CATEGORIES

A hint of mermaids

Erin Palmisano's latest novel once again has food and romance at the heart of its well-plotted story.

Execution over innovation

Big and bold ideas are fine, but being the best beats being first.

Something's wrong with all of them

Engaging dissection of the 20th-century novel likely to send the reader in search for the book under discussion.

Cell warfare

A NZ trial using immunotherapy to beat a form of blood cancer is expanding after promising results – and it's hoped the 'gold standard' treatment will soon be widely available.

The virus that stole all the smells

In this edited extract from The Forgotten Sense, Jonas Olofsson traces the rise in anosmia as a result of Covid-19 infections.

When caring is ‘woke'

Some years ago, I sat in a small plane circling over Punta del Este in Uruguay. There was a delay and we sat in tense silence until we began our descent. Outside the tiny airport, a taxi ferried us past private Lear jets; these had been the cause of the hold-up. The driver pointed to two planes side by side. \"This one is a Trump plane.\"

Getting along swimmingly

The presenters of Endangered Species Aotearoa spend a fair bit of time on and in the water in the second season.

That clingy feeling

Our pets display the same types of attachment behaviours as we do, or so it seems.

The famous furred

A peaceful little spot in LA is the final resting place for the pets of some of Hollywood's biggest names.

Gone girl

She wandered in on Thursday morning looking very wan, and climbed into her bed. I sat on the edge and stroked her back.

Squid games

Downbeat, dancey, art music from Brigton and serene tunes from a Prince.

Leaps & bounds

Scottish Ballet head Chris Hampson talks of how Tennessee Williams, Pedro Almodóvar, Marlon Brando and Joan Rivers have influenced the contemporary works the acclaimed company is bringing to New Zealand.

Lost in the labyrinth

New Zealand was once one of the world’s most prosperous countries but it’s been mainly) down hill since the 60s. Dany. McLaucuLan identifies what’s gone wrong and the changes needed to keep us afloat.

Sniff test

There's more to the nose than meets the eye. Swedish psychology professor Jonas Olofsson smells it like it is in a new book.

Welcome to the new club

I seldom travel into Soho on a Friday night because it increasingly looks and feels like one of the dystopian urban scenes from Blade Runner, a neon city packed with people in search of god knows what. But I made an exception recently to attend a party at the Groucho Club held by an American publication that seeks to realign traditional political allegiances of left and right.

Whiskers at the ready

Even by the maddening contrarian standards cats have set themselves since their domestication, Scotland has a peculiarly perverse cat problem. Not only are too many domestic Scottish cats behaving like cats - as in, killing endangered wildlife - but some wild cats have been found to be completely incompetent at cat-ness - as in, being incapable of killing anything, even when their lives depend on it.

Shopping for salvation

Voters are angry, so the government is turning to desperate measures to avoid the ignominy of being booted out after one term.

A never-coming-of-age tale

Across 14 chapters, we chronologically follow the fortunes of George, from age 12 through to almost 40. George is an unlikeable character and we should be thankful that he is a fictional creation, because in real life no one would tolerate his deliberate and calculating cruelty.

Past glories

Debut novel takes a leaf out of the book of modern Irish writing, hurtling classical antiquity into the present.

A touch of flamboyance

Miki Magasiva fell in love with film at an early age and has finally launched a debut feature that takes a tragi-comic look at grief and families.

Pushing all the buttons

The fourth film in the hit romcom series arrives with familiar charms and fresh blokes. But it would be a good place to stop.

Gone to ground

The Te Aroha-filmed detective series that blends Irish and Māori cultures is back.

Refinding the self

Strokes and brain diseases can radically change our personalities. But with more understanding of how brains work, a leading neurologist says sometimes, our old selves can be restored.

In the cross hairs

Danish actor Claes Bang's late-career boost shows no sign of abating, as he moves from TV villain to big-screen hero.

Fabric of time

Tapa cloth samples collected from Polynesian nations on Cook's voyages have made their way into our museums and libraries.

Let's dance

Kiwi dancer, teacher and choreographer LEILA LOIS visited one of Manila's innovative dance companies as it celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Don't stop the dance

In this edited extract from Our Brains, Our Selves, neurologist Masud Husain meets a young woman whose limbs appear to have a mind of their own.

Live from Munich

Riveting drama about how terror attack at the 1972 Olympics made television history.

Last orders

New Zealand's unique climate for grape growing meant it was once seen as the 'France of the Southern Hemisphere'. Now, it's a case of survival of the fittest.

Sights to behold

Being blind didn't deter Aucklander FRASER ALEXANDER and his partially-sighted wife from travelling in Europe. Their memories were shaped by sound, touch and smell.