The Unsettled

After Richard Shaw published his acclaimed memoir The Forgotten Coast in 2021, he made contact with Pākehā with long settler histories who were coming to grips with the truth of their respective families’ ‘pioneer stories’. They were questioning the foundation of aggressive acts of colonisation and land confiscation on which those stories had been constructed.

The Unsettled weaves those stories with Shaw’s own and features New Zealanders who are trying to figure out how to live well with their own pasts, their presents and their possible futures. They may be unsettled, but they are doing something about it.

It is an indispensable companion for the journey towards understanding the complex and difficult history of the New Zealand Wars and their ongoing aftermath.

To look inside, click here.

About the author

Richard Shaw is Professor of Politics at Massey University whose research is published in leading international journals. He is a regular commentator on political issues.

Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024

For the 2024 edition of the Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook, editor Tracey Slaughter has selected 101 new poems from an exhaustive submission process.

Another packed issue, #58 showcases the raw and the vital — including from this year’s featured poet, Carin Smeaton. In addition there are excellent reviews of a crop of recent poetry books.

With work by both established and emerging New Zealand poets, the Yearbook is essential reading for all poetry fans.

To look inside, click here.

About the editor

Tracey Slaughter teaches creative writing at the University of Waikato, where she edits the journals Mayhem and Poetry New Zealand Yearbook.

Enter to win

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, March 17 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 Deborah Baigent, Keith Houston and Carole Brungar are the lucky winners of our December newsletter’s book giveaways. A big thank you to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways in our newsletters.