Talking about Christchurch

The team at Freerange Press brought you one of the best books of 2014 – Once in a Lifetime: City-building after Disaster in Christchurch. Now they come bearing Talking Heads – a series of talks that explore the current state of play in Christchurch and expand upon themes and issues explored in the book.

The first discussion – Talking Heads #1 – is on the topic of asset sales. Councillor Raf Manji will be talking with one of the book’s editors James Dann.

Raf will be talking about how the council reached its decision to include selling assets as part of its response to Christchurch’s current financial situation (submissions for which close on April 28).

The talk is on Thursday 23 April 5.30pm at EPIC (96 Manchester Street, opposite Alices). James will also take questions from the floor, so you will get the chance to have your say.

Copies of the book Once in a Lifetime: City-building after Disaster in Christchurch will be available for $40.

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards 2015

The shortlist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards 2015 is here and there are some gems among them!

2015 shortlist

Find out more: Ten books shortlisted for 2015 Award.

• Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Horses of God Mahi Binebine
• Harvest Jim Crace
• The Narrow road to the deep north Richard Flanagan
• Burial Rites Hannah Kent
• K Bernardo Kucinski
• Brief loves that live forever Andreï Makine
• TransAtlantic Colum McCann
• Someone Alice McDermott
• Sparta Roxana Robinson

This award is presented every year for a novel written in English or translated into English and is now in its 20th year. Nominations are submitted by libraries in major cities throughout the world and it’s fascinating to see what favourites other librarians have picked.

Christchurch City Libraries nominated three books:

• The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton (and to prove we’re not just favouring our own, the list of other nominations comes from all around the world: Belgium, Canada, Croatia and the UK.)
• Life After Life, Kate Atkinson (also nominated by libraries in Australia, Canada, Beijing, Ireland, Russia, UK, USA.)
• The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt (also Austraia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, USA.)

 

Other libraries in New Zealand getting in on the action nominated:

• The Blind Man’s Garden, Nadeem Aslam (Dunedin Public Libraries)
• The Last Days of the National Costume, Anne Kennedy (Auckland and Wellington City Libraries)
• The Infinite Air, Fiona Kidman (Auckland City Libraries)
• The Disestablishment of Paradise, Phillip Mann (Wellington City Libraries)

   

It’s also really interesting to see what books are highly regarded by libraries all over the world.

• And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini is hugely popular with nominations from Beijing, Tallin, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Russia, UK and the USA.
• Canada is particularly taken with The Orenda, Joseph Boyden, with seven different Canadian nominations.
• In Times of Fading Light, Eugen Ruge has been chosen by libraries in Hungary, Ireland and 4 nominations from Germany.
• Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, with nominations from Canada, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and the USA.
• A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki, with nominations from Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, and 4 from the USA.
• And nominations for Ghana Must Go, Taiye Selasi, a tale about ‘the simple devastating ways in which families tear themselves apart’ come from Belgium, Germany, South Africa, and the UK.

 

The final winner will be announced on the 17 June. Watch the official International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award website for details. Do you have a favourite among the nominees?

Chinese eMagazines with Dragonsource!

Dragonsource is the latest electronic offering to our customers – specifically those who can read and understand Chinese!

Dragonsource offers hundreds of free up to date eMagazines covering a wide variety of topics in both simplified and traditional Chinese characters. The eMagazines can be read and searched. You can also download some titles and listen to the audio version.

What you can do with each eMagazine does vary. If you can understand Chinese, have a look today and spread the word.  All you need is your library card number and password/PIN.

也许您正怀念在中国时每期必读的杂志, 也许您一直关心着有关中国的政治, 财经, 文化和时事, 也许您正鼓励您的孩子多读中文以强化他们与中国和中国文化的联系, 那么请登陆Dragonsource (龙源) – 您所有的问题和需要或许都可以在这里得到解决！

龙源数字阅读平台用简体字和繁体字向您提供丰富的综合性人文大众类期刊, 内容涵盖时政 热点, 商业财经, 科学科技, 文学艺术, 教育教学, 健康养生, 娱乐时尚等领域。热门期刊如<读者>, <凤凰周刊>, <支点>, <南方人物周刊>通常与印刷版同步推出, 您既可点击杂志封面又可直接汉字搜索主题或作者查询文章和杂志。您还可根据阅读喜好和需求选择原貌版, 文本版或语音版。原貌版原版原式, 图文并茂, 绚丽多姿；文本版文章可搜索复制，支持单篇阅读； 语音版支持部分期刊在线试听和下载。