Queen of crime Lynda La Plante's life of plot twists
The importance of going direct to the source was an early lesson learnt by British crime writer Lynda La Plante.
Lynda La Plante Photo: Lynda La Plante
William Boyd on love, realism and the power of the novel
Falling in love makes us blind to another person's "flaws or duplicities or evasions" and powerless to do anything about it, according to William Boyd. In his new novel Love is Blind, a young Scottish piano tuner becomes "voluntarily enslaved" by his love for a Russian opera singer in the dying days of the 19th century.
Author William Boyd and his latest book, Love is Blind Photo: Trevor Leighton
Rhys Darby pens his first book for kids
Beloved Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby has released his first kids' book - The Top Secret Undercover Notes of Buttons McGinty.
Photo: Twitter
Milk drinkers 'genetic mutants' - author Mark Kurlansky
Dairy is a cornerstone of the New Zealand diet, but author Mark Kurlansky says it's a surprise so many people are able to even consume the product.
Photo: supplied
Michael Pollan: Psychedelic drug trips, research and therapy
Psychoactive substances are experiencing a scientific resurgence with evidence showing their value in treating depression and addiction, author Michael Pollan says, but they also pose risks. Food writer Michael Pollan has spent his career looking at how the natural world converges with human culture, but has mostly explored plants and food.
Psilocybin mushrooms, known as magic mushrooms Photo: Flickr
Bookmarks with Rajorshi Chakraborti
You know you're South Asian when your heart quickens and gladdens at the opening bars of a Bollywood song, says writer Rajorshi Chakraborti. Rajorshi joins Jesse Mulligan for a chat about his favourite books, films, music and TV shows.
Rajorshi Chakraborti has written five novels, including "The Man Who Would Not See" which was published in February Photo: Supplied
Jonathan Franzen has gone to the birds
Literary luminary Jonathan Franzen doesn't care that his his love of birds is uncool. They're amazing, he says, and they matter.
Photo: Joel Sartore / National Geographic Photo Ark
Karl Ove Knausgård: struggles and seasons
Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgård came to the attention of the literary world with six autobiographical novels based on his family, collectively called My Struggle (Min Kamp). The series was a publishing sensation in Norway and was critically acclaimed around the world, earning Knausgård the title of the "Norwegian Proust".
Karl Ove Knausgård Photo: Supplied / Sam Barker
Joy Cowley: 'Books should help a child feel powerful'
Motivating boys to read is a matter of providing stories that appeal to them, says best-selling author Dame Joy Cowley, who says more men should be involved in writing children's books. Starting out as a slow reader, and enduring personal hardships, Dame Joy has gained international accolades and reached generations of children. Her series Mrs Wishy-Washy sold millions of copies, and her books The Silent One - about a deaf boy's friendship with a white turtle - and Nest in a Falling Tree have been made into movies.
Dame Joy Cowley talks to Wallace Chapman about her life and career. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Stoker brings new blood to ancestral vampire tale
The strange early life and dedicated vampire research of Dracula author Bram Stoker has been meticulously researched and recounted, in a new historical horror novel co-authored by one of his modern relatives. Dacre Stoker is a great-grand nephew of Bram and the manager of the Bram Stoker Estate. He teamed up with bestselling dark thriller writer JD Barker to write Dracul, a prequel. The pair tell Nine to Noon's Kathryn Ryan the book combines fiction with the researched historical facts about Bram's life.
Photo: Supplied
Sam Hunt: Coming To It
Sam Hunt is New Zealand's best known poet. He's been writing and performing for nearly 50 years and has just published a new selection of his work.
Photo: supplied
