Book reviews: March 2023

Pick of the month

Buzz: A book of happiness for bee lovers
Adam Langstroth
Exile Publishing
$32.99

Adam Langstroth’s new book Buzz is a celebration of the life and work of the bee. Having been raised with bees in his backyard, Adam has witnessed both the exponential rise in the number of people keeping them and the collapse of the number of wild bees.

The compact book is packed with striking photos and inspiring quotes from around the world by the famous and not-so-famous and is the perfect addition to your coffee table book or a companion for your travels.

The hive leads a complex and fascinating life, and Buzz serves as a gentle reminder to the readers to respect and protect this extraordinary insect.

More good reads

Diddly Squat: ‘Til The Cows Come Home
Jeremy Clarkson
$38
Penguin Random House

In this second update of Jeremy Clarkson’s life as a UK farmer, we get a look back at how things have panned out over the last 12 months, all the content being an amalgamation of his Sunday Times column.

For some, the ex-Top Gear presenter is seen as an arrogant prat, and we’re sure this is why he runs into trouble with neighbours and local authorities, although, underneath, a lot of us probably admire his bolshiness.

For those with no idea of how food gets to their dining table, the Diddly Squat books are an interesting and entertaining peek at UK farming life from the viewpoint of a gentleman farmer.

Fear
Byron C Clarke
$39.99
Harper Collins

This excellent read on the different extremist organisations in New Zealand is something of an aggregation of information available, underpinned by the author’s own research and experiences with those on the edge of society. It gives informative condensed insights into people, along with the above and below-ground organisations, all of whom have a different take on how the world functions – which we all know in a number of instances has seriously spiralled out of control.

Helped by their own media outlets and social media algorithms, we gain some understanding of how thought patterns of people can be influenced and where New Zealand society is heading.

Kindness
Kath Koschel
Allen & Unwin
$32.99

Author Kath Koschel shares her moving story, which touches on the life-changing power of kindness. Having faced almost unimaginable hurdles, Kath created the Kindness Factory on social media, hoping to inspire others. Her concept went viral with millions of acts of kindness logged. Kath’s next step was putting her beliefs to the ultimate test – leaving home with nothing but a change of clothes, her phone, and a toothbrush. Not even a backpack of food and no money or water. Her journey took her to every state in Australia and required her own shift in thinking – accepting the help and kindness of strangers.

It’s a fascinating, insightful, and thought-provoking read that’s worth adding to your shelf.

No Plan B
Lee Child and Andrew Child
$37
Penguin Random House

In the third of a four-book publishing deal before retirement, Lee Child teams up with his younger brother Andrew in another Jack Reacher outing. In this instalment, our cross-country travelling hero witnesses a murder that (of course) is deemed suicide by the local small-town police.

Helping out an unconvinced detective, Jack takes over the case managing (of course) to bruise a few knuckles along the way, eventually leading him to the head honchos of a private prison corporation.
Like all Jack Reacher novels, it’s a tried-and-tested formula that (of course) doesn’t fail to deliver. It’s top-class escapism that won’t tax the brain cells too much.