A neglected founding story

Sarah Mathew, a little-heralded pioneer woman, did more to cement Auckland’s position as the country’s capital than she is given credit for, says Tessa Duder.

Ready for takeoff

A Marton man's connection to a WWII flying ace launched a lifelong commitment to keeping vintage fighters in the air.

Immigration pitch

As test cricket returns to free-to-air TV, James Borrowdale looks at how the South African diaspora has changed our summer game.

Splitting headache

Cutting ties with the European Union has failed Britons according to almost every parameter but a reversal is not on the cards anytime soon.

Wine o'clock not

Awash in powerful marketing, women are not heeding the messages on the dangers of alcohol.

Country calendars

The barbarian was at the gate. Then he was in the house. I had been smugly congratulating myself on a most civilised Christmas Day here at Lush Places.

Blackjack

Each summer, we invite some of Aotearoa’s finest writers to tell us a short tale. Here is the final instalment on this year’s theme, second acts’.

More than physical

A former GP's self-help prescription which takes a broad view of wellbeing is gaining traction, despite some colleagues' scepticism.

Ninety seconds to doomsday

New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stance at risk of compromise through our security partnerships must be upheld, says Russell Tregonning.

Buy the rumour, sell the news

More scandals and wild price swings will inevitably accompany the surging value of cryptocurrencies this year.

Spear the cooking

Broccoli is vitamin- and nutrient-rich but go easy on the type and length of cooking.

Soothe operator

Grammy-winning Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab is bringing her meditative, minimalist music to New Zealand festivals.

Crushers

Ever since the conversation a few days ago, Pam had avoided Nīkau. “You know some people claim to be indigenous just to get the benefits,” Pam had said, just out of Glow’s earshot.

Breaking the ice

Scientists have spent the summer drilling into the Antarctic seafloor to learn from the past what we can expect from future sea level rise.

Going Dutch

The Netherlands has lurched further to the right politically, but Amsterdam is still a beacon for Kiwis wanting to experience European life.

School daze

The new government plans sweeping changes in a bid to drag us back to where we used to be - near the top of educational league tables.

Flamingo lady

The hot pink fringe came last. Joan saw the shoes first. The paint-splatter brightness of them, displayed in the window of a boutique with two security guards positioned out front. Initially, she'd walked on.

The dog

The dog came out of nowhere. Roger was driving too fast and Laurie was looking for bars and Penny was talking to Tim and Pat had his feet on the dashboard and they all heard the thump.

Brand new & ancient

A culinary revolution is taking place across the Pacific as local restaurateurs go back to their pre-colonial roots, thanks largely to efforts that began in Hawaii more than 50 years ago.

Mark my words

Punctuation marks may be on their way out, to the chagrin of grammar zealots the world over.

Yes, you should be worried

Two GPS have spent three years travelling the country plugging gaps in overstretched practices. The experience has been eye-opening.

Play in practice: Evelyn Glennie

As she put the finishing touches on her application, a teenager named Evelyn Glennie felt butterflies in her stomach. Growing up on a farm in Scotland, she had dreamed of becoming a musician.

Passion players

The daily grind can be transformed into a source of daily joy, says leading organisational psychologist Adam Grant.

Tunnel of love

Shayne Cunis had never heard of engineering when his school guidance counsellor suggested studying it. Now, he's leading the big push to improve Auckland's wastewater system.

The beginnings of a long struggle

In moments of depression, perhaps at the end of a long struggle with a virus,\" wrote a former editor of the Listener, the great Monte Holcroft, \"the stranger aspects of our civilisation make us wonder if life itself has not become a sort of illness.

Lurching to the right

It's starting to get scary out there. People with really weird hairdos and wild, right-wing politics are getting elected all over the place.

Quackers about festivities

Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion and the like have remained strangely silent about one of the world's most recalcitrant climate offenders. Nicholas of Bari started out as a nice old clergyman, beloved for his habit of giving secret gifts.

The antisocial media

The dominant online platforms became more toxic than ever in 2023. Is there a way out?

Animal magic

The long-held view that pets make us happier and healthier is being challenged.

Not the Messiah

Had enough Hallelujah Chorus? Try these picks for other seasonal classical options.