I recently received an unsolicited package, which revealed itself to be a book written by a friend of mine with whom I had a lot in common. We had been to the same university in the UK, both worked in advertising, both moved to the Antipodes, and now had each written a book. The difference was that his was published and he was rubbing it in. Bugger.
In New Zealand, there are apparently about 2000 books published a year. I like books and read maybe 15 a year. Which means that every year, I fall another 1985 books behind. And that's ignoring the more than 2 million that are published annually elsewhere in the world, according to Wikipedia. Who on Earth is reading these things and why are we all so eager to add to the pile?
Denne historien er fra April 01-07 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra April 01-07 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
