This novel is set in the New York suburb of Tribeca, and explores the lives of a group of 'creatives' at a time when the suburb is becoming gentrified by an influx of wealthy financiers. It brings to mind Christos Tsiolkas's The Slap in that each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character, although some reappear, and some are told as first-person narratives, some in the third person. It's a complex structure, and it's not built around a single event, as in The Slap, but covers a year in the lives of the interlinked characters, with quite a lot of back story.

I've always been fascinated by time. (Who isn't once you pass 50..) This is a brilliantly written and accessible science book on the human perception of time. It really is fascinating stuff! She explains how and why our perception of time changes as we age, and looks into other conditions which can alter our perception, like depression, rejection, fear. She looks at the links between inaccurate time perception and some mental illnesses, and wonders which causes which. She also explains how we can change our relationship with time.

This is the 2009 revised version of what was originally the Mobil Guide, published in 1973. It was, and is, a deserved classic. The historical sections are terrific - clear, concise, interesting and colourful. The facts and figures are helpful, and the recommendations of sights worth visiting are spot on. This book should be in every car glovebox, it certainly makes any road trip around the North Island even more interesting!

Every household in Auckland should have a copy of this book, and every visitor to Auckland should at least take a look at it. The geology of Auckland and its volcanic origins are fascinating, and this book explains the history and science in an accessible but authoritative way, with stunning photographs and clear diagrams. I thought I new quite a bit about this, but I've learned so much more.

This is the book of the exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery, showcasing the best of contemporary Pacific art. It is superb. The art is stunning, the reproductions thoughtful, accurate and well-arranged, the essays interesting and provocative. Brilliant stuff!

OK, I do like a good English football memoir. Just a pity most of them aren't very good. This one is, although the writing does struggle with cliche as is common in this genre. Paul Lake was a rising star, playing for Manchester City and on the cusp of a great future with the English national team, almost certain of a place in their 1994 World Cup campaign when he suffered that most classic football injury: a ruptured cruciate ligament.