The Ones That Bit Me!

Camels, cows and other young-vet stories

A young vet’s experiences with cows and camels

By the time Marcus Taylor graduated from veterinary school at age 23, a sheep, a cow, a hawk, innumerable dogs, cats, parrots and even a fish had locked their mandibles onto his flesh. Each bite only intrigued him further.

From his first entanglement with a cow in ketosis in Canterbury to a beagle in heart failure in Newfoundland, and all manner of adventures and heartbreak in between, this memoir of the early career of a young New Zealand vet is both heartwarming and hilarious.

To look inside, click here.

About the author

Marcus Taylor graduated with a degree in veterinary science from Massey University in 2013 and went straight into mixed practice. He later worked in Newfoundland and southern England, and then he worked for a year on an animal-health research project with the Bedouin in the Middle East.

 

Grid

The life and times of First World War fighter ace Keith Caldwell

The life and times of one of New Zealand’s greatest military heroes

This gripping biography of Air Commodore Keith ‘Grid’ Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & bar, Croix de guerre, tells the story of his remarkable exploits during the First World War. Flying single-seat fighters against the best of the German air force, including the Red Baron’s Flying Circus and airmen such as Werner Voss, Caldwell accumulated 26 victories in aerial combat.

Over his illustrious career he flew with numerous ‘stars’ of the British air service, including Albert Ball, William ‘Billy’ Bishop and Edward ‘Mick’ Mannock. In the last year of the war, aged only 22, he was given command of the new 74 Squadron. Under his leadership 74 ‘Tiger’ Sqaudron become one of the war’s most feared and revered units.

Written by a leading military historian, Grid details Caldwell’s journey from early flight training in Auckland to his death-defying sorties over enemy lines on the Western Front. It also details his pivotal role in sustaining military aviation in interwar New Zealand, and his role in reinvigorating interest in the airmen of the First World War during the 1960s and 1970s.

To look inside, click here.

About the author

Adam Claasen is a senior lecturer in history at Massey University’s Albany campus. He is a Smithsonian Institution Fellowship grantee, a Fulbright Scholarship (Georgetown University) awardee and a Massey University research team medallist.


Massey University Press is giving away a copy of these two books to the alumni whānau. To go into the draw, please email us your name, address, and the book title you’re interested in by Sunday, September 8 at 11.59pm. This offer is limited to readers of our newsletter with New Zealand addresses. A condition of entry is we will publish the winners’ names on our social media pages and/or in our next newsletter.   

You can check out the Press’ other terrific books at www.masseypress.ac.nz.  
 
We’re thrilled to announce that Lesa Heaton and Nicholas Taylor are the lucky winners of our June/July newsletter’s book giveaways. A big thank you to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways in our newsletters.