Articles in Arts & Books

Narcissist

2010-10-04T21:12:24Z

Narcissist; an illustration by Falco.

Meet the Threadheads

2010-04-27T14:32:33Z

Spurred on by Project Runway and crafty websites like etsy.com, fashionable (and frugal) New Yorkers are turning to sewing as a seemly tailor-made hobby - driving sales of sewing machines and sewing classes.

Marina and Ulay: Witnessing in New Zealand

2010-08-19T05:50:06Z

New York performance artist Marina Abramovic talks about James Franco, UFOs, and her memories of New Zealand.

Digital artist

2010-09-24T03:10:12Z

Computer keyboard and blackboard; an illustration by Falco.

Mona

2010-10-04T21:09:23Z

Mona Lisa with shades; an illustration by Falco.

Mona ET Lisa

2010-10-15T01:36:23Z

Mona Lisa the alien; an illustration by Falco.

Mondrian portrait

2010-10-15T00:53:06Z

Mondrian portrait, by Falco.

The Art of Forgery

2011-03-06T02:15:01Z

Karl F Sim forged the work of many great artists, especially C F Goldie, and was convicted in 1986. Subsequently he changed his name legally to C F Goldie, and at almost 87, is making a name for himself as an artist.

Hundertwasser Styled Gallery

2011-06-10T02:19:08Z

Whangarei intends to build a controversial gallery to honour Austrian artist Frederick Hundertwasser

An interview with 'Tuesdays with Morrie' author Mitch Albom

2010-03-09T00:18:18Z

Anita Evans talks to author Mitch Albom about Tuesdays with Morrie, the rabbi who asked him to do his eulogy and his latest book 'Have a Little Faith'.

An interview with'Sacred Hearts' author Sarah Dunant

2010-03-09T00:14:02Z

Anita Evans catches up with author Sarah Dunant to talk about the third book in her Renaissance trilogy, 'Sacred Hearts', and about what drew her to convents, the Renaissance, and the role of women in history.

The humble checklist has a lot to offer

2010-04-07T04:41:22Z

A look at the main ideas in US surgeon Anul Gawande's most recent book 'The Checklist Manifesto', which finds that simple checklists are one of our best tools for successfully managing complex situations - from landing a jumbo jet to operating on a patient.

A journey worth taking - Farrah Fawcett's battle for life

2010-06-13T01:16:50Z

An in-depth review of the book: 'My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love and Friendship' – written by Alana Stewart. Published by William Morrow – an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers. Released in paperback 22 June 2010 - a year after Farrah Fawcett's death.

Holding on to hope

2010-06-13T00:49:35Z

Grant Aldridge reviews the book: 'My Journey with Farrah: A Story of Life, Love and Friendship' – written by Alana Stewart. Published by William Morrow – an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers. Released in paperback 22 June 2010 - one year after Farrah's death from cancer.

Book Review: Switch - How to Change Things When Change is Hard

2010-07-12T01:16:20Z

Change is hard. Changing the way things are done in a large organisation is even harder. But US academics Chip and Dan Heath have practical suggestions to manage change on any scale. This review pulls out the key points made in their book Switch.

10 things an author should never blog about

2010-08-18T01:59:31Z

International bestselling fantasy author, Jennifer Fallon, offers some sage (and tongue-in-cheek) advice to new authors about the perils of blogging.

Pick-Ups and Put-Downs

2010-08-26T05:29:32Z

Mind games, neurolinguistic chicanery and a painstaking array of scripts and rules for basic human interaction: no one can say pick-up artists don't work hard. But after a week with one of San Francisco's most prolific pick-up men, it's hard to be sure what all the effort's really in aid of.

Bookish

2010-09-20T01:59:29Z

Man with book supplanted on head; an illustration by Falco.

Is Lee Child's latest Worth Dying For?

2010-10-04T08:12:38Z

I check out the latest installment of the Jack Reacher franchise, and determine whether there's something special here or just business as usual.

Gulliver

2010-10-15T01:29:42Z

Gulliver in his car; an illustration by Falco.

Bookish

2010-10-15T01:10:57Z

Bookish, an illustration by Falco.

Book remote

2010-10-15T01:05:35Z

Book remote, an illustration by Falco.

Sherlock Holmes uses Google too

2010-10-15T01:02:58Z

Sherlock Holmes uses Google too, an illustration by Falco.

Online library

2010-10-15T01:01:20Z

Online library, an illustration by Falco.

Bookworm

2010-10-15T00:58:43Z

Bookworm, an illustration by Falco.

Book computer

2010-10-15T01:27:40Z

Book computer, an illustration by Falco.

The History of Buttons

2010-09-29T00:44:44Z

A brief history of the button and how buttons have evolved through the centuries. Includes a section on collecting buttons.

Movie Review - The Road

2010-08-18T01:41:41Z

Author and ABC Central and Western Australian movie reviewer, Jennifer Fallon, reviews The Road.

Mad Men's January Jones

2010-04-27T14:41:04Z

With her breakthrough role as a fragile 1960s housewife, January Jones is the small-screen siren du jour.

Stealing beehives

2010-05-21T02:06:21Z

A news cartoon by Malcolm Evans.

No TV

2010-10-04T21:45:37Z

No TV; an illustration by Falco.

John Baggins Buys His Hobbits back

2010-11-11T03:14:17Z

The Hobbit Saga. A news cartoon by Dave Wolland.

A Costly Exchange

2010-11-11T03:19:54Z

The Hobbit Squabble.

New York on the Down Low

2010-11-16T01:30:50Z

Travel/culture piece exploring the mythology of the New York subway system, with reference to movies, urban legends and the felt experience of the subway itself.

The wild life of Natural History of NZ

2010-11-19T02:39:44Z

Violence is in and sex is out. When it comes to wildlife documentaries, Natural History New Zealand programme developer Craig Meade knows what audiences want, writes Amanda Cropp.

Life without the box

2011-01-06T01:12:22Z

Summer days seem even longer when the TV has been banished to the wardrobe...

Cinema

2010-10-15T00:55:57Z

Cinema, by Falco.

Cricket: Afghanistan's Fastest Growing Sport

2011-01-24T19:34:49Z

Think of Afghanistan and the first things to run through your mind will (not unreasonably) be war, Taliban, and US military forces. But Afghan cricket proudly claims more than 70,000 male participants play in most of the country’s 34 provinces and that even the country’s most unstable areas have teams that compete in national tournaments. In a country where Taliban once banned girls from attending school, today in Kabul more than 100 women play. A new documentary film follows the fortune of the national team.

Violence on TV

2011-02-17T08:25:00Z

The grim tide of violence on TV depicted here as one man kicking another on top of a TV set.

Reality show challenges ideas of charity

2011-04-01T04:01:26Z

Grant Aldridge explores whether concepts behind the reality TV series 'How the Other Half Live' could be put into action here in New Zealand. The TV programme profiles rich and poor families involved in charity sponsorship relationships in the United Kingdom – enabling the families to meet and explore the impact of the donations made.

Director's chair

2010-10-15T01:21:48Z

Director's chair, an illustration by Falco.

The Long Trip

2010-10-15T01:19:50Z

The Long Trip, an illustration by Falco.

Reading Cinemas Mystery Movie Revealed - Scream 4 Just Worth The Price of Admission

2011-04-08T13:45:09Z

The Reading Courtenay team put on a Mystery Movie charging $5 for a late night movie. See what happened once Scream 4 finally starting playing? Scott Donaldson reviews the event.

Drummer

2010-10-11T01:14:30Z

Man playing bongo drums; an illustration by Falco.

Violinist

2010-10-15T01:37:34Z

Violinist plays his tie; an illustration by Falco.

Putting sound to the music

2011-01-03T01:20:25Z

The pool of musical talent in New Zealand is deep and to date, there has not been a lot in terms of availability when it comes to recording it. Musician Rodger Cunningham's Kanohi is a new label that intends to showcase some of the best in the New Zealand music scene.

Second serving a tasty dish

2011-01-06T21:33:32Z

Their first one showed promise and this one really delivers upon that promise. A review of Down Under & Blues, the second CD from the Tauranga based rockabilly trio B-Side Band.

An underwater over-achiever

2010-09-11T00:32:27Z

Catching up with globally renowned underwater photographer Andy Belcher.

From Racoon Eyes to Model Looks

2011-04-06T04:20:33Z

A few tips for automatic camera users to use when shooting out in the sun.