Book shelf

Reads to inform and inspire.

Under Coconut Skies

Yasmin Newman, Smith Street Books, $65

Lovers of food and travel will love Newman’s vibrant Filipino cookbook. It’s filled with traditional, vegetarian and classic dishes, and takes you on a journey through the lush isles of the Philippines.

Saffron Swirls & Cardamom Dust

Ashia Ismail-Singer, Bateman Books, $50

Having tried Ismail-Singer’s baking firsthand, we thoroughly recommend this sensational, inspiring cookbook. Even if you don’t cook, you’ll want this book just to admire these otherworldly desserts!

How We Got Happy

Jonathan Nabbs and Eve Macfarlane, Bateman Books, $40 Stories of health, hope and happiness from 20 young Kiwis who beat depression. They share the small things, the meaningful things, their personal ‘toolkit’ of habits, actions, skills and acknowledgements that help them build health, wellness, solidity and happiness into their lives.

My Body Keeps Your Secrets

Lucia Osborne-Crowley, Allen & Unwin, $33

An honest, raw and insightful account of life after rape, OsborneCrowley shares the voices of women and trans and non-binary people around the world, as well as her own, to look at the intricacies of abuse, trauma and shame.

Low Tox Life Food

Alexx Stuart, Murdoch Books, $40

We loved Stuart’s first book and this one is just as great! A brilliant guide for how to shop, cook, swap, save and eat for a happy planet, complete with 80 budget-friendly, adaptable recipes without waste.

The Keeper of Miracles

Phillip Maisel, MacMillan, $38

Published as Phillip turns 99, this deeply moving, healing and inspiring memoir tells the stories of Holocaust survivors, including himself, and reminds us to never underestimate the power of human kindness.

Setting Boundaries

Rebecca Ray, MacMillan, $40

If you’re a people-pleaser, this book is for you. It will help you identify boundaries and when they have been crossed. Recognise the patterns and habits that fail to support you to feel empowered and engage in difficult conversations from a place of strength and self-kindness.

Ray Ching New Zealand Bird Paintings

Ray Ching, Potton & Burton, $80

Recognised as one of the world’s greatest living painters of birds, Ching began his career in New Zealand. This beautiful new book is a collection of his sumptuous paintings and text in his words.