non- fiction
ISTANBUL: A TALE OF THREE CITIES by Bettany Hughes ( Weidenfeld & Nicolson, $ 38)
This is a biography to match the splendour of the city. The place known as Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul and countless other names has been a focus of human endeavour since well before recorded history began. Archaeologists have so far identified 42 layers of human habitation and Bettany Hughes has done a remarkable job of weaving together the memories and mementoes associated with all those cultures. At 800 pages, this is a hefty volume to take travelling but it’s hard to imagine a better companion on a visit to Istanbul. JE
EAT ME: A NATURAL AND UNNATURAL HISTORY OF CANNIBALISM by Bill Schutt ( Profile Books, $ 37).
Tadpoles do it. So do crickets and hamsters. Sharks do it while they’re still in the womb. And yes, people sometimes do it too. Biologists call it “conspecific predation”. The rest of us call it cannibalism. And while it’s frowned upon in polite society, Bill Schutt shows it’s a widespread practice in the animal world and the reasons why. He also delves into human cannibalism, whether driven by madness, extreme circumstances or cultural preference ( in some societies, eating your ancestors was a sign of respect). A lively look at a normally taboo topic. MF
GHOSTS OF GONDWANA: THE HISTORY OF LIFE IN NEWZEALAND by George Gibbs ( Potton & Burton, $ 60)
Most New Zealanders appreciate how wonderful our fauna and flora is. But are we aware how unusual it all is? Palaeontologist Tim Flannery called it “a completely different experiment in evolution from the rest of the world”. In this updated edition of his acclaimed book, George Gibbs considers whether this remarkable combination of life emerged primarily from leftovers of the supercontinent of Gondwana or by species brought from elsewhere by the winds and currents. The result is a delightful — and highly readable — account of this complex and fascinating issue. JE
HAVANA: A SUBTROPICAL DELIRIUM by Mark Kurlansky ( Bloomsbury, $ 39)
To say Havana has been through a few changes would be a considerable understatement. Cuba’s capital has seen the comings and goings of the Spanish, English, French, slaves and slave owners, Americans, dictators, gangsters, baseball fanatics, Ernest Hemingway, revolutionaries, Russians — and now, tourists. There is room for them all in this good- hearted mix of history, travelogue and personal reminiscence. Written by an author who has known the city for decades and who knows that to really understand a place, a few recipes are just as important as the who- did- what- when. MF
THE AIRBNB STORY by Leigh Gallagher ( Virgin, $ 38)
The title — and subtitle: How Three Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions of Dollars . . . and Plenty of Enemies — says it all. Just under 10 years ago, two hard- up guys decided to make a few bucks by renting out airbeds in their San Francisco apartment and got a software engineer to help them advertise on the web. Today, Airbnb is worth US$ 30 billion, has three million properties listed and in the past eight years has hosted 160 million guests. It’s a charming, inspiring and well- written tale . . . and it hasn’t finished yet because the founders have just announced plans to expand into just about every other corner of the tourist business. JE