Selwyn Libraries are located in the heart of the South Island of New Zealand with four libraries in the townships of Lincoln, Leeston, Darfield and Rolleston. Their newest facility, Te Ara Ātea, contains play spaces, art and heritage exhibitions, a café, and areas for people to work and connect.
Good Reading asked the librarians what they’re reading.
Michelle
Digital Content Librarian
What are you reading now?
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Why did you choose this book?
I picked it up at a book swap afternoon at a friend’s house, upon the recommendations of several others there. I also heard it had been made into a movie, so thought it must be worth a read!
What’s it about?
Recently retired Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend Queenie, to say goodbye, as she is in a hospice. Leaving his wife, Maureen, to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie – who is 600 miles away – because if he keeps walking, he believes she won’t die. Wearing only boat shoes, and without a rain jacket, map, or cell phone, Harold begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside.
Are you enjoying it?
I really am. I feel like I’m walking Harold’s journey alongside him, feeling his pain, privy to his inner thoughts as he struggles to untangle the effects of his difficult childhood and a lifetime of regrets. I’m delighted and moved by the encounters that Harold has with random strangers along the way. I’m intrigued to learn more about the mysterious Queenie, and crossing my fingers that she’ll still be alive when he finally reaches her.
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Anita
Programme and Learning Coordinator
What are you reading now?
Home Truths by Charity Norman
Why did you choose this book?
I became a fan of Charity Norman after reading Remember Me. I’ve been looking forward to her latest book.
What’s it about?
The story opens with a trial for attempted murder, and the jury’s about to announce the verdict. Before revealing the verdict, the narrative shifts back two years to show how happy the main characters once were and how a single event upended everything they cherished.The book cover’s question, ‘How do you fight an invisible enemy?’ suggests that the true source of discomfort might be psychological. I’ll learn more once I’ve finished reading.
Are you enjoying it?
I’ve just started it, and I’m enjoying it so far. Charity does a great job of crafting a story with diverse characters and perspectives. I’m eager to see how it unfolds, which is always a good sign for keeping me engaged.
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Laura
Operations Manager
What are you reading now?
You are Here by David Nicholls
Why did you choose this book?
I absolutely loved One Day but haven’t read any other books by David Nicholls. I was looking for a quick, comfort read and thought it looked like it would do the trick.
What’s it about?
It’s about two strangers, Marnie and Michael, with mutual friends who conspire to bring them both on a weekend’s hike from St Bees on the Irish Sea. Marnie is an editor with a romance novel to proof and Michael is a recently separated schoolteacher. Both with their own personal demons to overcome, they approach the trip with a firm commitment to stick to themselves but it doesn’t take long to see they will be companions in their walking (and more?) for a lot longer than the weekend.
Are you enjoying it?
I am! It’s light and fun and I can relate to both Marnie and Michael. While it’s not unpredictable, David Nicholls keeps it entertaining, and you never know – the ending might surprise me. It certainly did in One Day.
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Sarah
Local History Librarian
What are you reading now?
The Chimes by Anna Smaill
Why did you choose this book?
It was recommended by a friend who knows my love of all things historical.
What’s it about?
A dystopian London where memory-making and the written word is forbidden. What is left is sound, the Chimes, amplified across the city daily by the authorities. The power of sound and music to control, but also to undermine, navigate and soothe is explored here in a story that will have you completely mesmerised.
Are you enjoying it?
One hundred per cent. Anna Smail is a poet, novelist and a former violinist and creatively weaves these elements together in an evocative, beautiful and imaginative way.
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Nikolai
Community Library/Service Centre Assistant
What are you reading now?
America Fantastica by Tim O’Brien
Why did you choose this book?
The cover has a muscle car in the twilight, which looks very intriguing, and the first page caught me and didn’t let go.
What’s it about?
A melancholic, serial liar decides, almost on a whim, to rob a bank. He waltzes in and steals the money (and the teller as a hostage) and drives off. However, his plan goes awry when he realises that the heist has been too smooth, there’s no police on his trail as he wanted, no-one believes he did it, and that the teller won’t leave him alone. Simultaneously, the Fantastical Mythomania is sweeping the United States, turning lies into truths, with an utter disregard for the facts.
Are you enjoying it?
I am thoroughly enjoying it, and it’s keeping me transfixed and engaged. Reading it feels like watching a simmering pot of pasta that’s about to boil over but never does, or looking at an illuminated hill after the sun has set for you, but still shines for those further up. It’s a fusion of modern and ’50s noir, without a detective.
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Cam
Casual Library Assistant
Cam
What are you reading now?
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
Why did you choose this book?
I’m listening rather than reading. Sometimes I like to listen to audiobooks without reading the blurb or knowing anything about it and just see where it takes me. This was one of those; I clicked the first one on the list without reading anything about it.
What’s it about?
It’s a thriller set in a high school. Addie, a student, was accused of having an affair with a teacher the previous year, which has made her a social pariah this year. Eve and Nate are some of her teachers. They are married but do not have a fulfilling relationship. Eve is obsessed with shoes; Nate is impossibly handsome but emotionally distant from his wife. Everyone is keeping secrets, everyone is having affairs, and somebody is bound to die in the end.
Are you enjoying it?
It’s not my usual genre but I’m enjoying it so far. I’ve never read any of this author’s work before. If I like the ending, I may listen to more.
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Mitch
Programme Delivery Assistant
Mitch
What are you reading now?
The Sunlit Man: A Cosmere Novel by Brandon Sanderson
Why did you choose this book?
Sanderson’s ever-expanding catalogue of multiple series has so many moving parts. Each book adds so much to that so to keep abreast of everything going on in ‘The Cosmere’, it pays to read every single book! He has a brilliant and very fun style of writing and creating his worlds.
What’s it about?
Nomad finds himself on the run from people trying to use him to get to someone else. He arrives on a planet that is consumed by conflict and fire. This world is superheating due to magical effects that also provide the sole source of energy to power the vehicles needed to stay one step ahead of the solar flames. This setup leads to a very in-depth examination of Nomad himself, his relationships, as well as trying to figure out what being a hero means when you can’t fight like you used to.
Are you enjoying it?
So very much. Sanderson was introduced to me when he took over writing ‘The Wheel of Time’ series due to the passing of Robert Jordan. Brandon’s writing was reason enough to start reading his other works. If you love fantasy, want something that encompasses universal levels of detail and scope, and enjoy being slammed by brutal emotional moments that are severe and sanguine, please take up the tomes that Brandon Sanderson somehow manages multiple of each year!
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