What if Jacinda Ardern were just an ordinary Prime Minister?
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just published her memoir, A Different Kind of Power. Photo / Jane Ussher
THE FACTS
What is it about Jacinda Ardern that turns some people completely mad?
The publication of her memoir, A Different Kind of Power, this week was met with a predictable mixture of acclaim and derision.
This week, in a piece by Rachel Morris explaining why New Zealand 'turn[ed] on
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NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Top 10 bestselling NZ books: June 21
1. (1) A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin) The former PM's memoir, the first such account since Jim Bolger, tops the bestsellers for a second week, and is unlikely to be dislodged for some time. It also holds the No 3 spot in this week's New York Times hardcover nonfiction chart (beaten only by a book on national economies and the benefits of owning a dog). Ardern's book has generally found favour among reviewers, including Henry Cooke for the Listener. He thought it intimate and fluent, 'compulsively readable, easily consumable in two or three sittings, and often very funny', even if it barely explained her government's policy decisions. 'Ardernism was always more a sensibility than a full ideology. It was a way of looking at the world and reacting to it, not a theory of change.' Cooke says 'there are some hints, near the end of the book, that perhaps she isn't so certain quitting was the right idea … There is little attempt to engage with the arguments against the latter half of the Covid period, when MIQ's usefulness looked shaky and vaccine mandates radicalised thousands of people.' Tracy Watkins, editor of The Post and Sunday Star-Times, agreed the book let us into some of Ardern's emotional highs and lows. 'We also gain some fresh insight into her own personal mechanisms for coping with such momentous events as the terror attack, and Covid. But we don't learn a lot more about what was going on behind closed doors within her government, which must, at times, have been under enormous strain.' The Guardian considered it 'an emotionally rich and candid read, [but] the downside of skipping the political detail is that it's hard to get a sense of how exactly her astonishing early popularity ebbed away'. Tim Stanley of the Telegraph was more acerbic, writing that 'the practicalities of the job don't interest her: this book hinges on how everything felt'. The natural disaster at Whakaari White Island and the Christchurch mosque killings 'brought out Ardern's best: authoritative and sensitive, she has a fine temperament'. But she subtly vilified her opponents, he says: 'I am so kind that anyone who disagrees with me must be nasty; so reasonable that my critics must be nuts.' A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir, by Jacinda Ardern. Image / Supplied 2. (2) The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press) Ardern's memoir continues to hold out of the top spot Catherine Chidgey's latest novel, which tells the mysterious, ominous story of three boys in an alternative 1970s Britain. It's a 'tense, compelling, genre-fusing book', said Emma Neale in the Listener. 'There is the hint of submerged identity; of aspiration and prosperity, rubbing skins with disappointment and neglect; a preoccupation with what is authentic and what is fraudulent; the self and truth only dimly visible … Calling on the deeply rooted psychological power of the storytelling rule of three, the novel is divided into The Book of Dreams, The Book of Knowledge and The Book of Guilt. Three women, Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night, care for a set of 13-year-old triplets in an all-boys orphanage. There are three main narrative perspectives: Vincent, one of the triplets; the Minister of Loneliness, a government minister in charge of national care institutions known as the Sycamore Homes; and Nancy, a young girl kept in seclusion by fastidious older parents. This attention to pattern also coolly embodies the quest for order and control, the troubling obsession at the core of the fictional investigation.' The Book of Guilt, by Catherine Chidgey. Image / Supplied 3. (5) Whānau by Donovan Farnham & Rehua Wilson (Moa Press) This illustrated pocket hardback, ideal as a gift, aims to improve your te reo Māori one special phrase at a time. Donovan Te Ahunui Farnham and Rehua Wilson offer up dozens of expressions, often with metaphorical or proverbial origins, such as 'He toka tū moana' (stalwart) and 'Kei mate wheke' (never surrender). Whānau by Donovan Farnham and Rehua Wilson. Photo / Supplied 4. (3) Dr Libby Fix Iron First by Dr Libby (Little Green Frog) 'The one thing that changes everything,' reckons the subtitle of the latest book from Libby Weaver. Iron is essential for our health, and its lack is particularly common among girls and women. Menstruation, pregnancy and hormonal change can lead to iron deficiency, iron absorption can be an issue for some people, and it's often a trial to eat enough iron-rich foods. Weaver's new book Fix Iron First aims to address this. As her website, which also sells iron supplements made from organic peas, notes that low iron doesn't just make you tired. 'It can alter your brain chemistry, slow your metabolism, impact your thyroid, disturb your sleep and lower your emotional resilience. It affects how you think, how you feel, how you show up in the world – every single day.' Fix Iron First: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Dr Libby Weaver. Photo / Supplied 5. (RETURN) My Matariki Colouring and Activity Book by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Scholastic) A 96-page companion to Matariki Around the World from a couple of years back, it's a colouring-in book based around all aspects of the star cluster, with activity guides, word puzzles, drawing tips and some recipes, written with a sprinkling of te reo Māori. My Matariki Colouring & Activity Book by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. Photo / supplied 6. (RETURN) See How They Fall by Rachel Paris (Moa Press) Sydney-set thriller from Auckland writer features a Succession-style family gathering in their retreat after the patriarch dies. Tragedy ensues and, as the Listener noted: 'the gilded family will fall … Some of the family will fall by dying. By poison. Others by other methods: loss of reputation, loss of fortune. Those golden sands turn out to be quick sand which swallows nasty rich people up. You have to applaud.' See How They Fall by Rachel Paris. Photo / Supplied 7. (6) The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth and Louise Ward (Penguin) The bestselling Bookshop Detectives, owner of Sherlock Tomes, have another mysterious case to solve. From the publisher: 'In this rollicking new adventure, Garth and Eloise (and Stevie) must sniff out a prolific poisoner ahead of a vital fundraising event, the Battle of the Book Clubs. As time runs out and the body count rises, it seems the bad actors are circling closer to the people and places they care about. Could Pinter, the infamous serial killer from Eloise's past, somehow be involved? And when anyone could be a suspect, how can Garth and Eloise keep their customers, their small town and their beloved bookshop safe?' The Bookshop Detectives: Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth & Louise Ward. Photo / Supplied 8. (RETURN) Matariki Around the World by Miriama Kamo & Rangi Matamua & Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Scholastic) Stories from here and elsewhere about the constellation we know and celebrate as Matariki. Matariki Around the World, by Miriama Kamo & Rangi Mātāmua, with illustrations by Isabel Joy Te Aho-White. Photo / Supplied 9. (7) End Your Fight with Food by Claire Turnbull (A&U) From the publisher: 'We are bombarded with advice on what we should do to be healthier or lose weight, but making that happen feels overwhelming, if not impossible. This cycle of trying and 'failing' then leaves you stuck in frustration, shame and self-blame. 'In this compassionate and practical guide, nutritionist and wellbeing expert Claire Turnbull helps you break free from the struggle. She explains how our eating is influenced by our psychology, why diets often fail to deliver lasting results — and why willpower alone isn't the answer. Plus, she shows why focusing exclusively on the number on the scales can get in the way of truly looking after our health. 'Learn how to unpack your eating patterns and change your habits for good, so that you're eating in accordance with your health and wellbeing goals, rather than focusing on your weight. 'Beyond food, Claire shares the latest research on the key pillars of genuine wellbeing: nourishment, sleep, movement, relationships, managing stress and connecting with your purpose.' End Your Fight with Food by Claire Turnbull. Photo / Supplied 10. (NEW) Easy Weeknight Meals by My Food Bag & Nadia Lim (A&U) Tenth anniversary edition of this co-production with the meal-delivery company. From the publisher: 'Here is the solution to every cook's weeknight dilemma – what to cook tonight? Delicious, simple-to-follow, nutritious recipes that your family and friends will love from the My Food Bag team and Nadia Lim. These recipes have been rated as favourites by My Food Bag customers, so you can relax in the knowledge that each recipe is tasty, easy to make and foolproof. They're organised by season, and Nadia's background as a dietitian and her strong healthy food philosophy ensures that they are nutritionally balanced and good for you.' Easy Weeknight Meals by My Food Bag & Nadia Lim. Image / Supplied Source: NielsenIQ BookScan – week ending June 21.
Newsroom
3 days ago
- Newsroom
‘Dear Brooke, make my wish come true'
I'm getting my Christmas wish list in early. I don't want golf clubs, diamonds or a pony I can ride twice. I have two simple wishes for this Christmas, both to do with the dear old Public Lending Right. I dream of the modern equivalent of a cheque in time for Christmas from the PLR. But I know with certainty the precise amount that I – and most authors – will receive: nothing. This is despite me having around 160 copies of my books in public libraries. The scheme needs to change. I doubt anyone thinks otherwise. I don't need anything more for Christmas than these two wishes. First wish: Lower the book threshold to 10 Authors need 50 copies of each book held in libraries across the motu to qualify. Unless you've spent time on the bestsellers list, good luck getting that kind of reach. Ten is a sensible number, and it would mean the scheme becomes cumulative by default (for most authors). It's an accessible number that recognises writing and publishing a book is hard – and having 10 copies of a book in public libraries is worth celebrating (and remunerating). Second wish: Cap the payout I'm using Jacinda Ardern to explain this wish. She's just published a high-profile book that will sail over the 50-copy limit by a country mile. When I looked, there were 137 copies of her book in Auckland libraries alone. I don't know if she is registered in the PLR scheme – it doesn't matter. Jacinda's situation is illustrative. The way the scheme operates means Aotearoa's most successful authors vacuum up the lion's share of the PLR pie. I'm assuming that Jacinda is doing okay financially. If she and Clark aren't, there's probably a tell-all sequel coming. Capping the payments of authors already doing well simply means there's more pie left for the rest of the author community. Jacinda doesn't need a thick slice of PLR pie. This is how the equivalent scheme in the UK operates. The maximum an author can receive is £6600. It's a healthy amount. If there wasn't a cap, imagine the eye-watering piece of pie billionaire author J.K. Rowling would get. This wish isn't about punishing success. It's about sharing the limited resources of a public scheme fairly. The Aotearoa PLR pie is unimpressive. But a token of financial recognition – no matter how small – says, thanks for helping fill our libraries with stories from Aotearoa. My two wishes should require minimal system changes to implement. I started out my working life as a computer programmer – these changes are at the 101 level. They're not hard. They simply require a focus on progress, not motion. And so to Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden, I say: Put on a funny hat and get into the Christmas spirit. Forget the road cones – they're fine. Give the Public Lending Right Advisory Group a rev-up, the Parliamentary Counsel Office is waiting for its call and the Governor-General has her pen poised. This Christmas, give us a PLR scheme that starts to reflect the diversity of Aotearoa's writing community. Deal? Weeping Angels, the most recent novel by Riley Chance (Copy Press, $40), is held in libraries throughout New Zealand, and is available through Bruce McKenzie Booksellers in Palmerston North and other selected bookstores. It was shortlisted for the 2024 NZ Booklovers fiction book of the year. Judges commented, 'It's a gripping thriller that shines a light on the tough topic of family violence.'
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Letters: Does the world really need more weapons?
Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern can take credit for saving lives during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Does the world really need more weapons? 'The War Drums Are Now Beating' was the heading of the letter of the week in the Weekend Herald (June 14). It was an excellently clear letter. The writer commented that Nato leaders may be annoyed because New Zealand is not spending enough
