Rebel With a Cause is the inspiring story of a true Kiwi hero who overcame childhood neglect and abuse to become a successful scientist and businessman, and who has saved millions of lives in the third world.Ray Avery is the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2010 and the recipient of the Sir Peter Blake Medal for Leadership 2010.He has invented inexpensive lenses for cataract sufferers, low-cost and effective incubators for babies, and a number of other creative scientific and medicinal solutions for the third world. Ray encourages other talented people to get on board and tackle some of the really big problems confronting the poor in developing countries.Rebel With a Cause is fascinating, deeply moving and, at times, very funny. Above all, it's an engaging read about how one man truly can change the world.'The remarkable story of one of the most extraordinary lives ever lived - and one gets the sense that he's only just getting started. Mr Ray is one of the reasons it's so cool to live in New Zealand.' - Oscar Kightley'Ray Avery is a remarkable individual who overcame the odds to become an inspiration to all New Zealanders. This is a man who believed in himself and rose above his circumstances to attain excellence.' - Prime Minister, John Key, presenting the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year award

In The Years Before My Death, renowned and much loved actor-director and comedy show writer David McPhail recounts his early life and what led him to pioneer the satirical TV programmes (including A Week of It and McPhail and Gadsby) for which he is famous, what drove him to perform comedy, and what was behind his desire to make us laugh. He tells of his creative friendships with the likes of A.K. Grant, Bruce Ansley and Jon Gadsby; his encounters with former Prime Minister Robert Muldoon, the comic genius Dudley Moore, and the television networks of the day. As one would expect, every anecdote is told with insight, perfect timing and a glint in the eye.

The hilarious sequel to 'The Oarsome Adventures of a Fat Boy Rower'.One hundred years ago Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen were racing to claim the last great geographic prize, the South Pole. It was an epic battle, a life or death struggle. Now, a century later, Kevin and Jamie know how they feel.The Hot Polish Girl (HPG) is starting to get clucky. Kate is back in the picture. Their carefree bachelor days are numbered. There is only one solution. They set themselves the challenge of trekking, unsupported 2400kms from the Antarctic coast to South Pole and back across the coldest, windiest, highest, driest, most 'est' place on Earth.Along the way they experience abyss-like crevasses, tooth-cracking cold, fickle GPSs and skin-melting frostbite. They are ravaged by auto-cannibalism, attacked by white ninjas and meet girls in bikinis. Through their adventures they unravel the mysteries around Captain Scott's last expedition. Written in the same whimsical, entertaining style as 'The Oarsome Adventures of a Fat Boy Rower', 'Escape to the Pole' puts a modern human face on a classic adventure story.www.escapetothepole.com

This is a tale of two men: one who became the first hero of New Zealand cricket, and one whose lifelong dream was to write his biography. Bert Sutcliffe, a stout-hearted giant of the post-war cricketing world, never did get to see his long-awaited story hit the press. He died in 2001 aged 77, leaving behind a trail of re-written record books. And what records those were: whether it's the stories about Sutcliffe's brace of centuries for Otago against the MCC in 1947, about his two triple centuries in the Plunket Shield, his heart-wrenching partnership with Blair at Johannesburg, or his heroics at Kolkata during his comeback tour, there were no shortage of highlights. It's not hard to understand Rod Nye's desire to write Sutcliffe's biography. Quite apart from the sheer enormity of Sutcliffe's influence on New Zealand cricket and his massive popularity as a player, a full biography of his life and career had been long overdue. Tragically, Nye, who had been nearing the completion of his life's mission, died in 2004, leaving behind a treasure trove of research on the remarkable batsman, much of it never before heard. In The Last Everyday Hero, highly regarded cricketing writer and commentator Richard Boock joins the talents of these two men and completes the story. Many of those who have contributed to this book have also since departed; it is New Zealand cricket's field of dreams.

As Commander of the New Zealand troops in the Bamiyan Province of Afghanistan, Colonel Richard Hall gained a unique insight into the lives of Kiwi soldiers serving in a harsh climate amid daily threats, as well as into the lives of the locals - from the female governor trying to establish order in a patriarchal society, to the farmer scratching a living from an inhospitable land, to the orphaned girls destined to be sold into marriage at a young age. He vividly and movingly recalls his experiences, but also explains the vision he tried to implement on behalf of this country. He tackles the complex issues involved in an army that seeks to bring both aid and a Western way of doing things in a deeply Islamic country. And he offers an astute perspective on working with New Zealand troops, American soldiers, corrupt Afghani officials, intransigent aid organisations, while tackling crippling poverty, insurgent attacks, impossible terrain and severe weather. This is an important and fascinating view of New Zealand's role in Afghanistan.

A meal isn't complete without vegetables, and sometimes vegetables can be a complete meal. This beautiful book celebrates the range and versatility of New Zealand's seasonal produce, offering a wide range of recipes from entrees and main dishes such as pies and flans, risottos and pastas, as well as delicious side dishes and accompaniments.The book is divided into four seasonal sections, each one dedicated to produce available at that time of year, and with a feature vegetable for each season (eg 'Spring means asparagus'). Mouth-watering photography by Aaron McLean brings the dishes to life and celebrates the beauty of our beautiful fresh produce.This is not a vegetarian cookbook, but rather a celebration of how vegetables can be the star in a range of delicious dishes. All the encouragement you'll ever need to eat your greens!