Hope is the only choice

I was raised a reluctant Jew. My parents provided the raising and the Judaism, and I supplied an ocean of reluctance. As a child, most things about religion confused me, but there were two questions I held inside for years, firm in my belief that no grown-up was interested in hearing or answering either.

Into the void

A whole lot of fuss about nothing is filling the gap while the new government takes shape behind the scenes.

A tour de Force

Ahead of her NZSO concerts, violin superstar Anne-Sophie Mutter tells of her overture to Star Wars maestro John Williams.

The great divide

As new suburbs continue to mushroom around the country, they are defined by one thing: the fence.

From the shadowlands

A New Zealand playwright once labelled New York's best-kept secret is rising to prominence again with the release of his diaries.

Sounds & fury

Bold plans to ease overcrowding in Milford Sound are mired in red tape as local business opposition swells.

Without a paddle

Homeowners in flood-prone areas face huge risk as insurers abandon them. And with sea level rise gaining on us, there's little sign of a plan for 'managed retreat'.

Back from the dead

Bytes can now meet the afterlife, but should they?

Worth the plunge

Annette Bening shines as endurance swimmer.

Failing to do justice

Martin Scorsese’s 1920s true-crime race murder saga mistakes length for depth.

Too much of a good thing

Familiarity can breed contempt when you see people too often.

Crumbs of comfort

On Sunday, I baked bread. I love making bread. It makes you feel like a better person.

Go nuts

Myths about fat content have given nuts a bad rap when in fact they are good for our heart and mental health.

Better werk stories

Local musicians, producers and DJs on the Kraftwerk influence.

Once Dada, now Abba

Kraftwerk weren't always understood at home but now the group is a German pop-culture institution.

Nice werk if you can get it

With the help of superfans including Bill Bailey and local musicians and producers, we celebrate the return of the enduring, influential, confounding electronic group Kraftwerk.

Tough love

The author of The Slap examinines a tentative relationship between two ageing men with much emotional baggage.

Era of their ways

The queen of historical fiction turns her gaze on the largely ignored lives of ordinary women.

Spin doctors

Music is everywhere - on our phones and in the cloud-but, thanks in part to Taylor Swift, Kiwis are joining the vinyl revival.

Coral grief

Coral reefs are noisy living animals vital to other marine life, particularly in the South Pacific. As the oceans warm, quick action is needed to reverse their decline.

The shifting centre

MMP has spawned a group of strategically conservative” voters who act as a handbrake on the left and the right.

Cocooning our kids

Anxiety and depression are skyrocketing among our young. While the pandemic and digital media are factors, many experts point the finger at overprotective parenting.

Forbidden cities

The 15-minute city conspiracy theory is not the strangest such idea to emerge T in recent years the fantastical QAnon canon takes some topping - but it might be the most unlikely.

A trap for young and old players

Rugby aside, New Zealanders are not great exponents of overkill, which is why the little-used power to crush boy racers' cars has been massively superseded by the deterrent employed by a genteel county in England.

Freedoms flicker

A funny thing happened on the way home the other week. Approaching our neighbourhood, we saw police in riot gear at a crossroads, a large crowd gathered and a rubbish bin set alight in the middle of the street, just like you see in the Middle East during protests.

Silence is golden

It may be frustrating waiting to learn the make-up of our next government, but enjoy the quiet while it lasts.

All eyes on the prize

The albatross eggs at Taiaroa Head are being closely observed this breeding season after devastating thefts last year, writes Neville Peat.

Art and artistry

Kiwi author’s contemporary mystery tale is interwoven with characters from a world-famous painting.

Weathering the storms

The dire consequences of climate change have become fertile ground for fiction writers.

Spirits touching

Novel brings to vivid life the relationship of a historical celebrity and her young lover.