INSPIRING MEMOIRS
From the hilarious to the heartbreaking, these reads will change the way you see the world
I DON’T NEED THERAPY (AND OTHER LIES I’VE TOLD MYSELF) by Toni Lodge (Allen & Unwin $36.99)
Honest and hilarious, Aussie comedian and podcaster Toni Lodge exposes the lies she has told herself about who she is and what she is capable of, in this romp of a book that is designed to make you laugh, cringe, cry and maybe have a think about your own little white lies. Toni writes about everything from fame to funerals and Brazilian waxes, as she doggedly pursues the truth.
THE DRINKING GAME by Guyon Espiner (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)
Part memoir, part investigation, this is the story of what happened when RNZ journalist Guyon Espiner decided to stop drinking alcohol. He had been a drinker since his teens and four years ago woke up after a big night and decided to quit. Sobriety gave him a new perspective on our drinking culture and prompted him to find out more about why we drink so much, the harm it can cause and how everyone from big business to the media might be influencing our alcohol intake.
TALES OF A VET NURSE by Jade Pengelly (HarperCollins, $39.99)
There’s never a dull day in the life of a vet nurse, according to Christchurch’s Jade Pengelly. She shares the highs and lows of a career caring for animals in this illuminating memoir. Pet-lovers will be moved to tears as she recounts battling and failing to save lives, but there are warmer, fuzzier moments too. This book gives real insights into what goes on behind the scenes with veterinary staff caring for all creatures great and small.
A FORAGER’S LIFE by Helen Lehndorf (HarperCollins, $39.99)
A memoir about belonging and motherhood, told through a woman’s passion for wild food. When Helen Lehndorf moves to the city after a childhood in rural Taranaki, she finds solace in long walks foraging edible weeds and plants along the river. Later when her son is diagnosed with autism, foraging becomes a way to stay steady in a chaotic world. Weaving the story of her life with recipes plus foraging principles and practices, this is a book to inspire readers to start wild-harvesting what nature provides.
NOT SET IN STONE by David Vass (Potter & Burton, $39.99)
David Vass was one of New Zealand’s leading mountaineers. In 2015, everything changed after a fall in Fiordland resulted in a broken neck. First there was a battle to survive and then David had to come to terms with the reality of life in a wheelchair, far from the action and adventure in the mountains he loves. He says writing this book was a way to make sense of it all and has been a stepping stone to rediscovering the joy in life.