UPDATE ON THE ARTS FEBRUARY – JUNE 2026 This time period was a great reading period for me. I read (and largely enjoyed) nineteen new novels in the period, including several that I suspect will be on my ‘best of 2026’ list. I also found time to attend seven sessions at the Auckland Writers’ Festival over one weekend in May, … Read More
This time period, covering the Xmas/summer holidays, was a great reading period for me. I read (and largely enjoyed) sixteen new novels and one work of non-fiction. After my discussion of them, I’ll conclude with my ‘best of 2025’ list. I also found time to watch (and enjoy) many streamed series that I will comment on at the end of … Read More
This update mainly focuses on the eleven novels I have read over the past six months. Some of this reading took place while I was ‘on the road’ in Europe for three months. I will also comment (albeit more briefly) on films I have watched, theatre I have attended and streamed series I have viewed over the past few months. … Read More
This update is all about the summer reading that I’ve been undertaking; twelve novels in all. I then conclude with my ‘best of 2024’ list. I’ll discuss these books in alphabetical order, by author: BOOKS Martyr by Kaveh Akbar. This first novel by the well-known Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar is not a light read but it mostly engaged me … Read More
This update is all about the fiction I’ve been reading over the past two months. Why just reading? Because this is the time of the year when nominations for major literary awards (such as the Booker Prize and the American National Book Award) emerge, and as a serious reader, I feel obliged to read as many nominated novels as possible … Read More
I’ve done a lot of reading of fiction over the past few months – eleven novels in all, including several very substantial ones – but have undertaken less movie and theatre-going in that time period. I was lucky enough, while in London during March, to attend nine plays, but nothing since I have returned to New Zealand. I have, however, … Read More
AUGUST 2023 – JANUARY 2024 The past six months have been very hectic for me – finishing off the school year and getting my own book ready for publication – but I have managed to do a considerable amount of reading and viewing. READING I have read 18 works of fiction over the past six months and (as usual) they … Read More
Part of this time was spend in Europe; part was spent back in New Zealand. Because life in both locations has been absolutely hectic, I have not been able to read or view as much as I normally would in a three-month period. Hence 9 novels only, and a small amount of theatre going. Mind you, quantity doesn’t align with … Read More
The past three months have been a glorious opportunity for reading and viewing and have I taken advantage of them!! BOOKS I have read 9 works of fiction over the past three months and they have been a mixture of ‘the very best of the year’ and (predictably) a few books that haven’t engaged me so much. In order of … Read More
Because of time limitations, my involvement in the Arts has been largely restricted to reading fiction over the past three months, with a focus being around the Booker Prize (see below). Hence, I only discuss books in this update, rather than the occasional movie, play or Netflix series that I may have watched. BOOKS My reading over these three months … Read More