95bFM's Loose Reads: Time is a Lover by Ocean Vuong /  by Time Out Bookstore

Time is a Mother is the second collection from beloved poet Ocean Vuong, and his writing is as beautiful and raw and intimate as ever. Grappling with the death of his mother, as well as his own addiction, Vuong explores the grief and love and history that continues to shape him. Formally more confident than ever, these poems dance masterfully between prose, narrative, and sparse shreds, filled with Vuong's characteristically lyrical and dreamlike imagery. My personal favourite was 'Amazon History of a Nail Salon Worker' - a moving portrait of Vuong's mother in the last year of her life, composed solely from each of her mundane monthly purchases. Poetry isn't everyone's cup of tea, but Vuong is definitely one to try - there's bound to be something in here that gets you in the heart.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Pure Colour by Sheila Heti /  by Time Out Bookstore

Jenna reviews one of her favourite books of 2022 so far - it’s just a little difficult to explain what it’s about.

Canadian author Sheila Heti questions creation, love, grief, art, philosophy, nature & more in this quietly profound novel.

Listen to Jenna, Rachel and Zoe chat as they are reunited in the studio. Click the link below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: The Premonitions Bureau by Sam Knight /  by Time Out Bookstore

We have a great non-fiction recommendation for you today. In the late 1960’s, a Premonitions Bureau was set up at the Evening Standard by psychiatrist John Barker and journalist Peter Fairley. However, Barker’s own fatality is predicted by one of his subjects.

An anecdotal yarn that follows the science of trying to explain the unexplainable.

Listen to Jenna and Rachel on the phone below:

95bFM's Loose Reads: All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami /  by Time Out Bookstore

Manon calls in from Oamaru to give her latest review!

All the Lovers in the Night (2011, trans. Sam Bett, David Boyd) is the newly translated novel from Mieko Kawakami, one of Japan’s most exciting writers.

It’s the story of Fuyuko, a 34-year-old woman working as a freelance proof-reader in Tokyo. She lives an extremely isolated, lonely life, barely leaving her apartment, bewildered by the world, yearning for connection but terrified to experience it. As the book goes on, we learn about a horrifically painful rupture in her earlier life. One day she meets Mitsutsuka, a physics teacher who shares her fascination with the properties of light, and Fuyuko begins to be seen by somebody and begin a quiet transformation. It’s a crushing heartbreaker of a book, but offers so much about the way we shape each other. As Kawakami herself has said, we don’t always find hope in light books, and we don’t always find despair in the dark ones.

Manon’s full review is with Rachel is below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: How to Loiter in a Turf War by Coco Solid /  by Time Out Bookstore

First of all, we have a run through of the winners from last week’s Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, including the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for fiction, Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka.

Then, we are so excited talk about this debut from all-round artist extraordinaire, Coco Solid aka Jessica Hansell.

Following three wāhine around an evolving & gentrifying Tāmaki Makaurau - the form of How to Loiter takes sharp & spare shape in prose, poetry & essay.

Listen to Jenna and Rachel on the phone below:

95bFM's Loose Reads: Slow Down, You're Here by Brannavan Gnanalingam /  by Time Out Bookstore

Suri’s latest review visits the newest book by one of our store’s favourite NZ authors, Brannavan Gnanalingam. Slow Down, You’re Here follows a dissatisfied immigrant mother and a secret trip to meet her lover on Waiheke Island. A compelling read that reaches a shocking conclusion, Suri believes this is one of Brannavan’s best.

You can listen to Suri’s review with Rachel below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart /  by Time Out Bookstore

It’s been a long time between drinks and it’s great to be back to our regular rotation of Loose Reads reviews on 95bFM. Today, Jenna talks about Booker Prize winning author Douglas Stuart’s Young Mungo.

Listen to Jenna and Rachel on the phone below:

95bFM's Loose Reads: Taste Makers by Mayukh Sen /  by Time Out Bookstore

Manon joins our rotation of reviewers on 95bFM’s Loose Reads.

Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women who Revolutionized Food in America is a group biography of Chao Yang Buwei, Marcella Hazan, Madeleine Kamman, Julie Sahni, Norma Shirley, Elena Zelayeta, and Najmieh Batmanglij. Through these intimate and poetic biographical sketches, Mayukh Sen pays reverent dues to long-overlooked women who have shaped America's modern culinary landscape and pioneered cuisines of their homeland. His descriptions of their foods are sublime - this is a torturous book to read while hungry!

From Zelayeta, who learned to cook again after going blind and went on to become the first Latina chef to have a televised cooking show, to Batmanglij, who self-published several Iranian cookbooks in exile, these women are beacons of determination and talent who strived to preserve their culture in the face of prejudice and erasure.

Manon’s full review with Rachel is below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Toi Tū Toi Ora by Nigel Borell /  by Time Out Bookstore

Toi Tū Toi Ora is the book of the landmark exhibition of contemporary Māori Art from Auckland Art Gallery. Curator Nigel Borell has collated a richly illustrated text featuring exhibition artworks both on their own and within the gallery space. The book follows the exhibition's themes of Te Kore (the void), Te Pō (the night) and Te Ao Mārama (the light.)

With contributions from Moana Jackson and Taarati Taiaroa, this book is a must for your home library allowing the luxury of revisiting these beautiful works at your own pace.

Listen to Jenna and guest host Annabell chat below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Mothers, Fathers, and Others by Siri Hustvedt /  by Time Out Bookstore

Siri Hustvedt's urgent and moving new essay collection, Mothers, Fathers, and Others, explores the concept of motherhood, and examines its role in society, art, science, philosophy and literature.

Husvedt moves from the personal and intimate to the macro and theoretical deftly and creates surprising connections between women in her life, Emily Bronte, Louise Bourgeoise and the shifting role of the mother in society. With clever insights into everything from the future of the novel to the interconnectivity of humans and feminist theory, Siri Husvedt proves again to be an important writer for our times.

You can listen to Suri’s review with Rachel below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Last Resort by Andrew Lipstein /  by Time Out Bookstore

With rain and thunder in the background, Jenna reviews Last Resort, a debut novel by Andrew Lipstein.

Caleb’s dream is to be a novelist and after some ethically dubious inspiration, it looks like his dream is to be realised. This book is not serious, sharp & funny and is recommend for fans of grifter stories - especially the infamous Who is the Bad Art Friend?

Listen to Jenna and Rachel discuss below.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers /  by Time Out Bookstore

Jenna reviews this epic novel from renowned poet, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers.

Ailey Pearl Garfield, her immediate family and ancestors tackle racism, trauma, colourism, black feminism, academia and history over 800 sweeping and effortless pages. This book is highly recommended!

Listen to Jenna’s review with Lynne Freeman on RNZ’s Nine to Noon below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Keeping the House by Tice Cin /  by Time Out Bookstore

Suri reviews a vivid, evocative and compelling novel set in the early 21st century, by a multi disciplinary author, Keeping the House by Tice Cin.

Following a multi generational family in South London, Keeping the House studies the rich inner lives of women and immigrant communities.

There is a soundtrack for this book! You can listen to it here.

You can listen to Suri’s review with Rachel below.