If this photo could have sound you would hear the former prime minister bellowing CHARTRUESE at the top of his lungs. Such is the power of design.

I just finished this book, with tears in my eyes. Remarkable. I'm not sure I've ever been as 'seen' by an author, nor identified as strongly to a character, as with this book. If you ever want to understand why us kiwi men are so fucked up, this book will show you.

Tomorrow!

'At the time, we didn’t have a framework for thinking of sexual desire as a thing that we had ourselves, as teenage girls. Sexual contact was something boys wanted and girls resisted and then gave in to. But then I say to myself 'Self- control, Kate, Self-control,' so I guess I am acknowledging it.'

Leather & Chains: excerpts from Kate Camp’s 1986 diary

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending February 20

'Our absurd, yearning lives' – here's Robyn Marsack's speech from the launch of Lyrical Ballads and What to Wear, if you missed the event, or want to revisit her words. teherengawakapress.co.nz/blogs/news/o...

Good news — the Verb Festival will be back in Wgtn this year, with new co-directors Gabrielle Vincent and Kate McDonald. Dates are 11–13 September 2026, with LitCrawl running separately on November 14. Verb will also be delivering special one-off events with international writers, and residencies.

Absolutely love this new collection nzpoetryshelf.com/2026/02/20/p...

Why I’ve watched Schitt’s Creek 43 times (and counting)

The Hamilton Arts Festival starts tomorrow: the oneliner below misses out literature, but HamLit looks worth a visit, with appearances by Tusiata Avia, Kate Camp and others - and Jo Randerson is performing her show Speed is Emotional hamiltonartsfestival.co.nz

The wonderful Claire Mabey reviewed Lyrical Ballads, What to Wear, and Leather & Chains on RNZ Afternoons yesterday... www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

'Tusiata Avia’s poems in Giving Birth to My Father haunt me because the grief is as much for the living as for the dead.'

We too are very excited to see this book in the world: it won the 2023 Adam Foundation Prize, so it’s been a while coming, but will be worth the wait!

Kate Camp's book launch is at Meow bar, Wellington in 90 minutes! And the rain has stopped for us :) See you soon, and you can warm up for the event with this great Nine to Noon interview with Kate from this morning... www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

We're looking forward to sharing this with you on 14 May! Have This Heart by Lawrence Patchett is a compulsively readable story collection about men at work, men trying to do better, and what happens when your life doesn't let you hide. Tightly coiled, tender, and unforgettable.

We're so excited to have this book coming! Lucky Creatures by Joseph Trinidad — a bold, warm, and funny debut essay collection and winner of the inaugural Sarabande Prize in the Essay, judged by Alexander Chee. Out 14 May 2026.

Not long now until the launch of Parliamentary Privilege in Aotearoa New Zealand by Geoffrey Palmer! ⚖️ Monday 23 February, 6pm ⚖️ Unity Books Wellington ⚖️ All welcome! The book will be launched by Dean Knight.

Week in Review: A Talia Marshall meditation on Dunedin life, inspired by powerful new novel Party Boy by Breton Dukes

Jenny Bornholdt and Bill Manhire at number 1 and 2 on Unity Wellington’s bestseller list this week, followed by MA grad Eva Wyles, and only then George Saunders!

Coming up in April: a new collection from one of New Zealand's most celebrated poets, who received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in 2025. Dinah Hawken's Peace & Quiet is powerful and illuminating. These poems show that peace, gentleness and reflection are a form of resistance.

Happy Publication Day + 1 @pacificraft.bsky.social

And happy publication day to Sir Geoffrey Palmer! A vital follow-up to his bestselling How to Save Democracy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Published ahead of the 2026 NZ General Election, this new book by Sir Geoffrey Palmer invites public scrutiny of how Parliament wields its powers.

Happy publication day to Bill Manhire! Lyrical Ballads is a dazzling new collection. As they notice the small collisions between wonder and everyday reality, and the trajectories of those who don’t fit easily in this world, these poems close in on the darker certainties of our lives.

Happy publication day to Breton Dukes! A debut novel from an excellent writer. Marco is stressed. On one hand, he’s a cook in a progressive city bar, a married father of three, doing all he can to raise his boys right. On the other (slightly burnt) hand, his life is chaos...

Happy publication day Kate Camp! When we announced Leather & Chains, you saw the author photo of adult Kate... well, here's her co-writer, Kate in 1986! This diary is a book like no other and we are so thrilled to share it with you. Make sure to join us at the launch next week!

Happy publication day to Jenny Bornholdt! The poems in What to Wear observe that life means doing ordinary and marvellous things – like going to Bunnings, falling asleep on the train, losing and finding poems, losing and dreaming of our mothers, loving, dying, and deciding what to wear.

Lyrical Ballads by Bill Manhire is a work of stone-cold beauty and genius. Thank you @thwupbooks.bsky.social & @pacificraft.bsky.social teherengawakapress.co.nz/products/lyr...

Uncomplicated pleasures in a complicated world: Bill Manhire and Jenny Bornholdt’s new poetry, reviewed

Double review on a double launch day for @thwupbooks.bsky.social. thespinoff.co.nz/books/11-02-...

'I cannot recommend Lyrical Ballads and What to Wear enough. There is so much to be found inside each. So much there to soothe you, understand you, lead you on... Reading Manhire and Bornholdt is an uncomplicated pleasure in a complicated world.' thespinoff.co.nz/books/11-02-...

Happy Birthday to dear Fleur, who'd have been 92 today #poetry Fleur Adcock at her @thwupbooks.bsky.social @vicuniwgtn.bsky.social book launch at Unity Books Wgtn. And at her @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social book launch @londonreviewbookshop.co.uk wbookshop.co.uk in Feb 2024 Photo credit Mia Farlane

Damien Wilkins has written 14 books, including Delirious, the 2025 Ockham winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction. He is also a musician/songwriter (recording as The Close Readers); his 2015 album The Lines Are Open was named one of that year's... www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/dam...

Here are the books from Aotearoa New Zealand just published, or out soon that have caught my attention. christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/disp... ^DR #pukapuka

Turning his hand to fiction, Dukes’ new novel Party Boy helped him process dark memories of Otago Boys’ High.

Coming up shortly in Auckland

Breton Dukes on the front of the Sunday paper

We're having so many parties this month, and you're not going to want to miss any of them. The launch of Leather & Chains will be amazing! ⛓️ Tuesday 17 February, 6pm ⛓️ Meow bar, 9 Edward Street, Wellington ⛓️ All welcome! More info here: www.facebook.com/share/17vrfm...

We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time…

Heads up. New Elizabeth Knox in the catalogue. christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S3... ^MT

Still basking in yesterday's glow! Here are our lovely longlisted books hanging out together. We're delighted to have seven books on the longlist for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Huge congratulations to these writers! teherengawakapress.co.nz/blogs/news/s...

Currently on order! christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S3... ^MT

Join us to launch Party Boy, the highly anticipated debut novel by Breton Dukes! 🎉 Sunday 15 February, 3pm 🎉 Woof! bar, 368 Moray Place, Dunedin 🎉 All welcome!

We are starting the publishing year with a major double book launch! Join us to launch two stunning new poetry collections by Bill Manhire and Jenny Bornholdt. 📖 Wednesday 11 February, 6pm 📖 Unity Books Wellington 📖 All welcome!

💙 @elizabethknoxnz.bsky.social @thwupbooks.bsky.social

Featuring readings from Jake Arthur, 
Morgan Bach, Always Becominging, Erik Kennedy & Ashleigh Young. This event is kindly supported and co-hosted by @thwupbooks.bsky.social and Inverlochy Art School.

Join me on the 30th for the closing night of Picking up the Pieces, my current exhibition at Inverlochy Art School. To commemorate the end of this latest show, I have curated a line-up of incredible poets for an evening of readings that respond to the themes and ideas in the artworks.