little Hagley Park. The mayor, Vicki Buck,dedicated the field 9 October 1990. This was in response to a request by Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, to local authorities around the world asking them to commemorate what would have been Lennon’s 50th birthday and also the 10th anniversary of his death with the planting of a strawberry field. The plaque was removed but returned during the SCAPE biennial celebrations 20 September 2008 by artist Paul Johns.
(I found this information in the Miscellaneous file of our Christchurch Street and Place Names resource)

John Lennon’s life, works and death have been examined in detail in books and film.

Do you have a favourite Lennon song?  I was remembering Norwegian Wood which a fan site tells me was largely written by John with a few extra bits from Paul.

I love a good surprise. I also love surprising others with good things.

Here at the Central Library, we want to surprise YOU. We’ve wrapped up a whole bunch of good reads for you to rip into over your Christmas break. Throw away your holiday reading lists. Choose your books by size or colour of the wrapping paper instead.

Indulge the kid in you and grab as many as your arms can carry (let’s face it, most of the fun is in the unwrapping!). Keep it under the tree as an extra ‘present’ to open on Christmas Day or tear into it as soon as you’ve issued it to your library card.

Maybe you’ll discover your new favourite author, or try a genre you’ve never read before…

Go on, surprise yourself!

I’ve just had a peruse of the latest The Listener (December 11-17 Vol 226), which has their annual list of Top 100 Books, over my morning porridge – don’t knock it until you try it!

First thought was, what have I been doing with my year, as there were so many I hadn’t even heard of let alone read, but then I actually found two I had read and they were both highlights of my reading year.

Room: a novel by Emma Donoghue has been acclaimed world wide and for good reason.

Jack, our narrator and hero is turning five when we first meet him. He lives in Room with his Ma, the only space he has known since being born there. It is a garden shed that measures 11 feet square and they are locked in by the man who abducted Jack’s mother seven years ago.

Jack’s view of life is revealed slowly, and he is the sole voice, you only get a glimpse of how his mother copes with this horror through his naive eyes. The daily life she has developed for him, the fear they both have of the man who keeps them imprisoned and the suspense that builds throughout this slim but powerful book will want you to read it all in one sitting. It’s a must read!

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut was nominated for the Booker Prize and is a curiously written book, the style of which may drive some crazy, but persevere and you will be rewarded. It is written in the third person, with the narrator recounting walking trips through Africa and travel in India.

The narrator is observing himself as if he was travelling alongside at some points, then switching to the first person to explain his feelings or reactions to what his happening to him. It is odd to start with, but you soon fall into the lovely rich prose, and the descriptions of Africa in particular were such that I got out of bed at 11.30 to hunt out an atlas to follow his progress.

So, check out the list, see how many you have read, and maybe resolve to read a few more.

Tell us what you thought of the ones that you have read from the list.

• The full list will be available on the Listener website on 25 December
• See our picks of the Best reads of 2010

A horse & buggy travel through cabbage trees in Long Valley, North Canterbury

Following up on Marion’s post about secret gardens in the city, and given that Tī Kōuka is a ‘symbol for our city’, I want to know where your favourite cabbage tree is in the Canterbury.

My personal favourite is in my neighbour’s yard (not far to go!). So where’s yours? On the banks of Avon River? Tucked up in Heathcote Valley?

Find out about the history and importance of Tī Kōuka here.

Check out some other heritage photos of cabbage trees, in Lyttelton, on the River Avon, near the Worcester Street Bridge. Wonder if any of them are still there today …

Necrology – a list of notable people who have died recently

• Rudolf Barshai, 1924-2010
  Celebrated conductor and interpreter of Shostakovich who chose exile from the Soviet Union

• Stan Gooch, 1932-2010
  Expert in the paranormal who postulated that socialists owe their political allegiance to Neanderthal genes

• Henryk Gorecki, 1933-2010
  Polish composer who abandoned the avant garde to win popular acclaim with his Symphony No 3

• Robert Katz, 1933-2010
  American writer who claimed Pius XII failed to prevent a wartime massacre

• Harry Mulisch, 1927-2010
  Dutch novelist who confronted the moral ambiguities of wartime collaboration and resistance

• Allan Sandage, 1926-2010
  One of the world’s most influential astronomers, who looked to determine the age of the universe

• Shirley Verrett, 1921-2010
  Dramatic mezzo-soprano who overcame racial prejudice to excel in powerful operatic roles

• Thomas Walker, 1916-2010
  Emeritus Professor of Soil Science at Lincoln University and television personality

Although Freda Du Faur was born in Australia, she is a significant figure in New Zealand’s alpine history.

3 December 2010 marks the hundred year anniversary of Freda Du Faur’s historic ascent of Aoraki Mount Cook, with guides Peter Graham and David Thomson. Te Ara has a photo of Freda with Peter and Alec Graham here.

As a woman, Freda du Faur initially received a fair amount of criticism of her chosen sport. As she writes,

I was the first unmarried woman … to climb in New Zealand, and in consequence I received all the hard knocks until one day when I awoke more or less famous in the mountaineering world, after which I could and did do exactly as seemed to me best.

Having made successful climbs, many of them first ascents, of a myriad of mountains, including Mt Cook, Mt Dampier, Mt Sefton and Mt Tasman, she was soon recognised as a capable amateur climber and continued to climb in New Zealand until March 1913, before heading to England in 1914.

• The NZ Alpine Club is organising a day of celebrations at Aoraki.
• Find out about Freda du Faur in The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
• Search for books by and/or about Freda du Faur in our collection, including her 1915 record of the conquest of Mt Cook.