Books we got (and gave) for Christmas

Working at a library, you might think we see enough books to last a lifetime, and that receiving them as gifts is a bit of a busman’s holiday. Not for us! We really can’t get enough of them and we think we have the best job in the world; working in a library is like being a kid in a sweet shop so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that most of us here found at least one book in our stockings come Christmas morn, and we gave as good as we got!

The sleuth

Judith is in mystery mode this month, having used a gift voucher to pick up a copy of Wolf Winter by Ceclila Ekback – a chilly, Nordic mystery that looked interesting and a nice respite from the heat of summer. It is set in 1700s Lapland; a family of settlers arrive to eek a living out of a bleak and inhospitable climate, when the 14 year old daughter stumbles upon a body. The death is put down to mauling by wolves, but young Frederikia and her mother aren’t so sure and set out to find out the truth. Judith liked the eerie and atmospheric look of the story, plus the writing is good, vividly drawing you in. She also bought an eBook online, the first in The Detective’s Daughter series by Lesley Thompson. We have one of the later books at the Libraries' and it looked so good, Judith wanted to read this one first. It’s pretty good too – quirky peculiar amateur detective who decides to solve the case that obsessed her late father.

Catalogue Link: The Detective's Secret

The gastronome

This wasn’t strictly a gift but I’ve included it anyway as it was given at Christmas – even if Carla had to arrange it herself! A lover of modern gastronomy, both cooking and eating out, a subscription to Cuisine magazine was the perfect self-indulgent present for our Carla who loves both fine dining and good kai at home. Cuisine features try-at-home recipes and restaurant reviews and is available to borrow free of charge from the Hastings District Libraries.

Catalogue Link: Cuisine

The humanitarian

Kristen is the Childrens Librarian at Hastings War Memorial Library and always has a smile on her face and a kind word for anyone. She was given the Humans of New York storybook for Christmas which is filled with inspirational people with often heart-breaking (but uplifting) stories to tell. In 2010 photographer Brandon Stanton set out to create a photographic census of New York City. Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thousands of miles on foot, all in an attempt to capture New Yorkers and their stories. The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called Humans of New York. If you haven’t come across this phenomenon yet, take a look at the Facebook page. Humans of New York is available to download free of charge as an eBook from Hastings District Libraries.

Catalogue Link: Humans of New York

The neophyte

I call myself a lifelong learner. I’m always into something new and I’m forever studying some topic or other. I’m also a very keen traveller but I am, however, a terrible photographer. I even bought myself a bridge camera last year in the belief that it was my tiny point-and-shoot that was letting me down. It turned out not to be my equipment but rather my lack of talent that was holding me back (“a bad workman blames his tools” and all that). So I was pretty chuffed to receive not only a copy of Cities: Explore 100 Fascinating and Iconic Cities by Falko Brenner, but the very practical Complete Photography Manual by Weldon Owen, which promises to turn me into the next David Bailey, or at least Instagram-superstar Taylor Swift. Hastings District Libraries holds large collections of both travel guides and photography how-to manuals available to borrow.

Catalogue Link: Travel guides
Catalogue Link: Photography Manuals

The baker

Viv, our Assistant Customer Services Team Leader, is an enthusiastic cook and loves whipping up puddings, pies and cakes for her delighted family and colleagues. She did actually receive a few cook books as presents but she gave a few as well! She chose Simon & Alison Holst’s Everyday Easy cookbooks as gifts for all FOUR of her sons as a sort of tongue-in-cheek present, but it turns out they love them! Everyday Easy is designed to help you prepare healthy, delicious food everyday with easy to follow recipes, ideas and inspiration, and all with affordable, readily available ingredients. We have an enormous collection of Simon and Alison Holst’s brilliant cook books at Hastings District Libraries.

Catalogue Link: Simon Holst books

The fanatic

If you’ve been keeping an eye on our microvlog series, you might have spotted Kim, the Local History Librarian at Havelock North Library, giving his opinion on Jerome Kaino’s autobiography. Kim’s reading habits reveal he’s a total fanatic who can’t get enough of the game, as he received not one but three books about rugby. First up is Sir Graham Henry celebrates The World Cups 1987 to 2015, by Sir Graham himself. Kim has always wanted to read this as he was fascinated by the World Cup. A slightly left-field entry, but rugby-themed nonetheless, was Rugby Pantry: Healthy Measures and Guilty Pleasures by Daisy Dagg, the wife of All Black Israel Dagg. It’s an awesome cookbook of great rugby food. Kim’s final (for now!) rugby read was Dan Carter’s My Story. Another book on Kim’s wish list, Dan was an awesome All Black and the book is a great read which showed us what makes him tick and the mischief he got up to as a child and an All Black. All three books are available to borrow from Hastings District Libraries.

Catalogue Link: Sir Graham Henry celebrates The World Cups! 1987 to 2015
Catalogue Link: Rugby Pantry: Healthy Measures and Guilty Pleasures
Catalogue Link: Dan Carter: My Story

The eclectic

Katrina, one of our Library Assistants at Havelock North Library, also chose to give Dan Carter’s My Story to the man in her life (for the gossips among you… this is not Kim!). He loves rugby but will only read one or two books a year so this was an inspired gift. Katrina’s 12 year old requested the YA classic, The Maze Runner by James Dashner after a friend recommended it, which sent Katrina on a treasure hunt of her own, only tracking down a copy after visiting her third book shop. After all this excitement, Katrina treated herself to a couple of self-indulgent reads. First off, the best-selling Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith. This is a great series and so far, in Katrina’s opinion, this one is the best yet. Lastly, she picked up a copy of Homemade Happiness by Chelsea Winter, a cookbook which has the most amazing looking custard square recipe which she is attempting this weekend! Again, all three books are available to borrow from Hastings District Libraries.

Catalogue Link: The Maze Runner
Catalogue Link: Career of Evil
Catalogue Link: Homemade Happiness