Non-fiction highlights

Advanced Style: Older and Wiser. Ari Seth Cohen

This delightful book takes to task the stereotype that older people are destined to wear 'age appropriate dress'. It celebrates the individuality and creativity of some very hip and stylish 60 to 90+ year olds.

Blitzed!: Drugs in Nazi Germany. Norman Ohler

An astounding account about the role that drug-taking played in the Third Reich during the Second World War. The Blitzkrieg was made possible with the use of Pervitin, or methamphetamine as we know it today, which was freely available to the German people until 1939. Cocaine, opiates and hormonal concoctions were used by the Nazi elite, including Hitler.

Born to Run. Bruce Springsteen

If you have ever been to a Springsteen concert, you will already know that he is a natural born storyteller. His autobiography - about his family, his music, his band, and his depression - is written with the same lyricism as his songs.

Brendon McCullum - Declared. Brendon McCullum

Internationally renowned captain of the Black Caps and Dunedin's own son, Brendon McCullum, tells the story of his exceptional cricketing career. Written in collaboration with Greg McGee.

East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Philippe Sands

Professor of International Law Philippe Sands combines family memoir with the story of two Jewish prosecutors at the Nuremberg Trials who establish the legal concepts of genocide and crimes against humanity. Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2016.

Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. Clint Hill

Retired Secret Service agent Clint Hill spent 17 years protecting five US presidents: this book is his insider’s perspective on their characters and personalities.

Gardens of the Italian Lakes. Stephen Desmond

A superbly-photographed guide to the lush gardens of lakes Como and Maggiore, two of the most beautiful lakes in the world situated in Northern Italy.

The Greatness of Dads. Kirsten Matthews

"A son's first hero, a daughter's first love." This book is full of reflections, stories, and words of wisdom and love, from fathers to children, and from children to fathers.

The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories From My Life. John Le Carré

The long-awaited autobiography of John Le Carré, master storyteller and former employee of British Intelligence, renowned for his Cold War espionage thrillers.