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Sound and Touch

Sound and Touch September 2024

Library News

As winter’s chill begins to fade and the promise of summer warmth beckons, it’s the perfect time to start planning your seasonal reading list. In this edition of Sound and Touch, we’ve gathered a selection of talking books to keep you entertained as the days grow longer and the sun makes its return. Whether you’re soaking up the last cozy moments indoors or eagerly anticipating sunny afternoons, these titles are sure to delight and inspire. So, sit back, relax, and let these stories carry you into the bright days ahead.

We’re excited to introduce the newest member of our studios team, Peter Nash, who has joined us as our new Audio Postproduction Technician. Peter brings a wealth of experience and a passion for audio excellence to our library. I’ve asked Peter to share a few words about himself, so you can get to know him better. Welcome, Peter!

Kia ora kotou, my name is Peter Nash, and I am privileged to have recently started working at Blind Low Vision NZ as a Audio Postproduction Technician. A love of music is something that I share with my whole family. My love for audio production came from years of personal experience on music software from a young age. It led me to obtaining a Bachelor of Music Studies at the University of Auckland in 2021. Before working at BLVNZ, I was working as a teacher aide at Oaklynn Special School. I had a wonderful class of 10 students, one of which was Louis, Diana’s son! It really is a small world. I loved working there and learnt a lot, especially about empathy and patience. I left Oaklynn Special School in mid-November 2023 because I wanted to switch to a new career path which was more in line with my passion and my degree. However, first I spent 3 months travelling Central America with my partner. We started our trip in Mexico and made our way down to Panama. It was, unsurprisingly, an amazing experience that I will never forget.

It really has been a pleasure working at BLVNZ so far. I have felt warmly welcomed by everyone I have met, and I can’t wait for what will come next. Hei konā mai, Peter.

Braille Book Giveaway – Expand Your Library!

Blind Low Vision NZ is offering a selection of used Braille books, available on a first come, first serve basis. These books are in good condition and can be couriered to any part of New Zealand free of charge.
There’s no limit to how many titles you can choose, but make sure you select books that you truly want and can accommodate. This giveaway will last up to 30 days at a time with each release, so get your request in quick.

To place an order or for more information, email DaisyPlayers@blindlowvision.org.nz or call us at 0800 24 33 33. Share this offer with anyone who may be interested!

Tech Tidbits: Keep EasyReader Running Smoothly!

We’ve had a few folks reach out about EasyReader disconnecting from the BLV Library, and it might be linked to some recent updates — like the cool new feature that means you no longer need a Dolphin account to use EasyReader. Here’s a quick tip: Before you hit the hay, give your phone a little nap too by turning it off. Power it back on in the morning, and voilà! Everything should run like a dream. If you’re not keen on doing this nightly, try restarting your phone and running updates as part of its regular maintenance. This simple reset can zap those pesky bugs and keep your apps working like a charm!

Library Recommendations

Lioness by Emily Perkins, winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, tells the compelling story of Therese, a woman who has grown accustomed to a life of luxury after marrying into a powerful, empire-building family. However, when allegations of corruption surface around her husband’s latest project, the resulting scandal is both swift and devastating. As Therese grapples with the fallout, she begins to see her privileged, insular world in a new light. Meanwhile, in the flat below hers, something unexpected is quietly unfolding. Read by Owen Scott in 9 hours, 14 minutes. Published in 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142646.

After narrating Hormone Repair Manual: Every Woman’s Guide to Healthy Hormones After 40 by Lara Briden, Marguerite Vanderkolk highly recommends it as an essential reference for women approaching or experiencing perimenopause. Having gone through menopause herself, Marguerite considers it one of the best books she’s encountered on the subject. The book offers a wealth of biological, medical, and nutritional insights, all presented in an easily accessible manner. As a New Zealand-based author, Lara Briden has a deep understanding of the specific health context for women in New Zealand, making this guide particularly relevant and valuable.

Naturopath Lara Briden has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health. Her fresh approach aims to overturn the stigma of perimenopause and menopause and show women that: many symptoms are temporary and manageable, emotional challenges can present an opportunity to thrive, a focus on health during this period can bring benefits for years to come.  Read by Marguerite Vanderkolk in 10 hours, 13 minutes. Published in 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142233.

Book reviews from audio producer Simon Lynch

The following book reviews have been written by book producer Simon Lynch and produced by Blind Low Vision NZ.

The Accidental Duchess by Emma Manners. Life in a castle isn’t always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland vividly illustrates in her memoir. At times funny, fascinating and revealing, this pony-mad Welsh country girl fell in love as a young woman with David Manners, having no idea he was heir to one of the most senior hereditary titles in the United Kingdom. Five boisterous children later and a vast estate requiring modernization, this is the autobiography of a redoubtable and resourceful woman. First published in 2022 and brought to life by narrator Christina Cie, The Accidental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has either visited or wondered about a stately home, and what it would be like to live there. Book number 142025.

From Tamaki-Makau-Rau To Auckland  by R.C.J. Stone. First published in 2001, R.C.J. Stone’s non-fiction book From Tamaki-Makau-Rau To Auckland traces the history of the Auckland region. From the beginnings of settlement about 800 years ago and up until 1840. As a model for local history, this insightful and detailed book has appeal beyond Auckland itself, detailing the impact of European settlement on traditional life. Expertly narrated by Paul Barrett, From Tamaki-Makau-Rau To Auckland is a book for those readers interested in a detailed history, one that led to the founding of Aotearoa’s largest city. Book number 142495.

Feedback for Studios

We are always interested to hear Members experiences with using the books and magazines available through our Library service. Any time you find a book that’s not working the way it should, please let us know so we can take a look and fix it for you. This is not about stories with unsatisfactory endings or books with opinions you disagree with – we can’t fix that! This is about books in which the navigation doesn’t work or chapters won’t play, which we can usually sort out. You are welcome to email us – library@blindlowvision.org.nz – or phone us through the Contact Centre: 0800 24 33 33.

Adult Non Fiction

Adventure

Every Effing Inch: Fear and Loathing on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Long Trail – the 3012km Te Araroa by Tim Pankhurst

When an elderly trio decided to tackle Aotearoa New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff, they were asked if they were going to do EFI. What’s that?, they asked. Every F…ing Inch, was the response. Many Te Araroa walkers skip road sections or gnarly mountains or inconvenient rivers or estuaries but Tim Pankhurst, his wife Sue and former Wellington mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast decided that if they were going to take up the challenge, they needed to be true to the entire Trail. Read by Bruce Hopkins in 12 hours, 4 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142413.

Australia and the Pacific

Blast the Bush by Len Beadell

Because of his expertise as a surveyor, Len Beadell was the perfect choice for the task of selecting and preparing the location for the weapons testing trials. With his characteristic humour and embellished with his own cartoons, Len tells the story of the people who worked on the project, in some cases it was as much a trial of them as it was of any weapon, and he recounts the sequence of events that led up to the gigantic explosion that was to BLAST THE BUSH. Read by Romy Hooper in  7 hours, 42 minutes. Published in 2012. RNZFB. Book number 141778.

Authors (Biography)

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D Vance

Memoir of growing up in the Ohio Rust Belt in a family culture rooted in Scots-Irish Appalachia. Explores political themes affecting these community cultures through the lens of personal and familial experiences. Discusses what it took to go from nearly failing high school to graduating from Yale Law School. Adult content advised. Read by Clay Teunis in 8 hours, 39 minutes. Published in 2016. NLS. Book number 142727.

Blindness and Vision Impairment (Biography)

Blindness and the Power of Inner Vision: The Inspiring Story of Mike Bowen and Lil Gillies who met in the Aftermath of the Great War by Hilary Marlow

This is the inspiring story of a truly remarkable South African, Advocate RW (Mike) Bowen, and his transformation from a disabled war veteran into a powerful campaigner for human rights. Mike was tragically blinded in late 1917 by exploding shell shrapnel in Flanders during a battle of the First World War. He overcame this severe disability through his great strength of character and with the help of a capable and determined woman, Eleanor (Lil) Gillies, who married Mike. She encouraged and supported him throughout their married life. Mike graduated from Cambridge University with a law degree and then qualified as a barrister in London. On returning to South Africa he had a distinguished career as an advocate and as a Member of Parliament. Mike forcefully opposed racial discrimination and promoted the interests of disabled people. He achieved much in public service, working with compassionate individuals on projects for the disabled, many of which were initiated and nurtured by women. The important role played by women in shaping men and society is often overlooked. This biography highlights their pioneering work and proves that “behind every successful man there is a powerful woman.” Read by Christina Cie in 6 hours, 46 minutes. Published in 2020. RNZFB. Book number 140969.

Blindingly Obvious: The Beautiful Vision of Minnie B by Minnie Baragwanath.

This is the moving story of a woman who, throughout her life, has refused to be defined by what others think she can or cannot do. Minnie Baragwanath was diagnosed, at the age of 15, with a congenital condition that left her legally blind. However, she did not meekly accept the limitations that blindness might have imposed on her: instead, she dug in her heels and set about improving not only her own life but also the lives of all New Zealanders with access needs. Read by Christine Hewton in 9 hours, 23 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142574.

Blind Foundation Material

Guide to Blind Low Vision Skill by Blind Low Vision NZ

This is an updated guide to the Blind Low Vision Skill for Amazon Alexa. Read by Joe Gilfillan in 12 minutes. RNZFB. Book number 126430.

Guide to Setting up Alexa by Blind Low Vision NZ

Updated Guide on how to set up your Echo Dot with Alexa App. Read by Joe Gilfillan in 10 minutes. RNZFB. Book number 135871.

Crime and the Law

Gangster’s Paradise by Jared Savage

The much anticipated follow-up to the bestseller that exposed the escalation of organised crime in New Zealand. Gangster’s Paradise is about drugs, guns, gangs and money. Lots of money. A gang which took over a small rural town. A police officer shot and killed in a routine traffic stop. A port-worker who helped a gang whisk a shipping container off a wharf in the middle of the night. A crew of corrupt baggage handlers smuggling meth into the country during Covid lockdowns. A shooting inside a 5-star hotel in broad daylight. Turf wars, retaliation, and retribution: new gangs like the Mongols and Comancheros have brought with them better connections with international syndicates, challenging the established gangs like the Head Hunters – so dominant for many years – who have had to up their game in response. Adult content advised. Read by Romy Hooper in 9 hours, 12 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142496.

Food and Beverages

Good from Scratch: Delicious, Seasonal Recipes to Impress by Michael Van de Elzen

Good From Scratch showcases well-known chef and television presenter Michael Van de Elzen’s favourite seasonal recipes, ideal for a satisfying after-work dinner or a long lunch with friends. Good from scratch is your ultimate garden-to-table guide, with recipes for each season accompanies by advice on key ingredients, as well as cooking and gardening tips including smoking, pickling, worm-farming and composting. Read by Christina Cie in 5 hours, 10 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142258.

Health and Wellbeing

Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines and the Health of Nations by Simon Schama

Cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring. This is what the world has just gone through with Covid-19. But as Simon Schama shows in his epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science, it has happened before. Read by Owen Scott in 18 hours, 2 minutes. Published, 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142559.

Not just a GP: More than just a memoir by Tony Townsend

I remember my friend and mentor, Pat Farry, saying more than once, ‘You might be just a country boy, but you are never just a GP.’ This book is about what GPs do and how they do it. Although written as a memoir, it champions general practice as an essential medical specialty. This is a short book about general practice medicine written for the public. It is based on my 48 years of medical practice. I include insights into decision-making, systems thinking, pattern-recognition, and advocacy. There are also chapters on emergency care, boundary issues, bias, medical errors, death and dying and the importance of teaching and learning in medical practice. Read by Kevin Keys in 9 hours, 10 minutes. Published 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142617.

Breath: the new science of a lost art by James Nestor

No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how resilient your genes are, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing properly. There is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Science journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong with our breathing and how to fix it. Read by Wendy Karstens in 13 hours, 28 minutes. Published in 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142351.

A Good Life to the End: Taking Control of our Inevitable Journey Through Ageing and Death by Ken Hillman

Many of us have witnessed unnecessary suffering of elderly loved ones coming to the end of their life in a hospital, over-treated, infantilised and worst of all, facing death with no dignity at all. Many people at the end of their lives want to die at home, but only a small number manage to do this. This book lets us know that there is another, gentler option for patients and their loved ones that is much more sympathetic to the final wishes of most people facing the end of their lives. Read by Graeme Brennan in 6 hours, 26 minutes. Published in 2013. VA. Book number 102562.

Musicians (Biography)

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope. In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice – her truth – was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life. Adult content advised. Read by Donna Brookbanks in 5 hours, 13 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142234.

Jim Reeves: His Untold Story by Larry Jordan

Velvet-voiced Jim Reeves was not only one of the world’s most popular recording stars, he was one of the most fascinating. Now, in this intimate and scrupulously well-researched biography, author Larry N. Jordan sets the record straight, dispelling rumors and misinformation that have swirled around Reeves for decades. More than 13 years in the writing, this riveting bio is based on hundreds of interviews with the people who knew Jim best, as well as his personal diaries. Read by Romy Hooper in 45 hours, 31 minutes. Published in 2011. RNZFB. Book number 142035.

Nature and Animals

Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes our World by Helen Czerski

Earth is home to a huge story that is rarely told, that of our ocean. Not the fish or the dolphins, but the massive ocean engine itself: what it does, why it works, and the many ways it has influenced animals, weather and human history & culture. This is the spectacular story of Earth’s dynamic ocean. Read by Margaret Blay in 18 hours, 11 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142555.

New Zealand History

The Bountiful Berry: A Social History of Berry Growing by John Foley

This book explores rural stories in Waimate between 1910 and 1980. It explores what life used to be like in rural and urban Waimate, and takes a humourous look at heartland New Zealand. Read by Christina Cie in 51 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142699.

NZ and Pacific Non-Fiction

Knowledge is a Blessing on your Mind: Selected Writings, 1980-2020 by Anne Salmond

For fifty years, Dame Anne Salmond has navigated ‘te ao hurihuri’ – travelling to hui with Eruera and Amiria Stirling in the 1970s, working for a university marae alongside Merimeri Penfold, Patu Hohepa and Wharetoroa Kerr in the 1980s, giving evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal in the 2000s. From ‘Hui’ to ‘The trial of the Cannibal Dog’ to today’s debates about the future of Aotearoa, Anne Salmond has explored who we are to each other. This book traces Salmond’s journey as an anthropologist, as a writer and activist, as a Pākehā New Zealander, as a friend, wife and mother, bringing together her key writing on the Māori world, cultural contact, Te Tiriti and the wider Pacific between two covers. Read by Madeleine Lynch in 23 hours, 24 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142304.

Blood and Dirt: Prison Labour and the Making of New Zealand by Jared Davidson

Forced labour haunts the streets we walk today and the spaces we take for granted. The unfree work of prisoners has shaped New Zealand’s urban centres and rural landscapes and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa – the Pacific – in profound and unsettling ways. Yet these stories are largely unknown: a hidden history in plain sight. Blood and Dirt explains, for the first time, the making of New Zealand and its Pacific empire through the prism of prison labour. Read by John Reynolds in 15 hours, 31 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142303.

Would that be Funny?: Growing up with John Clarke by Lorin Clarke

When satirist John Clarke died in April 2017, many people mourned his passing as if they had lost a friend or a member of the family. Many of us felt we grew up with him. After all, for the best part of half a century, since he burst into our lives as Fred Dagg in 1974, he was a performer, an actor, a writer, a satirist and as a commentator in both Australia and New Zealand. In this fascinating memoir, Lorin Clarke tells the story of growing up with her famous father, her art historian mother Helen, and her little sister Lucia. Read by Donna Brookbanks in 7 hours, 14 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142649.

Nuku: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women by Qiane Matata-Sipu

Nuku is a powerful and important snapshot of Indigenous wahine today. Through wide-ranging voices this ambitious social documentary showcases diverse representations of leadership, systems change and success. Readers obtain authentic insight into life as an Indigenous woman in a way like never before. The 100 stories recorded here are of incredible wahine who seek to influence the world around them. Each offer significance to the story of mana wahine. From Oscar-nominated filmmakers and award-winning musicians, to scientists, entrepreneurs, tribal leaders, artists, environmental champions, knowledge holders, mothers and more. The youngest wahine is 14, the eldest is in her mid-70s, and their locations span both North and South Islands and across to Rekohu (Chatham Islands). Read by Cheryl Lawton in 8 hours, 6 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142478.

Politics

New Zealand’s Foreign Service: A History Edited by Ian McGibbon

Since 1943, during war, humanitarian and natural disasters and flashpoints of global tension, one government department has been charged with the critical role of representing New Zealand’s interests overseas. In doing so, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (and its predecessors) has needed to respond to ever-evolving political and military allegiances, trade globalisation, economic threats, natural disasters and military conflict on behalf of a small nation that seeks to engage on the global stage while maintaining the principles that underpin its political institutions. Read by Anne Speir in 29 hours, 39 minutes. Published in 2022. RNZFB. Book number 142454.

War Memories (Biography)

The Last Secret Agent: The Untold Story of my Life as a Spy Behind Enemy Lines by Pippa Latour with Jude Dobson

This is the astounding true story of one of the last female special operation agents in France to get out alive after its liberation in WWII. Born in 1921, Pippa Latour was a covert special operations agent who parachuted into a field in Nazi-occupied Normandy. Trained by the British as a Special Operations Executive, Pippa was lauded for her fluency with languages and her coding ability – both attributes she put to remarkable use as she posed as a teenage soap seller, often selling soap to the German soldiers, and sending back information via code to the UK. Pippa continued her mission until France’s liberation in August 1944. For decades, Pippa told no one – not even her family – of her incredible feats during WWII. Now, for the first time, her story can be told in full. Adult content advised. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 7 hours, 55 minutes. Published in 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142619.

Adult Fiction

Adventure Stories

War Lord by Bernard Cornwell

After years fighting to reclaim his rightful home, Uhtred of Bebbanburg has returned to Northumbria. With his loyal band of warriors and a new woman by his side, his household is secure, yet Uhtred is far from safe. Beyond the walls of his impregnable fortress, a battle for power rages. Last kingdom series, book 13. Sequel to: Sword of kings, 133410. Read by Kevin Keys in 12 hours, 22 minutes. Published in 2020. RNZFB. Book number 141081.

Australian Stories

Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright

Praiseworthy is an epic set in the north of Australia, told with the richness of language and scale of imagery for which Alexis Wright has become renowned. In a small town dominated by a haze cloud, which heralds both an ecological catastrophe and a gathering of the ancestors, a crazed visionary seeks out donkeys as the solution to the global climate crisis and the economic dependency of the Aboriginal people. His wife seeks solace from his madness in following the dance of butterflies and scouring the internet to find out how she can seek repatriation for her Aboriginal/Chinese family to China. One of their sons, called Aboriginal Sovereignty, is determined to commit suicide. The other, Tommyhawk, wishes his brother dead so that he can pursue his dream of becoming white and powerful. This is a novel which pushes allegory and language to its limits, a cry of outrage against oppression and disadvantage, and a fable for the end of days. Adult content advised. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 26 hours, 57 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142589.

Crime Fiction

The Litigators by John Grisham

Oscar Finley and Wally Figg run an ambulance-chasing law practice out of a Chicago bungalow. Just as Wally finds a potentially lucrative drug case, new associate David Zinc, a Harvard Law grad who has burned out at a major firm, joins Finley and Figg. Adult content advised. Read by Jim Zeiger in 14 hours, 51 minutes. Published in 2011. NLS. Book number 141417.

Cold Case by Quintin Jardine

When a murder investigation that’s been closed for thirty years is suddenly re-opened, former Chief Constable Bob Skinner is quickly drawn into the action. The story of the Body in the Quarry was well-known around Edinburgh all those years ago: a popular priest found dead in a frozen quarry; a suspect with a clear motive charged; a guilty verdict. But with a journalist uncovering new evidence, the cold case has come back to haunt Skinner’s old mentor Jimmy Proud; and only one man can help him. Skinner is long out of the police force, but he can’t say no. Adult content advised. Bob Skinner series, book 30. Sequel to: A brush with death, 102287. Has sequel: The bad fire, in production. Read by Eleven Labs Synthesis in 10 hours, 16 minutes. Published in 2018. RNZFB. Book number 142014.

Humour

Dangerous Davies and the Lonely Heart by Leslie Thomas

Davies is retired from the Metropolitan Police, and has set up as a private eye in an office in North-West London. Cases are hard to come by until he is abruptly thrown into two mysteries, the murder of a woman being one. Dangerous Davies series, book 4. Sequel to: Dangerous by moonlight, 82472. Read by Synthetic speech in 8 hours, 14 minutes. Published in  1999. RNZFB. Book number 141994.

Fantasy

Shroud of Eternity by Terry Goodkind

Sister of darkness/Sorceress Nicci, powerless wizard Nathan, and warrior Bannon have traveled together to the city of Ildakar. A spell had been keeping the city safe, frozen in time. It is a decadent place, but the three hope that Nathan can regain his magic there. Adult content advised. Nicci Chronicles series, book 2. Sequel to: Death’s mistress, 141680. Has sequel: Siege of stone, 141682. Read by Julie-Anne Elliott in 20 hours, 47 minutes. Published in 2017. NLS. Book number 141681.

Historical Novels

The Wanderers by Tim Pears

Leo is on a journey. Aged thirteen and banished from the secluded farm of his childhood, he travels through Devon, grazing on berries and sleeping in copses. Behind him lies the past, and before him the West Country, spread out like a tapestry. But a wanderer is never alone for long. Adult content advised. West Country trilogy series book 2. Sequel to: The horseman, book number 141430. Has sequel: The redeemed, in production. Read by Synthetic speech in 9 hours, 7 minutes. Published in 2018. RNZFB. Book number 142012.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

France, 1939. Vianne Mauriac sends her husband off to war, while her younger sister Isabelle runs off to Paris, claiming an affair. Once there, Isabelle becomes involved in the Resistance. Vianne’s home is occupied by the invading Nazis. Adult content advised. Read by Laura Giannarelli in 18 hours, 55 minutes. Published, 2015. NLS. Book number 142729.

The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley

Summering with a fellow school boy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley’s finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend’s beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years. Read by synthetic speech in 13 hours, 30 minutes. Published in 1997. RNZFB. Book number 141995.

Horror and Supernatural

The Fledgling by AE Jones

Jean Luc Delacroix has lived for centuries as a vampire, but the 1980’s may be his biggest challenge yet. How does a nearly four-hundred-year-old vampire survive a decade of shoulder pads, big hair, and music videos? Simple. Concentrate on his job. Jean Luc and his demon partner, Misha, work for the Bureau of Supernatural Relations. Their task: keep humans from finding out about the supernatural. Not a simple thing to do when dead bodies keep turning up with their throats ripped out. So the team’s first priority is to stop a supernatural serial killer from striking again. The only problem is the beautiful bounty hunter who keeps interfering with the investigation. Mind Sweeper series, book 2. Sequel to: Mind sweeper, 118144. Has sequel: Shifter wars, not in collection. Read by Donna Brookbanks in 2 hours, 22 minutes. Published in 2014. RNZFB. Book number 142614.

Modern Women’s Fiction

Water by John Boyne

The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. To the locals, she is Willow Hale, a solitary outsider escaping Dublin to live a hermetic existence in a small cottage, not a notorious woman on the run from her past. But scandals follow like hunting dogs. And she has some questions of her own to answer. Adult content advised. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 4 hours, 2 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142451.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Standing in the Shadows by Peter Robinson

The gruesome double murder at an Eastvale property developer’s luxury home should be an open and shut case for Superintendent Banks and his team of detectives. There’s a clear link to the notoriously vicious Albanian mafia, men who left the country suspiciously soon after the death. Then they find a cache of spy-cam videos hidden in the house, and Annie and Gerry’s investigation pivots to the rape of a young girl that could cast the murders in an entirely different light. Adult content advised. Inspector Banks series, book 28. Sequel to: Not dark yet, 141366. Read by Synthetic speech in 10 hours, 9 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142033.

The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden

“Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school, and I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter, and how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of ” The Housemaid series, book 1. Has sequel: The housemaid’s secret, not in collection. Read by Sandra Murphy in 10 hours, 8 minutes. Published in 2022. NLS. Book number 142715.

NZ and Pacific Novels

Better the Blood by Michael Bennett

Hana Westerman is a tenacious Māori detective juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. When she’s led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, she discovers a man hanging in a secret room. As Hana and her team work to track down the killer, other deaths lead her to think that they are searching for New Zealand’s first serial killer. With little to go on, Hana must use all her experience as a police officer to try and find a motive to these apparently unrelated murders. Read by John Callen in 9 hours, 24 minutes. Published in 2022. RNZFB. Book number 142242.

The Tally Stick by Carl Nixon

After being in the country for only five days, the Chamberlain family had vanished into the air. The date was 4 April 1978. In 2010 the remains of the eldest Chamberlain child have been discovered in a remote part of the West Coast, showing he lived for four years after the family disappeared. Found alongside him are his father’s watch and what turns out to be a tally stick, a piece of wood scored across, marking items of debt. How had he survived and then died? Where was the rest of his family? And what is the meaning of the tally stick? Adult content advised. Read by Owen Scott in 7 hours, 6 minutes. Published in 2020. RNZFB. Book number 142689.

Romance

The South Horizon Man by Essie Summers

Whilst in London, Eleanor Seaton and Sarah Raeburn, two sisters from New Zealand, meet Georgina Innes, who works in the genealogical section of a tourist firm. When they invite Georgina to return with them to their remote sheep station to write up their family history, she jumps at the chance. In New Zealand, Georgina sifts through the family’s papers and is amazed to discover that she is related to them. However, she is reluctant to reveal this information. Ludwigtown series, book 4. Sequel to: Autumn in April, 142647. Read by Cheryl Lawton in 7 hours, 16 minutes. Published in 1995. RNZFB. Book number 142648.

Identity by Nora Roberts

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments. But after they host their first dinner party, attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy, her world is shattered. Read by Janice Finn in 5 hours, 11 minutes. Published in 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142162.

The Secrets of the Tea Garden by Janet MacLeod Trotter

She’s gone in search of happy memories. But was her idyllic childhood in India an illusion? After the Second World War, Libby Robson leaves chilly England for India, and the childhood home where she left her heart – and her beloved father, James fourteen years ago. At first Libby is intoxicated by India’s vibrant bustle of Calcutta, the lush tea gardens of Assam. But beneath the surface a rebellion in India is on the brink of Independence, and the days of British rule are numbered. As the owner of a tea plantation, James embodies the hated colonial regime, and Libby finds herself questioning her idealised memories particularly when she meets the dashing freedom fighter Ghulam Khan. As Independence looms, life in India becomes precarious for Libby, James and even Ghulam. Then James reveals a shameful family secret, Libby is forced to question her past and her future. India Tea series, book 4. Sequel to: The girl from the tea garden, 141073. Read by synthetic speech in 19 hours, 12 minutes. Published in 2018. RNZFB. Book number 141983.

Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York

Queen Victoria’s close friend, the Scottish Duke of Buccleuch, Lady Margaret Montagu Scott is expected to make an advantageous marriage. But Margaret is an impulsive and outspoken girl in a repressive society where women are, quite literally, caged in corsets and required to conform. When Lady Margaret’s parents arrange a society marriage for her, she tries to reconcile herself to the match. But shortly before her betrothal is announced, Margaret flees, leaving her parents to explain her sudden absence to an opulent ballroom stuffed with two hundred distinguished guests. Read by Wendy Karstens in 16 hours, 21 minutes. Published in 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142590.

Short Stories and Essays

Lake of the Kingfisher by Essie Summers

Elissa was delighted to have the chance to return to New Zealand to work. But once there, things quickly changed when she found she wasn’t expected and Logan MacCorquodale, the farm manager, dismissed her as a nuisance. But this didn’t prevent Elissa from falling in love with Logan, which was foolish, as it was only a matter of time before he married Stacy Cressford. Ludwigtown series, book 2. Sequel to: The gold of noon, 89924. Has sequel: Autumn in April, 142647. Read by Romy Hooper in 6 hours, 2 minutes. Published in 1978. RNZFB. Book number 142481.

The Family

Winds of Heaven by Nelle M. Scanlan

The third book in the Pencarrow quartet, about the lives of the Pencarrow family. Pencarrow Quartet, book 3. Sequel to: Tides of youth, 142225. Read by Cheryl Lawton in 12 hours, 59 minutes. Published in  1932. RNZFB. Book number 142226.

Thrillers

The Spy’s Wife by Fiona McIntosh

Evie, a widow and stationmaster’s daughter, can’t help but look out for the weekly visit of the handsome man she and her sister call the Southerner on their train platform in the wilds of northern England. When polite salutations shift to friendly conversations, they become captivated by each other. After so much sorrow, the childless Evie can’t believe love and the chance for her own family have come into her life again. With rumours coming out of Germany that Hitler may be stirring up war, local English authorities have warned against spies. Even Evie becomes suspicious of her new suitor, Roger. When Roger is arrested, Evie comes up with an audacious plan to prove his innocence that means moving to Germany and working as a British counter-spy. Wearing the disguise of dutiful, naïve wife, Evie must charm the Nazi Party’s dangerous officials to bring home hard evidence of war mongering on the Führer’s part. But in this game of cat and mouse, it seems everyone has an ulterior motive, and Evie finds it impossible to know who to trust. With lives on the line, ultimate sacrifices will be made between her patriotism and saving the man she loves. From the windswept moors of the Yorkshire dales to the noisy beer halls of Munich and grand country estates in the picture-book Bavarian mountains, this is a thriller that will keep you second-guessing until the very end. Read by Katy Sobey in 14 hours, 2 minutes. Published in 2021. VisAbility. Book number 142624.

The Children Act by Ian McEwan

British High Court judge Fiona Maye is reeling from her husband’s announcement that he plans to have an affair after thirty years of marriage. Meanwhile, she must rule on the case of a seventeen-year-old cancer patient who is refusing life-saving treatment because he and his parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses. Adult content advised. Read by Martha Harmon Pardee in 5 hours, 39 minutes. Published in 2014. NLS. Book number 141199.

eBraille and Braille Books

This issue contains eBraille and Braille books added to the collection. Adult braille books have an EBraille number as they are embossed upon request. Titles with more than five volumes will only be provided as eBraille. Please contact us to enquire as to whether a particular title is available for embossing.

Abbreviations:

  • UEB: Unified English Braille Code
  • EBraille: Electronic braille books
  • CNIB: (Formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • f.: Computer file available for embossing

The following braille books are contracted, single-spaced and double sided.

Braille Adult Non Fiction

Blindness and Vision Impairment (Biography)

Beyond vision the story of a blind rower by Victoria Nolan

Victoria Nolan is a motivational speaker, advocate for people with disabilities, Paralympian and special education teacher. Having wanted to teach since she was a young child, her dreams were shattered when she went blind; not because of her disability but because of other people’s preconceived ideas about what she could and could not do. Victoria took up rowing to counter her depression over losing her sight, and made it onto Canada’s National Rowing Team. This is her personal story of triumph over adversity. Uncontracted, 2 files, UEB. Published in 2014. CNIB. EBraille 124704.

General Non-Fiction

David and Goliath: underdogs, misfits, and the art of battling giants by Malcolm Gladwell

The author challenges common assumptions about obstacles and advantages. He illustrates the ways having a learning disability, such as dyslexia, forces some students to develop other skills that help them to succeed. Adult content advised. Bestseller. Contracted, 4 files, UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124705.

Health and Wellbeing

The End of Diabetes the Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

The New York Times bestselling author of “Eat to Live” and “Super Immunity”, and one of the country’s leading experts on preventive medicine, offers a scientifically proven, practical program to prevent and reverse diabetes – without drugs. Bestseller. Contracted 4 files, UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124718.

Women (Biography)

A House in the Sky: a memoir by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett

Freelance journalist Lindhout recounts her career, tracing its roots to her childhood in Alberta, Canada, where she grew up reading National Geographic. Describes her worldwide travels; experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other hot spots; and 2008 kidnapping and fifteen-month captivity in Somalia. Adult content advised. Bestseller. Contracted, 5 files. UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124706.

I am Malala the Girl who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai ; with Christina Lamb

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price. Bestseller. Contracted, 3 files. UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124684

Braille Adult Fiction

General Fiction

The fault in our stars by John Green

Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis, until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life. Bestseller. Contracted, 3 files. UEB. Published in 2012. CNIB. EBraille 124741.

Historical Novels

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

Violet is one of the most celebrated courtesans in Shanghai; half-Chinese and half-American, she moves effortlessly between the east and the west. But her talents belie her private struggle to understand who she really is and her search for a home in the world. Abandoned by her mother, Lucia, and uncertain of her father’s identity, Violet’s quest to truly love and be loved will set her on a path fraught with danger and complexity, and the loss of her own daughter. Bestseller. Contracted, 7 files. UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124723.

War Cry by Donald Clayton Porter

Renno, a white who was raised as a Seneca Indian, agrees to lead his tribe against the French, only to learn that his grandson, Ghonkaba, has joined the other side. The White Indian series, book 7. Sequel to Tomahawk, 123942. Has sequel Ambush, 123940. Contracted, 3 files. UEB. Published in 1983. CNIB. EBraille 124781.

America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate and companion after her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France. In Paris, the fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter. Her choice will follow her to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father’s reputation. Contracted 7f, UEB. CNIB. EBraille 125428. Horror and Supernatural

The Troop by Nick Cutter

Boy Scouts live by the motto “Be Prepared.” However, nothing can prepare this group of young boys and their scoutmaster for what they encounter on a small, deserted island, as they settle down for a weekend of campfires, merit badges, and survival lessons. Everything changes when a haggard stranger in tattered clothing appears out of nowhere and collapses on the campers’ doorstep. Before the night is through, this stranger will end up infecting one of the troop’s own with a bioengineered horror that’s straight out of their worst nightmares. Bestseller. Contracted, 4 files. UEB. Published in 2014. CNIB. EBraille 124769.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

Rebus is back on the force, albeit with a demotion and a chip on his shoulder. A 30-year-old case is being reopened and Rebus’s team from back then is suspected of foul play. With Malcolm Fox as the investigating officer are the past and present about to collide in a shocking and murderous fashion? And does Rebus have anything to hide? His colleagues back then called themselves “The Saints”, and swore a bond on something called “the Shadow Bible”. But times have changed and the crimes of the past may not stay hidden much longer. Bestseller. Inspector Rebus series, book 19. Sequel to: Standing in Another Man’s Grave, not in collection. Has sequel: Even Dogs in the Wild, 125404. Contracted, 4 files. UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124743.

Mirage by Clive Cussler, with Jack Du Brul

In October 1943, a U.S. destroyer sailed out of Philadelphia and supposedly vanished, the result of a Navy experiment with electromagnetic radiation. The story was considered a hoax – but now Juan Cabrillo and his Oregon colleagues aren’t so sure. There are rumours of a new weapon soon to be auctioned, something very dangerous to America’s interests, and the rumours link it to the great inventor Nikola Tesla, who was working with the Navy when he died in 1943. Was he responsible for the experiment? Are his notes in the hands of enemies? As Cabrillo races to find the truth, he discovers there is even more at stake than he could have imagined, but by the time he realizes it, he may already be too late. Oregon Files series, book 9. Sequel to The jungle, not in collection.  Has sequel: Piranha, not in collection. Bestseller Contracted, 4 files. UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124724.

Romance

The Collector by Nora Roberts

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Bestseller. Contracted, 6 files. UEB. Published in 2014. CNIB. EBraille 124929.

A Girl’s Guide to Moving on by Debbie Macomber

Nichole, a woman in her early thirties, is recovering from a broken heart after learning her husband was having an affair and separating from him. The twist is that her mother-in-law, Leanne, is the one who told her that her son was cheating. Leanne has looked the other way for decades as HER own husband cheated, and can’t bear to see her son repeating the same pattern. In telling Nichole, she also gathers the courage to leave her husband, and the two women ex- mother-in-law and daughter-in-law rent apartments across the hall from each other and support one another in rebuilding their lives and embracing surprising new romantic endeavours. Contracted, 4f, UEB. Published 2016. CNIB. EBraille 125424.

Science Fiction

MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood

A variety of characters interact with each other after a pandemic known as the Waterless Flood has wiped out most of humanity. MaddAddam trilogy, book 3. Sequel to, The year of the flood. Contracted, 5 files.  UEB. Published in 2013. CNIB. EBraille 124722.

Short Stories and Essays

Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy

Just round the corner from St Jarlath’s Crescent is Chestnut Street. Here, the lives of the residents are revealed in a collection of stories: Bucket Maguire, the window cleaner, who must do more than he bargained for to protect his son. Nessa Byrne, whose aunt comes to visit from America for six weeks every summer and turns the house and Nessa’s world upside down. Lilian, the generous girl with a big heart, and the fiancé not everyone approves of, and Melly, whose gossip about the neighbours leads to trouble in the form of the fortune teller, ‘Madame Magic’. Bestseller. Contracted, 4 files.  UEB. Published in 2014. CNIB. EBraille 124928.

The Family

All the Broken Things by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer

Fourteen-year-old Bo, a boat person from Vietnam, lives in the Junction neighbourhood of Toronto with his mother, Thao, and his four-year-old sister, who was born severely disfigured from the effects of Agent Orange. Named Orange, she is the family secret; Thao keeps her hidden away, and when Bo’s not at school or getting into fights on the street, he cares for her. One day a carnival worker and bear trainer, Gerry, sees Bo in a streetfight, and recruits him for the bear wrestling circuit, eventually giving him his own cub to train. This opens up a new world for Bo, but then Gerry’s boss, Max, begins pursuing Thao with an eye on Orange for his travelling freak show. When Bo wakes up one night to find the house empty, he knows he and his cub, Bear, are truly alone. Bestseller. Contracted, 3 files. UEB. Published in 2014. CNIB. EBraille 124734.

Junior Collection

New Term at Malory Towers by Pamela Cox

Darrell has left, and Felicity is head of the third form. What a lot she has had to deal with, June and new girl Freddie playing tricks continually, the sickly Bonnie shadowing her, and the stuck-up Amy, who has a strange family secret. Malory Towers series, book 7. Sequel to: Last term at Malory Towers, 67088. Has sequel: Summer term at Malory Towers. Read by Christina Cie in 5 hours, 23 minutes. Published 2019. Book number 142556.

Summer Term at Malory Towers by Pamela Cox

There’s a mystery at the nearby stables someone has stolen money and then poor Julie’s horse. Can the third form help old girls Bill and Clarissa discover who is behind it? Malory Towers series, book 8. Sequel to: New term at Malory Towers, 142556. Has sequel: Winter term at Malory Towers, 142558. Read by Wendy Karstens in 5 hours, 33 minutes. Published 2019. Book number 142557.

Winter Term at Malory Towers by Pamela Cox

Susan is excited to be in charge of the winter concert, but Miss Tallant, a new teacher, has very strong ideas about it. And when she interferes in a midnight feast, they realise there’s a spy in their midst. Malory Towers series, book 9. Sequel to: Summer term at Malory Towers, 142557. Has sequel: Fun and games at Malory Towers, not in collection. Read by Christina Cie in 5 hours, 29 minutes. Published 2019. Book number 142558.

Deadly Feathers by Des Hunt

A young city boy moves to Stewart Island with his parent and becomes friends with a girl who lives next door and is passionate about the island’s special wildlife. One day he sees a spectacular South American macaw, a bird that should never be in the New Zealand forest. Soon afterwards he starts seeing sick and dying native parrots. As increasingly more birds die, the two friends must battle against both time and weather to capture the macaw. Read by Madeleine Lynch in 2 hours, 34 minutes. Published 2016. Book number 142622.

Winter Turning by Tui T. Sutherland

Winter has been a disappointment to his royal IceWing family, unlike his sister Icicle, who has been raised to challenge IceWing queen but now that Icicle has broken the truce and escaped from Jade Mountain Academy, so Winter, accompanied by his new clawmates, Moon, Qibli, and Kinkajou, embarks on his own quest to free his brother from the clutches of Queen Scarlet, and win the respect of his family. Wings of fire series, book 7. Sequel to: Moon rising, 142485. Has sequel: Escaping peril,142487. Read by Christine Hewton in 7 hours, 45 minutes. Published 2019. Book number 142486.                                                                      

Escaping Peril by Tui T. Sutherland

Peril is possibly the most dangerous dragon in Pyrrhia, because she has firescales that can kill an opponent with a touch, but now she has a mission find her former queen, Scarlet, who is threatening the Jade Mountain Academy, and then stop her, and she is not sure if the persistent SeaWing, Turtle, who is accompanying her, will be a help or a hindrance. Wings of fire series, book 8. Sequel to: Winter turning, 142486. Has sequel: Talons of power, in production. Read by Wendy Karstens in 7 hours, 42 minutes. Published 2019. Book number 142487.

Theodore Boone: The fugitive by John Grisham

Aspiring lawyer Theodore Boone is still dispensing legal advice to friends and family when a new case comes up. Theodore Boone series, book 5. Sequel to: Theodore Boone: The Activist, 92380. Has sequel: Theodore Boone: The Scandal,142408. Read by Dominic Lewis in 5 hours, 2 minutes. Published 2015. Book number 142407.

The Race is on by Anh Do: illustrated by Lachlan Creagh

Gwen’s goal is simple: win the Championship Games and free the people of Hookville. But that’s before she discovers that the enemy commander running the games is none other than her long-lost sister Kate. What is Kate doing working with the Braxans? And does she know where their parents are? Suddenly, things are a lot more complicated. Wolf Girl series, book 10. Sequel to: Sink or swim, 141884. Read by Donna Brookbanks in 2 hours, 16 minutes. Published 2023. Book number 142456.

The Eleventh Sheep: Le mamoe lona sefulu ma le tasi by Kyle Mewburn: illustrated by Claire Richards. Samoan retelling by Nicole Maynard

Sian counts sheep to fall asleep, one to ten. But what happens to the eleventh sheep? Read by Moana Mase and Joe Gilfillan in 14 minutes. Published 2018. Book number 139640.

Abbreviations

  • BA: Blackstone Audio Inc.
  • BN: DAISY audio Book Number
  • CNIB: (formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • NLS: National Library Service
  • RNIB: Royal National Institute of Blind People
  • RNZFB/BLVNZ: Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind/Blind Low Vision NZ
  • Ulv: Ulverscroft
  • VAILS: Vision Australia Information and Library Service